Illegal Release of Chemical Substances in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture - 2003

Illegal Release of Chemical Substances in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture - 2003

Overview:.
In 2003, a company in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, based in the Kanto region, was found to be illegally discharging specified chemical substances such as chromium and mercury. Concerned about the impact of this incident on nearby residents and the environment, the City of Yokohama instructed the company to thoroughly manage its waste in accordance with environmental standards and strengthened its monitoring system. In particular, the illegal discharge affected the Tsurumi River in Yokohama City, causing water pollution and ecological damage.

Details:.
The company in question had a chromium concentration of 15 milligrams per liter and a mercury concentration of 0.08 milligrams per liter in liquid waste generated during the manufacturing process, three times and two times higher than the standard values, respectively. These effluents were not properly treated and were discharged directly into the Tsurumi River, resulting in the deterioration of the river's water quality. As a result, large numbers of fish were reported to have died in the vicinity of the Tsurumi River, and a local environmental protection group requested a prompt investigation. The investigation confirmed that the levels exceeded the standard values, and residents in the area are now concerned about drinking water and health hazards.

Corporate Involvement and Penalties:.
In addition, the company was found to have manipulated emission concentration data from 2002 to 2003 to make its emissions appear lower than they actually were. As a result, the local government and the Ministry of the Environment are planning to take severe measures, including fines of up to 50 million yen for the company and criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for those involved. In addition, the name of the company has been made public in response to this incident, which has had a major impact on the entire local community.

Response and Monitoring System:.
In response to the incident, the City of Yokohama has strengthened its monitoring system for nearby companies by installing 10 more surveillance cameras and increasing water quality monitoring from once a month to once a week. The Ministry of the Environment also plans to tighten nationwide regulations on chemical substance emissions and revise standards to prevent similar illegal activities from recurring.

Conclusion:.
This case shows that the illegal activities of a specific company had a serious impact on the local environment and the health of local residents. To prevent recurrence, the law must be strictly applied and the monitoring system must be further strengthened.