PCB/DDT Contamination in Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay - Current Status and Dark Side - 2020s

PCB/DDT Contamination in Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay - Current Status and Dark Side - 2020s

In the 2020s, Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay in Japan continue to be contaminated by PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) used in the past. 2020 surveys show that PCB concentrations in some areas of Tokyo Bay exceed 100 nanograms per liter, well above environmental standards In Osaka Bay, PCB concentrations are expected to rise to 100 nanograms/liter by 2021. In Osaka Bay, high concentrations of PCBs were also detected in bottom sediment in 2021, indicating that the effects of past industrial activities still remain. Japan Environmental Safety Corporation (JESCO) aims to dispose of PCB waste by 2027, but is faced with limited treatment capacity. Furthermore, Hitachi, Ltd. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. have developed technologies to detoxify PCBs and contribute to pollution control, but measures are also required to deal with PFAS, a new pollutant.