Environment The Future Envisioned by a Green Port Town - Hokkaido Tomakomai Industrial Zone Environmental Improvement Plan, June 1996

Environment The Future Envisioned by a Green Port Town - Hokkaido Tomakomai Industrial Zone Environmental Improvement Plan, June 1996
In the mid-1990s, the Japanese economy was undergoing a structural transformation following the collapse of the bubble economy, and local cities were also facing the dual challenges of rebuilding their industrial base and reducing their environmental impact. Tomakomai, Hokkaido, had developed as a port city, but behind this growth came environmental impacts from the traffic of large tankers and wastewater and soot from paper and petrochemical plants. In particular, the Tomakomai port area was an area where industrial activities and the marine environment were in a remarkable conflict, and it was an urgent need to protect the natural environment while maintaining port functions.

The city took advantage of the government's environmental preservation subsidy program and began to expand the greenbelt through an agreement with the companies. By increasing the number of trees around the perimeter of the factory complex, the city aims to reduce the diffusion of dust and noise in the air by making the area function as a windbreak and soundproof forest. In addition, as a measure to improve water quality in the area near the port, wastewater from the paper mill and oil tanks was treated in an advanced manner, and facilities were upgraded to reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).

Technological improvements include upgrading the activated sludge process in wastewater treatment, considering the introduction of a membrane bioreactor (MBR), and upgrading the oil-water separation tanks. Through these efforts, the water quality in the port will be aimed to be at a level that is tolerable for fishery resources and recreational use. In addition, enclosed conveying systems and spray watering systems were introduced to prevent dust dispersion during cargo loading and unloading at port facilities, thereby balancing port operations and reducing environmental impact.

These efforts were not merely environmental measures, but also an attempt to build a model of symbiosis between local industry and nature. Tomakomai was forming a new identity as an environmentally advanced city while maintaining its economic role as a port town in the north.