Motoo Kawamata

The Japan Responsible Care Council
(3-2-6 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 Japan)

Abstract

Responsible Care (RC) is an international self-management activity by chemical industry aiming at the preservation of the environment and ensuring safety/health at all stages of the chemical substances life-cycle. The Japan Responsible Care Council (JRCC), established in April 1995 is an association of 79 companies that have pledged to carry out and excute RC. At all the international level, there are 42 countries and more than 5,000 companies that have joined RC. Every year member companies should present their implementation plans and the results of these plans to JRCC. JRCC reports on the results of RC activities by member companies by preparing and making public its JRCC Annual Report. Two definite plans of voluntary waste management by the chemical industry, e.g., (1) 40% reduction of industrial waste by the year of 2010 based on 1990 standards and (2) 15% improvement of the industrial waste recycling rate by the year of 2010 based on 1990 are formed and being carried out.

Key words: responsible care, the Japan responsible care council, voluntary activity, chemical industry, waste management