OSAKA — Nippon Paint Co. said Tuesday it has detected seven contaminants in soil and groundwater at its production facility in Kita Ward, Osaka, that exceed government limits.
The firm said the contamination level is not sufficiently serious to immediately affect the health of local residents.
The seven materials are fluorine, lead, arsenic, sexivalent chrome, dichloromethane, nitrite nitrogen and boron, it said.
Up to 206 mg per liter of fluorine was detected in the groundwater, 258 times the environmental limit, while the amount of lead in the groundwater was 17 times the limit, it said.
In samples of soil taken from spots bordering neighboring premises, the amount of lead was six times the permitted level, while that of fluorine was five times the limit, the company said.
The Osaka-based paint maker said it will pump up and decontaminate the groundwater and keep a watch on changes in the levels of pollutants discovered at the site.
As the area is covered with concrete, the company plans to remove contaminated soil when it rebuilds a factory on the site, it said.
"The lead came from a factory in the prewar period, while a drainage ditch of a plant that makes finishing agents seems to be the source of the fluorine contamination," the company said.
The company said it will hold a briefing session for local residents.