Title: Environmental surveys of toxic chemicals in aquatic environments in Japan
Abstract:Abstract A law concerning the examination and regulation of manufacture of chemical substances (the Chemical Substances Control Law) was enacted in 1973 to prevent environmental pollution by chemical ...Abstract A law concerning the examination and regulation of manufacture of chemical substances (the Chemical Substances Control Law) was enacted in 1973 to prevent environmental pollution by chemical substances, such as polychlorinated biphenyl‐like chemicals. In response to the enactment of the law, Environment Agency Japan (the former Ministry of the Environment) began successive environmental safety inspections a year later, including environmental surveys for existing chemicals. Since then, approximately 800 kinds of chemical substances have been investigated and 40% of them have been detected. Many substances suspected of posing risks to humans have been regulated on the basis of results of these environmental surveys. At present, five environmental surveys of water, bottom sediment and aquatic organisms are being carried out by cooperation between the Environment Ministry and all Local Governments in Japan. These surveys have been designed to collect information about chemical contamination across the whole country, and will measure change and variation in chemical contamination over time and space, and also examine measures for reducing the risks posed by chemical substances. Furthermore, the data obtained may contribute to an understanding of environmental contamination by chemical substances in Japan and in other industrial countries.Read More
Publication Year: 2002
Publication Date: 2002-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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