Air Pollutant Emissions Reduced by 49 % from FY1999 Levels

The Risk Management Subcommittee of the Industrial Structure Council's Chemicals and Bioindustry Committee held their 6th and 7th working group meetings on measures for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and reported on the FY2002 status of implementation of voluntary management plans to reduce HAP emissions (36 plans) that were developed by 74 Japanese trade associations including the Japan Chemical Industry Association.

According to the report, total emissions of 12 HAPs, including benzene, were only about 19,000 tons in 2002. This was a significant decrease of 19,000 tons, or 49 percent, from 38,000 tons in 1999, the base year. Even compared with the 2001 level, the amount reduced in 2002 was 4,000 tons, or 19 percent.

The voluntary management plans had aimed to reduce total emissions to 23,000 tons by 2003. However, total emissions in 2002 were 4,000 tons less than the 2003 target, meaning that the target was achieved one year ahead of schedule.

Looking at HAP emissions individually, five chemical substances surpassed 2003 emissions targets in 2002 as follows: 1,3-butadiene (achievement ratio: 129 percent), trichloroethylene (126 percent), benzene (121 percent), acrylonitrile (115 percent) and 1,2-dichloroethane (105 percent). The chemicals which achieved 2003 targets in 2001 were acetaldehyde, dichloromethane, formaldehyde, and trinickel disulfide / nickel sulfate. Three chemicals have not reached their targets: vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), chloroform and tetrachloroethylene.



Posted: 2004/02/25 06:13:20 PM
Japanese version