Recently, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) issued a notification: as PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)-related substances have been designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL), concerned parties should check whether the fire extinguishers and extinguishing agents they hold contain such substances, and handle them properly in accordance with the newly revised technical standards.
Earlier, Japan designated PFHxS-related substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the CSCL, prohibiting their manufacture, import, and use in principle from June 2026. Accordingly, the relevant Ministerial Ordinance governing the technical standards for fire extinguishers and extinguishing agents was revised on June 12 and took effect on June 17, updating the technical requirements for products containing PFHxS. Regarding the actual presence of PFHxS in foam extinguishing agents in Japan, the notification suggests referring to the current survey results of the Japan Fire Fighting Equipment Association and the Japan Fire Extinguisher Manufacturers' Association (JFEMA) for confirmation.
Enterprises holding relevant fire extinguishers and extinguishing agents should confirm whether their products contain PFHxS-related substances; if so, they should handle them properly in accordance with the revised technical standards and the FDMA notification. Where pollutants are generated during disposal, replacement, leakage, training, or inspection, the requirements of waste disposal and related environmental laws and regulations must also be observed. Enterprises that manufacture, deal in, or export PFAS-type fire extinguishing agent products to Japan should pay particular attention.
