February 18, 2026, 11:00 AM
By Shintaro Shiiki and Keiko Nagai
DIC Hokuriku Factory = February 17, 2026, 3:07 PM, Minato-cho, Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Photo by Keiko Nagai.
Major chemical manufacturer DIC (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) announced on the 17th that organic fluorine compounds (collectively known as PFAS) approximately 2,000 times higher than national guideline values were detected in groundwater within the premises of its Hokuriku Factory (Minato-cho, Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture). According to the prefectural government, this marks the first time PFAS levels exceeding guideline values have been confirmed at a business site within the prefecture.
According to the company, the Hokuriku Factory manufactured firefighting foam agents containing PFOS—a type of PFAS—until 2003. In response to strengthened regulations on PFAS, the company conducted voluntary investigations in January this year. While the national guideline value is set at 50 nanograms per liter for the combined total of PFOS and PFOA, maximum detected levels reached 99,600 nanograms per liter.
The company explained that PFOS and other substances were detected in groundwater from shallow geological layers at depths of 5–10 meters underground. No contamination was found in deeper layers at 30–60 meters, which are used for drinking and industrial water within the factory.
The factory manufactured firefighting foam agents and conducted fire extinguishing tests. The company believes PFOS infiltrated the ground through these manufacturing and testing activities. PFOA was reportedly generated as a byproduct during manufacturing.
The company will hold explanatory meetings for nearby residents from February 18–22 to explain the current situation and future response measures. Additionally, soil within the premises will be removed, and groundwater concentrations and flow at the site boundary will be monitored monthly.
Hakusan City is urging residents within approximately 500 meters of the well where the exceedance was confirmed to refrain from drinking well water. The city will distribute drinking water until safety is confirmed through prefectural inspections.
The city has conducted annual inspections of the water supply since fiscal year 2024. Tests conducted in July last year on deep-layer water sources in the Minato-cho district, where the factory is located, showed levels of 6–7 nanograms per liter.
