Illegal Dumping of Industrial Waste in Tohoku and Shikoku - May 1998

Illegal Dumping of Industrial Waste in Tohoku and Shikoku - May 1998

In 1998, illegal dumping of industrial waste was a serious nationwide problem in Japan. In particular, large amounts of industrial waste were illegally dumped in mountainous and uninhabited areas of Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region and Kochi Prefecture in the Shikoku region, resulting in reported adverse environmental impacts. Illegally dumped wastes contain hazardous chemicals such as concrete, asbestos, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the construction and manufacturing industries, which contaminate groundwater and soil, increasing the risk of adverse effects on the health of nearby residents and agricultural crops.

For example, in Iwate Prefecture, a 1998 survey revealed that more than 1,000 tons of waste had been illegally dumped, much of it industrial waste that had not been properly treated. Also, in Kochi Prefecture, over 100 tons of waste was found to have been illegally dumped in a mountain forest, some of which contained hazardous substances. Behind such illegal dumping is the fact that some companies resorted to illegal means to avoid the cost of waste disposal.

Based on the 1997 revision of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law, the government strengthened penalties for illegal dumpers and also tightened the monitoring system for waste disposal companies. In particular, a system of monitoring in cooperation with local governments was established to ensure transparency and proper management of waste disposal, including for major companies such as Sumitomo Chemical and Hitachi, Ltd.