**History and Current Status of Illegal Dumping of FRP Abandoned Ships**.

**History and Current Status of Illegal Dumping of FRP Abandoned Ships**.

### The Problem of FRP Abandoned Ships in the 2000s
The use of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) hulls has expanded throughout Japan due to their corrosion resistance and light weight, but disposal of these hulls has been difficult. About 12,000 ships were scrapped every year, and about 40% of them were illegally dumped in remote island areas of Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures and along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, resulting in serious landscape destruction and damage to the fishing industry. The illegal dumping was encouraged by the fact that the normal incineration process produces toxic gases and the disposal cost reaches 25,000 to 35,000 yen per ton.

**The Ministry of Transport** has promoted a plan to recycle 70% of FRP ships by 2005, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed reuse technology utilizing modularized design. Efforts were also promoted to crush FRP ships and reuse them as raw materials for building materials and road paving materials. Through a system of recovery and remanufacturing by shipbuilders, 3,000 vessels are expected to be re-sold annually, and processing costs have been reduced by about 15%. Local governments and fishermen's cooperatives also worked together to develop treatment facilities and prevent illegal dumping.

### Current Status and Efforts in the 2020s
In the 2020s, FRP ship disposal continues to be a challenge. More than 25,000 vessels are scrapped annually, and proper disposal of small fishing boats and pleasure boats in particular is an issue. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Japan Marine Enterprises Association operate a nationwide recycling system, and in 2022, 314.2 tons of scrapped vessels were processed, of which about 68.8% were successfully recycled [32] [33].

Illegal dumping remains a problem because the cost of recycling FRP vessels is high: 65,000 yen for recycling, 27,000 yen for transportation, and 22,300 yen for cleaning in the case of a 6.5 meter-long fishing boat [35]. In addition to a campaign by the Japan Coast Guard to prevent illegal dumping, the development of recycling centers and the establishment of regional councils are underway [34]. In addition, efforts to reuse hull materials as fiberglass and high combustion fuel are continuing, and it is hoped that this will lead to the realization of a recycling-oriented society.

It is expected that the national government, local governments, and companies will continue to work together to solve the problem of FRP scrapped ships and to advance efforts to preserve the marine environment.