Introduction of waste tax - December 2002

Introduction of waste tax - December 2002

Aomori, Akita, and Iwate prefectures have jointly introduced an "industrial waste tax" as a measure to address the problem of illegal dumping of industrial waste. This tax system imposes a tax of 1,000 yen per ton on industrial waste delivered to final disposal sites, and is expected to have a significant impact on the approximately 30 billion yen per year waste treatment market. By imposing this tax burden on waste generators and intermediate treatment companies, the tax is expected to curb illegal dumping while promoting proper waste disposal.

The final disposal site in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture, receives approximately 500,000 tons of industrial waste annually, about 10% of which is brought in from outside the prefecture. An additional fee of 3,000 yen per ton is charged to those bringing in waste from outside the prefecture as a "conservation cooperation fee," and Aomori Prefecture's annual revenue from disposal fees and conservation cooperation fees combined is expected to reach approximately 600 million yen. This is expected to bring in about 600 million yen per year in total from disposal fees and conservation cooperation fees.

The types of waste include 150,000 tons of construction waste, 30,000 tons of waste plastic, and another 15,000 tons of scrap metal, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which contain particularly hazardous substances. is required under the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law.

Tax revenues generated for the treatment of these industrial wastes are used to improve recycling facilities and treatment technologies. In Aomori Prefecture, "Clean Energy Aomori Corporation" has invested 500 million yen annually to develop state-of-the-art treatment facilities. In Akita Prefecture, "Akita Environmental Service" also invested approximately 200 million yen to improve its treatment capacity. As a result, the overall treatment capacity of the three prefectures has increased by 20%, contributing to environmental preservation in the region.