Illegal dumping and the growing shortage of disposal sites - with the historical background of the mid-1990s

Illegal dumping and the growing shortage of disposal sites - with the historical background of the mid-1990s

In the mid-1990s, Japan was in the midst of a prolonged recession following the collapse of the bubble economy. As a result, the amount of construction and industrial waste increased rapidly. At the same time, however, strong opposition to the construction of new final disposal facilities by local residents was mounting, and the shortage of landfill sites was becoming a social problem. The shortage of disposal sites was particularly severe in the suburbs of cities, and the regular disposal routes were unable to cope with the situation, creating the soil for rampant illegal dumping.

During this period, illegal dumping extended to mountain forests, riverbeds, and coastal areas, and included hazardous waste containing asbestos and chemical substances. In the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Kinki region, there were growing concerns about groundwater contamination, foul odors, and health hazards to residents, leading to widespread calls for the government to strengthen monitoring. However, the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law at the time lacked sufficient regulations and penalties, and only a limited number of cases were uncovered as environmental crimes.

In addition, the 1990s was also the time when the dioxin problem began to attract attention, and the combination of toxic substances from incineration facilities and soil and water pollution from illegal dumping caused environmental concerns throughout society. Behind this was the fact that the structure of the high-growth period, which was based on the premise of "mass consumption and disposable products," still remained in place, and the institutional infrastructure for a recycling-oriented society was not yet in place.

This situation led to the 1997 Law on Special Measures for the Prevention of Illegal Dumping and the 2000 Basic Law for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society. The illegal dumping problem marked a turning point in waste administration, and also served as an opportunity for the new concept of environmental crime to take root in society.