Illegal dumping of waste tires in the Tone River basin - December 1997

Illegal dumping of waste tires in the Tone River basin - December 1997

In 1997, about 1,000 tires were illegally dumped along the Tone River in Ibaraki Prefecture, mainly along the banks of the river between Toride and Joso cities. Some of the waste tires flowed into the river when the water level rose and became trapped on the riverbanks, damaging the scenery and raising concerns about water pollution. These tires also collected rainwater and became a source of blowflies, posing a risk of mosquito-borne infections.

Investigations indicated that these waste tires were most likely dumped by several nearby waste disposal companies, with the rising cost of disposal behind the incident. At the time, the cost of properly disposing of one waste tire was estimated to be about 500 yen, and it is assumed that the disposal companies illegally dumped the tires in order to cut costs. Among the companies identified was Tsukuba City-based processor "T Sangyo," which was later given administrative guidance.

The prefectural authorities rushed to remove the illegal dumping site, removing a total of approximately 200 tons. The cost of the removal was approximately 200 million yen, of which 100 million yen came from Ibaraki Prefecture's environmental protection budget and the remainder was covered by municipal and national subsidies. Specialized contractors were mobilized for the removal work, which was completed in two months.

This incident provided an opportunity to promote environmental protection activities throughout the Tone River basin, and in Toride and Joso cities, residents and environmental groups started riverbed cleanup activities in cooperation. The incident also led to discussion of revisions to the Recycling Law and the formulation of new guidelines to promote the proper disposal of waste tires.

Furthermore, technological development to expand tire recycling has progressed, and some waste tires are now being reused as recycled rubber. In addition to improving the environment in the Tone River basin, these efforts contributed to the strengthening of waste management nationwide.