Ishikari City, Hokkaido - Ocean Dumping of Waste - July 2001

Ishikari City, Hokkaido - Ocean Dumping of Waste - July 2001

In July 2001, an incident of illegal ocean dumping of waste materials was uncovered in Ishikari Bay near Ishikari City, Hokkaido. An environmental investigation revealed that the total amount of waste dumped amounted to about 312 tons, of which about 50 tons were hazardous waste containing lead and cadmium. The waste included construction debris, plastic pieces, scrap metal, and empty containers of chemicals that needed treatment. The dumping was allegedly carried out by a logistics company based in Sapporo City, which had repeatedly committed illegal acts in order to cut costs.

Ishikari Bay, where the dumping took place, is known as a fishing ground for clams, hokke and crabs, and the local fishing association is very concerned about the risk of contamination to fish and shellfish. A sample survey of the sea area confirmed concentrations of cadmium and lead that were 1.8 and 2.1 times higher than the standard values, respectively. This has had a serious impact on the fishing industry, causing some fishermen to temporarily stop fishing.

Ishikari City and the Hokkaido Government have budgeted approximately 80 million yen for waste recovery work and plan to remove all waste by the end of 2023. The city also plans to install multiple water quality sensors and surveillance cameras around Ishikari Bay as a monitoring system to protect the marine environment. This incident highlights the scale of marine pollution and has prompted calls for stricter laws and regulations to prevent illegal disposal.

The person responsible for the logistics company is expected to be fined approximately 52 million yen and imprisoned for three years. The incident has had a profound impact on local residents and fishermen, and there has been renewed discussion of the need to expand monitoring systems and impose stricter penalties as a means of preventing a recurrence.