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Japan Releases Global Chemicals Framework Implementation Plan

to Move Towards a World of Harmless Chemicals

  On February 18, 2025, Japan's Ministry of the Environment officially released the Global Framework for Chemicals (GFC) - Freeing the Earth from Chemicals and Waste - Domestic Implementation Plan (Draft). It announced that it is open for public comment from now until March 21, 2025. The public can submit their suggestions by mail or through the eGov platform. The draft aims to implement the new framework for global chemicals management adopted in Germany in September 2023, and to realize the full life-cycle management of chemicals through multisectoral collaboration to protect the environment and human health.

Background

  GFC is the successor framework to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which was launched in 2006, with the main objective of promoting global chemical safety governance by preventing or minimizing the hazards of chemicals and wastes. Japan established an Interdepartmental Liaison Meeting in April 2024 to develop this draft through several rounds of policy dialogues in conjunction with government agencies, businesses, academia, and civil society organizations in the fields of agriculture, environment, and health. It emphasizes “whole life-cycle management”, covering the production, use and disposal of chemicals, and is in line with international standards.

Five strategic objectives

According to the draft, Japan will advance domestic actions around the five strategic objectives of the GFC:

• Strategic Objective A: Build legal framework and governance capacity

1. By 2030, improve domestic legal systems to prevent or minimize chemical hazards, combat illicit trade and ensure notification, regulation and prohibition of exports of domestically prohibited chemical substances.

2. Strengthen the capacity building of poison information centers to ensure a comprehensive chemical risk response training system.

3. Phase out highly toxic pesticides by 2035

• Strategic Objective B: Data transparency and knowledge sharing

1. By 2030, develop and implement education and training on chemical safety, sustainability, safer alternatives and the benefits of chemical and waste risk reduction.

2. By 2035, comprehensive data on chemical properties, production and emissions will be generated and made available to the public.

3. Promote the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

• Strategic objective C: Prioritizing high-risk issues

1. Develop clear timelines and action plans for specific high-risk chemicals and focus resources on prioritizing solutions.

• Strategic Objective D: Promote safe alternatives and sustainable solutions

1. By 2030, support for safer and sustainable agricultural practices, including agroecology, integrated pest management and, where appropriate, the use of non-chemical alternatives, is enhanced.

2. by 2030, sustainable chemical substance and waste management strategies are developed and implemented in key economic and industrial sectors, prioritizing chemicals of concern, reducing their impacts along the chain and minimizing their inputs.

3. By 2035, policies that encourage the use of safer alternatives and sustainable methods throughout the life cycle, including the application of best available techniques, green procurement and circular economy methods, will be implemented.

• Strategic Objective E: Strengthen resource integration and international cooperation

1. By 2030, internalize the costs of proper management of chemicals and waste by various means.

2. By 2030, strengthen synergies between chemicals governance and global issues such as climate change and biodiversity.

3. By 2035, the proper management of chemicals and waste will be mainstreamed through the implementation of all relevant sectoral plans, budgets and development plans and development assistance policies and procedures.

Next plan

  Japan plans to submit a progress report at the international meeting of the GFC in 2026 and revise its domestic plan according to the international mechanism. The Ministry of Environment called on all sectors to actively participate in the collection of opinions and jointly improve the details of the draft.

From CIRS, https://www.cirs-group.com/cn/chemicals/ri-ben-fa-bu-quan-qiu-hua-xue-pin-kuang-jia-shi-shi-ji-hua