Request a Demo
On June 25, 2021, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) published on the official gazette 192 chemical substances[1] as existing chemical substances under the Industrial Safety and Health Law (ISHL).The additions are effective immediately.
The substances were assigned with ISHL numbers from 29244 to 29435. Since these chemical substances are regarded as existing chemicals now, the manufactures and importers of such substances will no longer need to notify them as new chemical substances under ISHL.
The ISHL inventory[2] consists of 4 main parts:
1. Existing chemical substances stipulated by the government (including basic elements and natural chemicals)
2. New chemicals published by MHLW (similar to this batch)
3. Certain chemicals that are regarded as existing chemical substances
4. Polymers that are regarded as existing chemical substances
In Japan, new chemical substances are required to be notified under ISHL and the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL), respectively. For CSCL, the notified substances are added to the Inventory of Existing and Notified Substances (ENCS)[3] five years after the notification is completed. For ISHL, the notified new substances will be published as existing substances around a year after the completion of notification.
The ENCS includes mainly substances manufactured in or imported to Japan, aiming to decide whether the substances are safe in their manufacture, import and use as well as whether they will result in environmental pollution or harm human health. The inventory of existing substances under ISHL applies to chemical substances manufactured in or imported to Japan for workplace uses, designed to protect workers from any harm associated with such substances.
