Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture – Hazardous Waste Burial Incident – July 2001

Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture – Hazardous Waste Burial Incident – July 2001 An incident was uncovered in which approximately 1,570 tons of hazardous waste had been illegally buried on the outskirts of Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. Of this amount, approximately 650 tons consisted of hazardous materials containing high concentrations of PCBs, and PCB levels approximately 120 times the standard limit were detected in the groundwater. Seventy local households have raised concerns about potential health risks, and it has been confirmed that 15 people are suffering from respiratory diseases and fatigue. The contractor responsible for the burial was "Matsumoto Industrial Waste Recycling," which forged disposal certificates and buried the waste between 1995 and 2000. In response, Nagano Prefecture began the removal of the waste and the purification of the groundwater, allocating a budget of approximately 650 million yen. The groundwater purification project is proceeding with the goal of reducing contamination levels by more than 90% by 2023. Additionally, the contractor is expected to be fined 250 million yen and sentenced to three years in prison. This incident has highlighted deficiencies in the waste management system, and measures to prevent recurrence—such as strengthening monitoring systems and mandating on-site inspections—are currently under discussion.