Japan Act on Control of Household Products Containing

Harmful Substances Updated

The Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published an ordinance to announce the
approval of the amendment on the Act on Control of Household Products Containing Harmful Substances
which designates azo dyes that may cause any of the 24 aromatic amines as harmful substances in April
2015.

On July 9, 2015, MHLW issued another ordinance to announce the details of the azo dye requirement
including scope, limit and test method of azo dye. In addition, MHLW announced the finalized revision of
the test methods for household products containing Triphenyltin compounds (TPT)/ Tributyltin compounds
(TBT) and formaldehyde.

Amendment on the Act on Control of

Household Products Containing Harmful Substances

New Azo Dye Requirement

Scope
Textile products include: diapers, diaper covers, underwear, sleepwear, gloves, socks,
intermediate garments, outer garments, caps, hats, beddings, floor coverings, tablecloths,
collar ornaments, handkerchiefs, and towels, bath mats and related products
Leather/ Fur products include: underwear, gloves, intermediate garments, outer garments,
caps, hats and floor coverings

Restriction
24 aromatic amines (refer to next page for the list of aromatic amines)

Limit
30mg/kg

Test Method
Textile products similar to EN 14362-1:2012 and EN 14362-3:2012
Leather/ Fur products similar to ISO 17234-1:2015 and ISO 17234-2:2011

Revised Test Method for Organotin (TPT, TBT)

Gas chromatograph mass spectrometer will be used instead of flameless atomic absorption
spectrometry and two-dimensional thin layer chromatography for both testing and
confirmation methods
No change in scope and limit

Revised Test Method for Formaldehyde

In the absorbance measurement process, ammonium acetate buffer solution will be used
instead of using purified water
No change in scope and limit

Date of entry into force: April 1, 2016

 Summary of Azo dye, Organotin (TPT, TBT), Formaldehyde Requirement

Azo Dye Organotin (TPT, TBT) Formaldehyde

(New requirement)
Textile products:
diapers, diaper covers,
underwear, sleepwear, gloves,
socks, intermediate garments,
outer garments, caps, hats,
beddings, floor coverings,
tablecloths, collar ornaments,
Scope handkerchiefs, and towels,
bath mats and related products
Leather/ Fur products:
underwear, gloves,
intermediate garments, outer
garments, caps, hats and floor
coverings
Limit 30mg/kg
Textile products similar to
EN 14362-1:2012 and EN
Test 14362-3:2012
Method Leather/ Fur products similar
to ISO 17234-1:2015 and ISO
17234-2:2011
(current requirement)
Textile products:
diaper, diaper covers, bib,
underwear, sanitary band,
sanitary panty, gloves, socks
Household adhesive, household
paints, household waxes, shoe
polish, shoe cream
Not detected
Change: GC-MS for both
measurement and confirmation
(current requirement)
(a) Textile products:
diaper, diaper covers, bib, underwear,
sleepwear, gloves, socks, intermediate
garments, outer garments, caps, hats,
bedding for babies or infants within 24
months after birth
(b) Textile products:
underwear, sleepwear, gloves, socks,
Japanese socks (tabi), adhesive for
wig, artificial eyelashes, false
moustache (beard) and suspending
socks
(a) 16mg/kg or 0.05 Abs
(b) 75mg/kg
Change: ammonium acetate buffer
solution in the absorbance
measurement process

List of 24 aromatic amines

Aromatic Amines
1 4-aminoazobenzene 13 3,3-dichlorobenzidine
2 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene 14 3,3-dimethyl-4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane
3 4-aminobiphenyl 15 3,3-dimethylbenzidine
4 4,4-oxydianiline 16 3,3-dimethoxybenzidine
5 o-anisidine 17 4,4-thiodianiline
6 o-aminoazotoluene 18 2,4,5-Trimethylaniline
7 o-toluidine 19 2,4-toluylendiamine
8 2,4- xylidine 20 2-naphtylamine
9 2,6-xylidine 21 p-cresidine
10 4-chloro-o-toluidine 22 p-chloroaniline
11 2,4-diaminoanisole 23 benzidine
12 4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane 24 4,4-methylene-bis-(2-chloro-aniline)

Additional Information
MHLW Announcement on July 9, 2015
http://www.nihs.go.jp/mhlw/chemical/katei/PDF/20150709-1.pdf
http://www.nihs.go.jp/mhlw/chemical/katei/PDF/20150709-2.pdf
http://www.nihs.go.jp/mhlw/chemical/katei/PDF/20150709-3.pdf

Bureau Veritas Assistance

If you have any comments and/or questions, please contact your local customer service representative or email:
cps.info@bureauveritas.com

Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, Inc. (BVCPS) provides the information in this client bulletin as a resource of general information. It
does not replace any applicable legal or regulatory requirements and is provided as is. BVCPS will not be liable for any indirect, special, punitive,
consequential or other damages (including without limitation lost profits) of any kind in connection with this client bulletin. BVCPS DISCLAIMS ALL
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CLIENT BULLETIN.

Copyright 2015 Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sep 2015, Bulletin 15B-034

Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services www.bureauveritas.com/cps