Environment The Fiction of "Not Waste"-Attacks on Disguised Recycling 2002

Environment The Fiction of "Not Waste"-Attacks on Disguised Recycling 2002

In 2002, a major issue that shook Japan's waste administration was the issue of "not waste" disguise. Sludge and plastic waste that should have been disposed of as "raw materials for recycling" were improperly disposed of and piled up in the open across the country. This practice is a typical environmental crime aimed at reducing disposal costs, and has led to illegal dumping and pollution, which has drawn public criticism.

Behind this was the contradiction between cost pressure following the collapse of the bubble economy and the expansion of the system under the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Oriented Society, which came into effect in 2000. Because the line between resources and waste was unclear, the Central Environment Council proposed expanding the definition to include "unwanted materials as waste even if they are recyclable. This was intended to close a loophole for malfeasance.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the industrial world opposed the proposal, saying that regulating even valuable materials would stagnate market distribution, and they feared that it would have a negative impact on resource recovery. The background to this battle was the 1999 illegal dumping incident between Aomori and Iwate prefectures and other large-scale incidents, which forced the government to tighten regulations.

As a result, the expansion of the waste definition led to a later revision of the law, which became a turning point in the search for a balance between the prevention of deception and the maintenance of the market.