Where Does the Water of Udon Country Flow Late 2000s

Where Does the Water of Udon Country Flow Late 2000s

The regulation of wastewater discharge from udon noodle stores in Kagawa Prefecture was not an ad hoc administrative measure, but was shaped by the flow of research, technological development, and institutional revision that had been accumulating since the early 2000's. Around 2008 was a turning point in this process. The government began to take action in earnest.

Under the Water Pollution Control Law, facilities that discharged less than 50 tons of wastewater per day were exempt from regulation. However, a survey conducted by Kagawa Prefecture revealed that approximately 30% of organic pollution was caused by such small-scale facilities, and the need for drastic measures emerged. Against this backdrop, the prefecture established a study group in 2004 to investigate the actual state of wastewater in the udon noodle manufacturing industry. It was confirmed that the starch contained in the boiling water and washing water forms highly concentrated organic wastewater that imposes a burden on rivers and waterways. In response, a "Manual for Udon Restaurant Wastewater Treatment Measures" was prepared, which outlines measures to be taken in the manufacturing process and wastewater treatment technology, and will be widely disseminated throughout the prefecture.

On the institutional side, the former "Kagawa Prefecture Pollution Prevention Ordinance" was renamed and revised as the "Kagawa Prefecture Ordinance on the Preservation of the Living Environment," and in 2009, a unique effluent regulation targeting small-scale business sites was introduced. A three-year grace period was established before the full enforcement of the ordinance, which is scheduled to begin in April 2012. The standard value of 160 mg/L TOC indicated in this framework is based on experimental data and is considered realistically achievable even for udon noodle store wastewater.

On the other hand, the cost of installing the equipment was a serious problem. The prefectural government estimated that about 3 million yen was a feasible amount, but the wastewater treatment facilities for udon noodle stores that were actually in circulation were mostly in the 4-6 million yen range, which was a heavy burden for the small stores. Therefore, the government also proposed measures to reduce the burden, such as the collection of batter in the process and management of boiled water, which did not rely on the introduction of facilities, and developed a system of measures that could be adapted to various store sizes.

For Kagawa Prefecture, udon is not only a food industry, but also a foundation for tourism, local culture, and daily life. Therefore, environmental preservation of the Seto Inland Sea, a closed sea area, and the continuation of udon as a local culture became inseparable issues. The strengthening of effluent regulations this time was not only an environmental policy to protect the sea, but also an institutional design to ensure the sustainable existence of the local culture.