Japan Govt Earmarks ¥500 Mil. to Study Health Effects of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’
![](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/9948978.jpg)
The Environment Ministry In Chiyoda ward, Tokyo.
12:35 JST, September 1, 2023
The Environment Ministry has earmarked about ¥500 million of its ¥787.5 billion budget request for fiscal 2024 to fund a project to research the harmful effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The total budget request is a 19% increase compared to the fiscal 2023 initial budget.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals that could cause cancer and their import has been banned in Japan. However, high levels of PFAS that exceed the government’s provisional level have been detected in rivers and other locations nationwide.
Given the lack of sufficient information, the ministry intends to commission university research institutes and other organizations to study and collect data on the health effects of PFAS.
To get an idea of how widespread the chemicals are in the natural environment, the ministry plans to measure PFAS concentrations in the atmosphere and soil, as well as continue to conduct water quality tests.
"Science & Nature" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Project to Mass Produce Japanese Glass Eels Succeeds in Reducing Costs; Pilot Scheme Brings Down Costs to ¥1,800 Per Fish
-
Namibia Fossil is ‘Swamp Thing’ with Menacing Fangs
-
Drones, Smartphones to Be Used to Assess Flood Damage; Cabinet Office Approves Tech to Speed up Disaster Certificate Issuance
-
3rd H3 Rocket Launched Successfully; Daichi-4 Satellite Shot into Orbit (UPDATE 2)
-
Japan to Promote Development of New Research Reactors to Achieve Decarbonization; Ministry Eyes Nuclear Power as ‘Leading Option’
JN ACCESS RANKING