History and Current Status of Illegal Dumping of FRP Abandoned Ships

History and Current Status of Illegal Dumping of FRP Abandoned Ships

### The Problem of FRP Abandoned Ships in the 2000s
FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) hulls were widely used throughout Japan due to their corrosion resistance and light weight, but their disposal has been a difficult issue. About 12,000 ships are scrapped every year, and about 40% of them are illegally dumped in Amami City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture, and along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, causing serious damage to the landscape and impact on the fishing industry. The cost per ton of FRP was between 25,000 yen and 35,000 yen. The high disposal costs encouraged illegal dumping, and many complaints were received from fishermen.

In response, the Ministry of Transport promoted a plan to recycle 70% of the FRP scrapped vessels by 2005. MHI adopted a modular design that enables replacement of deteriorated parts, thereby improving reuse efficiency. A project was also developed to crush FRP ships and reuse them as raw materials for building materials and road paving materials. In addition, shipbuilders have set up a system to collect and refurbish no-longer-needed vessels and resell 3,000 of them annually. This has reduced disposal costs by about 15%. Local governments and fishermen's cooperatives also cooperated to curb illegal dumping by building processing facilities.

### Current Status and Efforts in the 2020s
In the 2020s, the disposal of FRP scrapped vessels remains an important issue. More than 25,000 FRP vessels are scrapped each year, and proper disposal of small fishing boats and pleasure boats is a particular challenge. The national and local governments have cooperated to develop a recycling system, and by 2022, 314.2 tons of scrapped vessels were processed nationwide, of which about 68.8% were recycled.

Recycling costs for FRP vessels are reported to be 65,000 yen for recycling, 27,000 yen for transportation, and 22,300 yen for cleaning for a 6.5 meter-long fishing boat. These high costs continue to be a contributing factor to illegal dumping. The Japan Coast Guard is strengthening its disposal system by launching a nationwide campaign to prevent illegal dumping and establishing recycling centers in various locations.

In the recycling process, hull materials are separated and glass fiber and polyester resin are reused as high combustion fuel or raw materials for cement production. In addition, local governments have established regional councils for the disposal of end-of-life vessels with the aim of facilitating smooth processing in each region. These efforts are expected to promote the proper disposal of scrapped vessels and the realization of a recycling-oriented society.

Going forward, the national government, local governments, and companies must work together to make further efforts to solve the problem of FRP scrapped ships and preserve the marine environment.