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The Invisible Mountain Piling Up in Tokyo: The Difficulty of Securing Disposal Sites 1960 to 1975 The persistent difficulty in securing disposal sites stems not only from a simple lack of physical land, but also from the structure of the city itself. This is because the separation between where waste is generated and where it is disposed of creates a fixed structure where the burden is unevenly distributed. Waste generated daily in the city center is ultimately transported to the outskirts or coastal areas. Longer distances increase transportation costs and traffic burdens, while the receiving areas bear the brunt of concerns like odors, pests, landscape and community image issues, and fears over leachate and gases. Even when the necessity is understood, opposition arises because "it's inconvenient nearby," making planning prone to long delays.

Volume issues also accelerate this structure. When incineration facilities and intermediate processing cannot keep pace, the premise of burning to reduce volume before landfilling breaks down. Nearly untreated waste goes to landfills, accelerating their depletion. Conversely, progress in incineration and resource recovery reduces landfill volumes and extends remaining years. According to the Ministry of the Environment, as of the end of fiscal year 2023, the remaining capacity of final disposal sites for municipal solid waste was 95.75 million cubic meters, with an estimated remaining lifespan of 24.8 years. However, even if the national average shows some leeway, regional disparities persist. In areas with severe land constraints, like the Greater Tokyo Area, the question of where to secure new disposal sites remains unresolved.

A prime example of this structure erupting as a social problem in Tokyo is the so-called Tokyo Garbage War. During the high-growth period, while waste surged, the construction of incineration facilities faced difficulties due to resident opposition, leading to massive amounts of waste being sent to landfills and increasing the environmental burden on coastal areas. In Koto Ward, the receiving area, dissatisfaction accumulated over foul odors, pests, and the deterioration of the living environment caused by waste transport vehicles, culminating in resolutions opposing waste acceptance and attempts to block deliveries. In Suginami Ward, conflicts surrounding the construction of a waste treatment plant intensified, raising questions about how responsibility for disposal sites and waste generation should be shared within the city.

When land becomes scarce, cities tend to push waste out to sea. In large metropolitan areas where securing extensive inland disposal sites is difficult, marine disposal sites in port areas become crucial receptacles. Tokyo Port has also advanced the development and acceptance of new marine disposal sites. However, the sea is not infinite; development requires significant time and expense, and strict management of accepted waste items and environmental conservation are demanded.

Ultimately, the difficulty in securing disposal sites creates a vicious cycle: opposition arises to locating facilities that reduce volume, opposition arises to finding places to fill, and the longer it takes, the more acute the shortage becomes, intensifying the conflict. This is precisely why, beyond technical solutions, the very design of consensus-building—addressing fairness of burden, information disclosure, benefits to local communities, and oversight mechanisms—becomes central to policy. Waste does not vanish beyond the city; it is merely moved to less visible locations.