21 January 2010

Chapter 1 (Purpose)

This document, implemented by Japan Adhesive Industry Association (hereinafter JAIA), provides a common rule for manufacturers/suppliers and users/purchasers to comply with the building material VOC emission rate standard published by the governmental agency and to promote availability of adhesive products which are conscious of indoor air quality.

Chapter 2 (Establishment of Committee)

A Second Examination Committee for Registration (hereinafter COMMITTEE) shall be established within JAIA to implement this rule, which would be comprised of 10 (ten) members or less. Maximum of 3 (three) members may be from third parties, whose appointment and terms shall be reviewed by the VOC Committee and approved by the board of JAIA.

Chapter 3 (Requirements for application)

1. Foreign corporations which manufacture, process or sell adhesives may apply for registration of their product(s) which complies with 4 VOC Standard.
2. Applications shall be submitted by Japanese corporations dealing with chemicals and representing the filing foreign corporation or a Japanese attorney representing that foreign corporation.

Chapter 4-1 (Scope of application)

This document applies to adhesives and relevant products that are used in indoor products such as building materials, furniture and interior decoration, and for their installation.

Chapter 4-2 (Description of VOC's)

The VOC’s, for which the registered products are declared to be in compliance with the 4VOC Standard, shall be limited to those specified in the published standard and are toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene and styrene (hereinafter 4VOC). Addition of other VOC shall be considered basically when additional control levels would be published. Such addition shall be reviewed by the VOC Committee and approved by the board of JAIA.

Chapter 5 (Declaration of compliance)

This registration system is provided for JAIA to register products which are not formulated with 4VOC (hereinafter 4VOC Standard Products) and for the applicant to assure by proper marking that the registered product is 4VOC Standard Product.

4VOC Standard Products shall be manufactured so as to meet the following 4VOC control concentration levels:

The control concentration levels of 4VOC may be changed to stricter levels if JAIA concludes, by verification, that 4VOC Standard Products should be controlled by stricter criteria on the safe side. Any changes shall be reviewed by the VOC Committee and approved by the board of JAIA.

Chapter 6 (Sorts of adhesives)

Sorts of adhesive accepted for registration shall be as follows:

• Poly vinyl acetate emulsion
• Vinyl co-polymer emulsion
• Acrylic polymer emulsion
• Rubber latex
• Water born polymer-isocyanate system
• α-olefin polymer system
• Epoxy resin system
• Polyurethane resin system
• Modified silicone system
• Sililated urethane resin system
• Hot melt adhesives
• Polyvinylacetate solution
• Vinyl copolymer solution
• Rubber based solution
• Formaldehyde resin system

Applications of other sorts of adhesive may be reviewed by the VOC Committee and if acceptable, the registration shall be approved by the board of JAIA

Chapter 7-1 (Procedure of registration)

Only 4VOC Standard Products may be applied for registration. Applicants for registration of their 4VOC Standard Products (hereinafter APPLICANTs) or their agents (hereinafter AGENTs) shall submit the following application forms to JAIA:

1. Application for registration of 4VOC Standard Product(s) (VOC Form-1)
2. List of the Product(s) to be registered (VOC Form-2)
3. QC Check Sheet of the product(s) to be registered (VOC Form-6)
4. Certificate of 4VOC concentration of each grade of the product to be registered, issued by a designated testing laboratory
5. Prospectus of APPLICANT and AGENT (Biography, if a Japanese attorney is the AGENT), and the Applicant and Agent Registration Form. (VOC Form-7).

Chapter 7-2 (Application for renewal)

APPLICANTs for renewal of registration shall submit the following information to JAIA:

6. Name(s) of product and applying corporation with its address and contact person (VOC Form-8 for renewal which includes covenant),
7. Product list (VOC Form-9 for renewal). APPLICANTs may add other helpful information.

Chapter 8 （Grouping of products）

Products of different name shall be applied severally, however, the difference in color or package does not require separate registration.

Chapter 9 (OEM supply and purchase)

Products of OEM supply or purchase shall be registered in the actual name for distribution. The product name in the stage of OEM supply need not be informed of.

Chapter 10 (Responsibility of Applicant and Application Agent)

Examination of applications is scheduled 3 (three) times a year in June, October and February. The deadline for each examination shall fall 1 month in advance.

