Polyurethane
PU / resin identification code 7（その他）
Sponges, cushions, paints. No main report in foods.
Main uses
- Kitchen sponges (urethane)
- Cushions and insulation
- Paints and adhesives
Found in food, water and the human body
- It is among the 12 types measured in the brain study (Nihart 2025), but no study was found reporting it as a main finding in foods
Evaluations of raw materials and additives
- The raw material TDI (toluene diisocyanate) is IARC Group 2B; MDI and polyurethane foam are Group 3
IARC classifications rate the strength of evidence that something can cause cancer, not the size of the risk at everyday amounts.
Japan's standards (utensils, containers and packaging that touch food)
- MHLW Notification No. 370 has no individual standard for polyurethane (general standards only)
General standards for all synthetic resins: cadmium and lead in the material 100 μg/g or less each, heavy metals migrating (as lead) 1 μg/mL or less, and others. Since June 2020, synthetic resins that touch food have been under a “positive list system” that sets which substances may be used (the transition period ended May 31, 2025). → Rules and regulation
Production in Japan
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urethane foam | 173,008 t | 166,542 t | 164,585 t |
Compiled by the Japan Plastics Industry Federation (based on METI's production statistics). This is the amount made in Japan, not the amount used in Japan.
Sources
- Nihart AJ, et al. Nat Med 2025 (PMID 39901044)
- Consumer Affairs Agency, standards for utensils, containers and packaging (Notification No. 370, Part 3) (Japanese)
- IARC List of Classifications
- Japan Plastics Industry Federation, statistics (Japanese)
Last checked 2026-10-01. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.