Japan government says health impact of PFAS chemicals ‘undeniable’

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan’s food safety panel concluded on Tuesday that the effects of chemicals known as PFAS on birthweight loss and reduced immunity after vaccination are “undeniable” in its first health assessment of these substances amid concerns about cancer risks.

However, the Cabinet Office’s Food Safety Commission stated that “evidence is limited” regarding the potential of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, to cause cancer, with much still unknown about their adverse health effects.

PFAS are described as “forever chemicals” because they are nearly indestructible and can accumulate in the environment and the human body.

Used in various products such as frying pan coatings and water-repellent clothing, the substances have been detected in high concentrations at places near Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military bases as well as industrial areas in Japan.

The commission assessed that the allowable daily intake of PFOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, the two most representative forms of PFAS, for a person, is 20 nanograms per 1 kilogram of body weight for each substance.

The government currently sets a provisional cap for the two chemicals at a total of 50 nanograms per liter for tap water and rivers.

Based on the assessment and a separate, ongoing nationwide survey on the concentration of PFAS in tap water, the Environment Ministry is set to discuss reviewing the provisional cap.

In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, classified PFOA as “carcinogenic to humans” and PFOS as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

According to a study for fiscal 2022 by the Environment Ministry that covered rivers and groundwater in 38 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, 16 prefectures had cases in which PFAS concentrations exceeded the government threshold.