Almost Half of Japanese Mercury Handlers Face New Reporting

Japan’s new reporting requirements for mercury will affect nearly half of all business entities that keep or use the toxic metal, regulators say.

Companies whose stored mercury goes above a new 30-kilogram (66-pound) threshold are required to report on their mercury management by June 30 under the Mercury Pollution Prevention Act, which went into effect Aug. 16, 2017.

Mercury is a neurotoxin that at sufficient exposure levels can affect coordination, cognition, memory, and vision in addition to other serious adverse health effects.

Exposure to methylmercury—the most toxic form of the metal—most commonly occurs when people consume fish ...