The Silent Land - Soil Contamination Investigation and Living Concerns in Nishinasuno Town, Tochigi Prefecture (2003)
In 2003, a survey of soil contamination in ordinary households in the town of Nishinasuno, Tochigi Prefecture, revealed environmental risks lurking in what was once rich agricultural land. After the collapse of the bubble economy in Japan, urbanization and infrastructure development progressed, but environmental considerations took a backseat in many areas. In particular, in vacant lots and home gardens left around residential areas, there were an increasing number of cases where waste and construction debris buried in the past had a serious impact after years of neglect.
The residents of Nishinasuno were shocked when domi Kankyo, a subsidiary of Penta-Ocean Construction, diagnosed the soil of several homes and vegetable gardens in the town of Nishinasuno and found high concentrations of lead and chromium (10% and 14%, respectively). Lead, in particular, is known to be a long-term health risk, and households with young children and the elderly were immediately concerned. Immediately after the survey was announced, residents became increasingly concerned about the safety of their water and vegetables, and demanded that the government take action.
At the time, the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law, which came into effect in 2002, had only just begun to take effect, and a gap existed between the system and practice. The Nishinasuno Town case provided an excellent example of the institutional issues that needed to be addressed, and it also served as an opportunity for the local government to conduct its own survey and for citizens' groups to conduct monitoring activities. It was a symbolic case that illustrates how important it is to operate the system and cooperate with local residents in order to protect the safety of life in the mountainous areas where urban and rural communities intersect.
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