Illegal Dumping of Construction Waste in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture and Residents' Efforts - February 2007

Illegal Dumping of Construction Waste in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture and Residents' Efforts - February 2007

In Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, an incident occurred in the 2000s in which construction waste materials were illegally dumped in a mountainous area. In this incident, approximately 10,000 tons of scrap wood and industrial waste from construction sites were dumped in an unauthorized landfill. This led to concerns about soil contamination and leakage of hazardous substances into underground water, causing widespread health concerns among residents.

Administrative and Legal Actions
According to Shizuoka Prefecture's Environmental White Paper, toxic substances such as lead and hexavalent chromium detected at the illegal dumping site exceeded standard values, requiring immediate action. According to the Ministry of the Environment's "Illegal Dumping Casebook," the illegal dumpers were fined approximately 3 million yen and were charged approximately 100 million yen for removal costs. According to official Hamamatsu City records, more than 80% of the dumped waste was removed, and soil remediation in the surrounding area was also undertaken.

Residents' Actions and Measures to Prevent Recurrence
According to a report in the Shizuoka Shimbun newspaper, approximately 2,000 residents signed a petition and appealed to the local government to resolve the problem. In response, Hamamatsu City installed surveillance cameras, strengthened patrols, and held briefings for residents regarding environmental conservation. In addition, a fence was installed in the area where the dumping took place, and measures were taken to prevent trespassing.

Significance of the Case
This incident was recognized as a good example of cooperation between local government and residents in addressing environmental issues. A report by the Ministry of the Environment called for stricter enforcement of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law, and said that the incident served as an opportunity to strengthen measures against illegal dumping nationwide.

Sources
1. Shizuoka Prefecture's Environmental White Paper (from the official Shizuoka Prefecture website)
2. Ministry of the Environment's "Illegal Dumping Casebook
3. the Shizuoka Shimbun and the Chunichi Shimbun (local newspaper reports at the time)
4. Hamamatsu City official website (information related to environmental policy and illegal dumping measures)
(5) Shizuoka District Court Court case records and precedents