Document JGL7Y5DkvBxZ3YMneDEbZj0r

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL IT.OTLCTIGN AGENCY SUBJECT: Notes on U.S.--Japan Mooting of February 27 DATE; 3/2/76 FNOM: I. E. Wallen TO: Glenn E. Schweitzer Minister Kido opened the PCB's discussion at the U.S.--Japan Cooperative Committee on February 27 by reviewing the development of their Toxic Substances legislation. Although a copy of his talk will be translated, the gist .of his statement was as follows: The real beginning of their legislation rests on a Soy Sauce incident in October I960 when PCBs contaminated sauce resulted in 1000 plus hospital patients. In April 1970 they published a report on the need for measures to deal with such incidents. In February. 1971. the decision was made to accept the need for restrictions on PCBs use. Administrative action was recommended to discontinue the use of PCBs in carbonless copy paper. In October 1971 it was decided that PCBs would be banned in paints and for other related uses. It was not clear what impact these actions would have on environmental improvement since (1) no analytic method was clearly established-and (2) the chronic effects of PCBs were unknown., However, in June 1971 a task force at the national level established the administrative guide lines to ratify the bans. In early 1972 action was taken to ban the use of PCBs as heat exchange fluids and the import of PCBs containing transformers and capacitors was banned. Production by the two Japanese flrms~was 'discontinued T>etwen March and June 1972 and the U.S. supplier was cut off. . Countermeasures to reduce the`'impact of PCBs in the environ ment were inititated. A conference of nine Japanese Government Agencies was held in April 1972 to summarize the situation and agreement was reached on (1> measures to recover existing PCBs in the environment, (2) regulation of future discharges,, (3) needed baalth effects studies, (4) analytic methods needs,jap.d' (5) use of substitutes. Implementation of the responsibility fj>r continued concern with PCBs was delegated within the government. In August 1972 safety standards were promulgated for handling PCBs containing products. A survey was initialed of (1) levels in fishes, (2) levels in food and other packaging, (3) inspection re quirements, (4) known health effects, (5) need for dredging of sediments, and (6) information needs. A report of these surveys was received in December, 1972. . Some of the dates for setting standards for PCBs levels were: IFA n>M IMM (Bn*. (.) MONS 030831 2 July 11170 -- Hffluont Guidelines August 1972 -- Acceptable levels in fish, meat, animal feed: December 1972 -- Plant emission limits February 3972 -- Ambient Water Quality Standards February 1975 -- Minimum level for dredging December 1975 -- Solid Wastes Standards In further background on a more general basis Minister Kido pointed out that key issues surfaced during the PCBs' actions included a new concern with the impact of a chemical on human health, the need to restrict imports, and the need to stop emissions during production, importation and uses. New regulatory authority was needed. In December 1972 the task force asked for a new type of pollution evaluation based on human health. Incidental to this need is concern for surveillance and protocols for testing health effects. . Their toxic substances lav? became effective in April 1974 ' and a Cabinet order implemented the law in June '1974. The law incorporated certain regulations including (1) a requirement that a list of harmful substances be promulgated, (2) new substances . must be reviewed in. advance of production; and (3) a special per mit is required before a listed substance may be produced or imported* The first substance on the list is PCBs and PCBs uses have been restricted to rolling stock, transformers, rectifiers and . bpparently) certain aircraft uses. A set of standards for PCBs use was issued with the Cabinet order to restrict maintenance and repair of rolling stock and housekeeping procedures. .. Problems foreseen by Minister Kido include (1) reprocessing and storage, (2) monitoring (surveillance), (3) operation of the screoning part of the law, and (4f promotion of research and development on PCBs and PCB containing material. Dr. Igarishi was introduced as the Chairman of toxic substances considerations within the. U.S./Japan panel. He said_ that 250 new chemicals had been submitted for pre-market screening under the Japanese Law and 40*of them had been declared td-jjbe "safe."... The Japanese list of existing chemical substances Includes about 20,000 substances. They are examining the properties of these substances for similarities to PCBs. If they have similar pro- ; perties, testing will be required. The Japanese government ... three agencies ..will perform the testing. / Mr. Sumikama answered the questions asked in the telegram, as follows; ' MUNS 030832 1. (pens in Japan by uses to date). --59/000 metric tons have been produced , 5/000 metric tons exported 54,000 metric tons consumed --condensors 36,000 tons heat catalysts 9,000 tons ' carbonless paper 5,000 tons _ paints, etc. 4,000 tons . . --recovery -- ' * Trom heat catalysts - 6,577 tons from carbonless paper - 100 tons --recovered PCBs are stored in metal containers --scrap recovery facilities are provided by the government --an inventory of existing uses (transformers and large capacitors) has contacted 232,100 establishments since April 1975 and 130,675 responses were received: 9,500 tons of PCBs identified in transformers ' 8,000 tons of PCBs identified .in capacitors --the Japanese Government uses 3,220 tons in transport and 360 tons are held in the electrical manufacturers inventory . --36,000 tons are accounted for in shipments (including exports) . --10,000 tons remain unaccounted for. Some may still come during the inventory survey. ' 2. . (PCBs regulations). . .. . Copies of the regulations were offered to the O.S. dele gation. I am trying to locate them. There were reported to b(e4) (1) environmental, (2) labor treatment and disposal, and and health, (3) water quality, marine' pollution prevention standards. ' t 3. (Product regulations). . Failed, or no longer used, transformers and capacitors are to be stored and delivered to the government for recovery.. Storage and use in transit/railroad uses are controlled'.^'Local and the central governments control and recover PCR^;'in electrical equipment. An organization has been set up to locate and receive capacitors from applicances. The recovery of PCBs . from carbonless copjr paper is under study. 4. (Enforcement, monitoring and costs). ' There is a definite improvement in environmental levels of PCBs since 1974. Local governments and the central govern ment oversee and monitor these reductions. Records are kept 030833 MON 5 4 >1 of costs and local governments may, be reimbursed for costs including for such dredging as may be necessary. 5. (Substitutes). Mineral oil and siliconaoil are suggested for trans formers . Alkyl naphthaline substitutes in carbonless paper Various approaches to small capacitors ,' Transformers and capacitors with PCBs now in use may serve out useful life. . ' 6. (Data on substitutes) . . Substitutes are screened through the system provided by the new lav;. Tests are performed for degradation, persistence and toxicity. If old chemical uses exists investigations are conducted in sediments and fishes. Silicone oil is equivalent to PCBs except for cost. , 7. (Environmental t'ests). biodegradation, bioaccumulation, chronic toxicity, and uses Burvey data are gathered. 8. The only designated hazardous substances under the law is . PCBs. Monitoring of PCBs is...carried in pinfishes and shellfishes. A copy of the questionnaire is attached. cci L. Miller F. Green PCBs List C. Willmora R. Thorsell t v MQNS 030834