Mie Prefecture Refuses to Landfill Garbage Incinerator Ash - June 2004

Mie Prefecture Refuses to Landfill Garbage Incinerator Ash - June 2004
Around 2004, environmental pollution caused by heavy metals and dioxins contained in incinerator ash became a serious problem throughout Japan. In Mie Prefecture, in particular, residents strongly opposed a plan to landfill incinerator ash generated at a waste treatment facility. Behind this movement was the social memory of the dioxin contamination that had persisted since the 1990s and the growing awareness of environmental preservation. In particular, the residents of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, had a history of suffering from pollution and were highly sensitive to environmental risks.
The incinerator ash in question contained lead, cadmium, arsenic, and other toxic substances, and the contract between the contractor and the local government was not disclosed, which amplified the sense of distrust among residents. Many citizens became suspicious of the fact that plans were underway to bury the ash in a final disposal site without a mechanism to guarantee safe disposal. The prefectural government initially approved the plan, claiming that it met national standards, but strong opposition from the local community forced a change in policy, including the holding of explanatory meetings.
At this time, "information disclosure" and "prior explanation" were becoming mandatory under the Basic Environment Law and the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law, and we were moving into an era in which simply meeting legal requirements was not enough to gain social consensus. The case of Mie Prefecture became a symbolic case in which a local government was challenged on its consensus-building procedures and accountability in waste treatment. It provided an opportunity for the importance of citizen participation and environmental risk communication to be widely recognized, and influenced subsequent institutional improvements nationwide.