Abstract
The variety of chemical substances is enormous, and in this country alone tens of thousands of them are said to be in distribution. It is difficult to assess the toxicity of these chemicals or control them via regulations. The Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) is expected to become a comprehensive measure for managing not only hazardous chemicals but also chemicals which are suspected to be hazardous in nature.
The Kanagawa prefectural government conducted PRTR pilot studies in 1997 and 1998 at the request of the Environment Agency of Japan. The targets of the pilot studies were 176 materials, including 3 unintentionally synthesized chemicals, such as a dioxin.
The most labor-intensive task for industries estimating the quantity of emissions involved specifying the chemicals being targeted from among all the chemicals they deal with. The volume of targeted chemicals contained in the wastes was one of the most important types of data, yet was not always available. Therefore, each industry should solve these problems before the PRTR Law is implemented.
Under the PRTR, data on chemical release from industries will be made public. We need to make good use of the data to engage in effective communication among administrative agencies, industries and citizens regarding risk, and to reduce the environmental burden on local communities. The Kanagawa prefectural government aims at playing an important role in introducing a system to mitigate chemical risks within local environments through the use of PRTR data.
