International Issues and Efforts to Address Illegal Dumping of E-Waste in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture - January 2011

International Issues and Efforts to Address Illegal Dumping of E-Waste in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture - January 2011
Illegal dumping of e-waste is becoming a serious problem in Okayama City. In particular, cases of illegal dumping of discarded home appliances, PCs, and smartphones have been reported, with approximately 500 tons of e-waste being exported illegally each year without proper disposal. The export destinations are mainly Vietnam and the Philippines, and environmental pollution caused by improper disposal of waste has become a problem in these countries.

Okayama City has strengthened its crackdown on illegal dumping and tightened licensing standards for waste disposal companies; in 2010, violators were caught and fined a total of more than 100 million yen. In addition, the city partnered with Vietnam's Ministry of Environment to introduce an electronic waste tracking system. As a result, approximately 80% of illegally exported waste has been recovered and properly disposed of.

A waste treatment facility using new technology is in operation in the city and can process 3 tons of waste per hour. The annual processing volume reaches approximately 20,000 tons, and the recycling rate exceeds 90%. As an educational activity for local residents, the city conducts tours of the waste treatment center, which are attended by more than 1,000 people annually.

Through these efforts, Okayama City is promoting the reduction of illegal dumping of e-waste and is attracting attention from Japan and abroad as a model city for a sustainable resource-recycling society.