Companies may soon be required to tell the government which chemicals they use in an effort to help curb the discharge of artificial substances suspected of disrupting hormones, government officials said Wednesday.
The public disclosure of information on hormone-disrupting substances, such as the kinds and volumes used, will help encourage voluntary efforts by companies to reduce the discharges, officials at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry said.
Hormone-disrupting chemicals, such as nonyl phenol, have recently drawn attention for their potential to disrupt the reproductive abilities of animals and humans. The substances are used in food containers and packaging, toys and household chemical products.
MITI's plan aims to set new rules concerning the examination of and regulations over chemical substance manufacturing as guided by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
A rule under the OECD-advocated pollutant release and transfer register system requires corporations to report to the government about emissions and releases of chemicals from each plant and the government to publicize this data. The PRTR system has already been adopted by the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, France and South Korea.
The ministry hopes to submit a bill requiring such reports to the current Diet session, at the earliest.