SafeUseandManagementofChemicalSubstances

Approach to Safe Use and Management of Chemical Substances

The Milbon Group has established the Milbon Group Environmental Policy as a guideline for fulfilling our responsibilities to the global environment in all processes, from product development to procurement of raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, and sales to consumer use and disposal. As a cosmetics manufacturer that uses chemical substances, we recognize and address safety management as an important issue.

Growing Social Awareness

The Earth Summit, which aimed to achieve global environmental conservation and sustainable development, set globally shared medium- and long-term goals for chemical substance management, which prompted countries around the world, including Japan, to establish laws and guidelines to develop chemical substance management, and to produce and use chemical substances in a manner that minimizes their impact on human health and the environment. In recent years, the European Union (EU) has adopted the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS), which calls for the elimination of hazardous chemicals from use in consumer products, including cosmetics, and for all chemical substances to be used in a safe and sustainable manner.

Recognition as the Milbon Group

We strongly believe that taking appropriate measures for managing chemical substances in Japan and other countries is extremely important to safeguard the global environment and human health, as well as to ensure our business continuity.
The development of the beauty industry—Milbon’s business domain—can only be achieved through the health of the environment and people. For this reason, thorough management of chemical substances is not only a risk response to protect our business domain for the future, but also an opportunity to earn the trust of our customers and society.

Direction of Initiatives

Based on these awareness, we have established the following directions and are striving for the safe use and management of chemical substances.

1. Risk measures for chemical substances

   Regarding chemical substances that have raised environmental or safety concerns based on scientific evidence, we will restrict their use in our products and research to develop products that our customers can use with peace of mind and to minimize their impact on the environment.

2. Confirming the safety of chemical substances

   For chemical substances used, we check various safety parameters and environmental effects through literature and databases, provide regular education to those who handle them, and manage them to ensure that they are used and disposed appropriately.

3. Disclosure of chemical substance management status

   We will disclose emissions of class 1 designated chemical substances based on the Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) law.

4. Internal training on the handling and disposal of chemical substances
   • We encourage employees to acquire certification as hazardous materials handlers, and are working to improve the knowledge of chemical substance handlers.
   • We regularly educate chemical substance handlers on hazardous materials and specially controlled waste. We also ensure that chemical substances are handled under appropriate equipment and environment, and are sorted and disposed separately in compliance with laws and regulations.
   • Waste is properly disposed of through a specialized contractor, and disposal sites are inspected regularly.
   • Periodic environmental measurements are taken to ensure that no hazardous chemical substances are released into the environment.

Status of Specific Actions

Policy on specific constituents in cosmetic products

• Microbeads and microplastics

  Bead-like plastic particles of 0.001mm to 0.1mm in size are commonly referred to as microbeads, and there are concerns about them causing marine pollution and being preyed upon by fish. At Milbon, we have prohibited their use in cosmetic products. In addition, the EU has announced regulations on microplastics, an extension of microbeads, and it is our policy not to use them in our cosmetic products, including those outside the EU.

• Organic fluorine compounds (PFAS)

  Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an organic fluorine compound, and they are increasingly being regulated in Europe and the United States as constituents that are likely to remain in the environment. At Milbon, we plan to completely eliminate the use in cosmetic products by the end of 2024, and it is our policy not to use them in the future in countries outside of Europe and the United States.

Handling of chemical substances in cosmetics production

We manage the transfer and emission of applicable chemical substances in compliance with Japan’s Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Act. Based on what we manage, we are considering voluntary management of our chemical substance use and reduction of emissions in the future based on annual emission volume.

Emissions of Class 1 Designated Chemical Substances based on the PRTR Act (April 2022–March 2023)

Management System

We use chemical substances in compliance with laws and regulations. In the Production Headquarters and Development Headquarters, where chemical substances are used, we have set up divisions to manage chemical substances used in products and research. The divisions, periodically checks the management status, collects new safety knowledge and establishes regulations, provides education regularly to those who handle chemical substances, and reports the status of chemical substance use to the national government.