Where the Ashes Go: The Shift in Environmental Administration that Began in Tokorozawa (1997-2000)

Where the Ashes Go: The Shift in Environmental Administration that Began in Tokorozawa (1997-2000)
In the late 1990s, Japan was seeking a shift away from incineration-centered waste disposal and toward a recycling-oriented society. In the background was social unrest, in which waste incinerators were regarded as a major source of dioxin. 1999 "vegetable contamination reports" in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, triggered a nationwide review of incineration administration, and the city enacted Japan's first dioxin control ordinance. The removal of small household incinerators was promoted. The Ministry of Education notified schools to discontinue the use of school incinerators, and about 90% of public schools stopped using them. Furthermore, the "Basic Guidelines for the Promotion of Dioxin Control Measures," formulated in 1999, set a goal of a 90% reduction in emissions by 2002 and clarified construction and operating standards. These trends prompted dialogue between the government and citizens against a backdrop of wavering trust in science and technology and growing
environmental awareness among citizens. Tokorozawa's attempt symbolized a shift in environmental policy starting from the local level and represented a new starting point for environmental governance in Japan.