Chapter 11 (Examination)

COMMITTEE shall examine each application for registration and issue a registration number in 6 digits and an registration notice (VOC Form-3) to the applicant, if the application is accepted. In case of renewal, COMMITTEE shall issue a renewed registration notice. (VOC Form-10)

COMMITTEE may ask the applicant for additional information and submission of the following documents:

8. Brochure, technical data sheet or the like, of the product,
9. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the product,
10. Formulation data (components and contents) of the product.

Chapter 12 (Valid period and renewal of registration)

The valid period of registration shall commence on the day of registration notice and shall continue to the last day (March 31st) of fiscal year, to which the third anniversary of registration belongs.

If extension of registration is required, a renewal application must be filed prior to the expiration date which is the last day (March 31st) of fiscal year of the third anniversary of registration.

Attention: -- Registration shall be automatically excluded at expiration unless renewal application would be filed.

Chapter 13 (Marking of registration)

The registered product may be marked as “JAIA No.xxxxxx 4VOC Standard Product”, once the registration number would be issued. Marking shall be on the product by printing, stickers etc. MSDS or product brochure should, at least, describe the items contained in VOC Form-4. MSDS must carry the registration number.

Chapter 14 (Responsibility of registrants and agents)

1. APPLICANTs and AGENTs shall pay attention so that the marking of 4VOC Standard Product would be understood properly without misinterpretation.
2. JAIA, its members, its staff persons and its committee members (hereinafter JAIA etc.) shall not be responsible for the quality of registered PRODUCTs nor for individual markings of 4VOC Standard Products, whether the discrepancy, if any, is intentional or accidental.
   APPLICANTs and AGENTs shall respond in good faith and with full responsibility to any inquiries regarding their markings, while JAIA etc. shall not be obliged to respond.
3. APPLICANTs and AGENTs shall be responsible for precision of the content of application documents, especially for the compliance of their product with the requirements of 4VOC Standard. APPLICANTs and AGENTs, jointly and severally, shall hold JAIA etc. harmless of any third party claims for loss etc. in relation to the registered product(s) and its information stipulated in MSDS, brochure, or technical data sheet, and be liable to compensate expenses or debt of JAIA etc. incurred, including lawyer and litigation expenses.

Chapter 15 (Disclosure of registered products)

JAIA will disclose each registered product on its web site, describing its JAIA Registration Number, the manufacturer, the sort and the commercial name.

Chapter 16 (Exclusion of registration)

If complaints of customers etc. on a registered PRODUCT arise, COMMITTEE may demand the APPLICANT to show evidence to prove the description of registration forms. In case any non-conformity to Chapter 5 is found, COMMITTEE may exclude such registration through the prescribed procedure and disclose this fact of exclusion. Once excluded, repeated registration under the same product name shall not be accepted.

Chapter 17 (Market sampling of the registered PRODUCYS)

If COMMITTEE sees necessity to inspect a registered product for routine assurance of quality or for prevention of problems, it may obtain product sample on the market and send to a third party laboratory for analysis of 4VOC in the sample If any contravention is found by the inspection, APPLICANT shall be liable to compensate the inspection expenses.

Chapter 18 (Fees)

APPLICANT or AGENT shall pay jointly or severally the registration fee of \3,000.- (three thousand yen) per product or the renewal fee of \1,000,- (one thousand yen) per product to JAIA as well as the membership fee (for the registration system) of \300,000.-(three hundred thousand yen) every 3 years. In case the fees are not paid, JAIA may exclude the corresponding registration or membership. Once excluded, repeated registration under the same product name shall not be accepted.

Chapter 19 (Non-disclosure duty)

Members of COMMITTEE and staff persons of JAIA shall be liable to hold the information that is submitted during the procedure of registration, in strict confidence and shall not use it for own sakes

Chapter 20 (Solution of dispute)

Any dispute risen from this registration system or discrepancy in interpretation of covenants of this document shall be settled by arbitration of 3 (three) arbitrators appointed under the rules of Japan Commercial Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be made in Japanese language and governed by Japanese laws. The place of arbitration shall be Tokyo, Japan.

Chapter 21 (Language)

All documents of the registration system, including application forms, notice, and communication, shall be rendered in Japanese language. The original and valid copy of this document shall be prepared in Japanese language. Translation of this document to another language shall not be valid in interpretation of meaning.

Chapter 22 (Review of the rule)

This document may be reviewed and revised at any time as appropriate. Such revision requires approval of the board of JAIA.

Chapter 23 (Implementation)

This registration system shall be implemented as of 21 January 2010.