The Quiet Crisis at the Landfill - Lack of Environmental Measures at Municipal Final Disposal Sites - March 1998

The Quiet Crisis at the Landfill - Lack of Environmental Measures at Municipal Final Disposal Sites - March 1998

A survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare has revealed that environmental measures are inadequate at municipal final disposal sites for general waste operated by municipalities throughout Japan. In particular, there are 538 facilities nationwide (28% of the total) that have not installed wastewater treatment facilities to prevent groundwater contamination, and some have been found to be illegally installed or in violation of regulations.

Originally, final disposal facilities should be equipped with wastewater treatment facilities and impervious sheets to prevent leachate from landfills from contaminating groundwater. However, many facilities have not taken these measures, increasing the risk of groundwater contamination. In addition, despite the fact that wastewater treatment facilities have been mandatory for newly constructed final disposal sites since the law was revised in 1977, the survey found that 80 sites were illegally constructed. Furthermore, more than 60 facilities had not been notified to the prefectural government and were not being properly managed.

Of particular concern is the improper disposal of incinerator ash. At many facilities, incinerated ash, which may contain dioxins, is landfilled without adequate treatment, and there are growing concerns about groundwater contamination as a result. In addition, at some disposal sites, impervious sheets have deteriorated and leachate has been found to be leaking out, raising concerns about the possibility of increased contamination.

In response to the results of this survey, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) has issued a policy urging local governments to manage waste properly and to strengthen environmental measures at existing final disposal sites. In particular, the Ministry is now considering the possibility of requiring that aging landfills install new impervious sheets and wastewater treatment facilities.

If local governments do not take appropriate measures in the future, final disposal sites will become hotbeds of environmental pollution, which could lead to serious problems such as groundwater and soil contamination. Environmental measures at disposal sites are urgently needed from the perspective of sustainable waste management.