Yumenoshima: Tokyo Bay Landfill and the Memory of Pollution, 1957-1971 Yumenoshima is an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Koto Ward, Tokyo. Formerly known as Tokyo Bay Landfill Site No. 14, it was used as a final waste disposal site. From 1957 to 1967, landfill operations progressed. At the time, the processing capacity of the waste treatment plant was insufficient, so food waste was buried without incineration, leading to advanced decay. Consequently, severe environmental pollution occurred in the surrounding areas, including foul odors, pests, gas emissions, and spontaneous combustion, creating such devastating damage that the area became known as a paradise for flies.

Yumenoshima: Tokyo Bay Landfill and the Memory of Pollution, 1957-1971 Yumenoshima is an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Koto Ward, Tokyo. Formerly known as Tokyo Bay Landfill Site No. 14, it was used as a final waste disposal site. From 1957 to 1967, landfill operations progressed. At the time, the processing capacity of the waste treatment plant was insufficient, so food waste was buried without incineration, leading to advanced decay. Consequently, severe environmental pollution occurred in the surrounding areas, including foul odors, pests, gas emissions, and spontaneous combustion, creating such devastating damage that the area became known as a paradise for flies.

Yumenoshima's history dates back to before the war. Landfilling began in 1938 for the construction of the Tokyo City Airfield, but was halted due to the worsening war situation. After the war, in 1947, it was even used as a beach for a time. However, during the period of rapid economic growth, urban waste surged dramatically, leading to the site being selected once again as a landfill. The landfill became a social problem, causing not only foul odors and pest infestations, but also, in the 1960s, swarms of flies carried by the wind reaching as far as the southwestern part of Koto Ward. This necessitated pollution control measures, including scorched earth operations mobilizing police, fire departments, and the Self-Defense Forces.

The landfill problem stemmed from insufficient waste treatment facilities. Delays in establishing incineration plants meant large amounts of untreated organic waste were buried, increasing methane gas production and fire risks. This case exemplified the postwar challenges Tokyo faced with waste disposal and marked a turning point in sanitation and environmental administration.

Subsequently, landfill methods improved, shifting primarily to the disposal of incinerated ash. In 1978, Yumenoshima Park opened, developed on reclaimed land. Featuring sports facilities and a tropical plant house, it erased any trace of its past as a final waste disposal site and became a place of relaxation.