By KAI ICHINO/ Staff Writer
October 22, 2024 at 15:45 JST
The Environment Ministry is discussing tightening regulations on PFAS synthetic chemicals in tap water. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The government is poised to toughen regulations to ensure safer drinking water in Japan, after a recent survey showed that organic fluorine compounds in tap water exceeded guidelines for the third consecutive year.
The finding, reported by the Japan Water Works Association, could significantly influence ongoing discussions by the Environment Ministry on regulating perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively known as PFAS.
Currently, Japan has a provisional limit of 50 nanograms per liter for the combined levels of PFOS and PFOA, two of the most common types of PFAS. One nanogram is one-billionth of a gram.
According to the survey, conducted in fiscal 2022 at 1,503 water purification facilities across the country, at least one site recorded PFAS concentrations surpassing the limit.
The survey results have prompted the ministry to review the provisional limit and the associated legal responsibilities.
The persistence of contaminated sites over three years meets one of the criteria for changing these provisional limits to binding official water quality standards.
This would require water utilities to conduct regular water quality testing and implement measures to comply with the new regulations, just as they currently do for mercury and arsenic contamination.
A senior ministry official stated that one of the most critical requirements for elevating the standards has been met.
A final decision on upgrading the regulations will be made after discussions at the ministry’s expert panel.
The discussions will include how pollution is spreading and the readiness of local authorities to treat water at contaminated sites.
Globally, there has been a trend toward tightening regulations on PFAS, particularly in Europe and the United States, where authorities have moved to lower permissible levels and broaden the scope of regulated substances.
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