Japanese case of soil contamination countermeasures

By Mr. Toshihiko Kasai

Director, General Affairs Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies

Former Director, Soil Contamination Countermeasures Division

Ministry of the Environment of Japan

Measures against Illegal Dumping, etc within the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Act and other Acts

○ 　 1971:　Enforcement　of　Waste　Disposal　and　Public　Cleansing　Act 　Introduction　of　notification　system　for　waste　treatment　companies　(treatment　facility　construction　

standard,　and　institution　of　maintenance　and　management　standard) Introduction　of　a　system　for　prefectural　and　city　governments　to　issue　countermeasure　orders　when　

there　are　cases　of　illegal　dumping　,　etc Introduction　of　a　subrogation　system　(if　polluters　have　no　financial　ability　to　conduct　

countermeasures)

○ 　 1990:　Case　of　illegal　dumping　in　Teshima,　Kagawa　Pref.　is　raised　as　a　major　problem

○ 　 1991:　Introduction　of　a　license　system　for　waste　treatment　facilities　over　a　certain　size　(regarding　landfills,　all　are　placed　under　the　system　regardless　of　the　size) 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　

○ 　 1998:　If　polluters　are　unknown　or　absent,　and　prefectural　governors　execute　countermeasures　by　subrogation,　the　expenses　are　covered　by　a　fund　from　the　Waste　Disposal　and　Public　Cleansing　Act　(fee　is　based　on　fund　(public:　private　=1:2),　and　when　polluters　are　later　identified,　the　expenses　are　billed　to　them)　

○ 　 2002:　establishment　of　the　Act　on　Special　Measures　for　Specific　Industrial　Wastes　(in　the　case　of　illegal　disposal　done　before　16　June,　1998,　if　subrogation　is　implemented　by　governors,　financial　support　is　provided　via　government　subsidies　or　special　cases　of　local　debt)

○ 　 2005:　(Trinitarianism　reform)　for　cases　with　ministerial　approval　after　2006,　the　provision　of　government　subsidies　under　the　Act　on　Special　Measures　for　Specific　Industrial　Wastes　are　terminated.　In　Special　Measures　for　local　debt　issues,　appropriation　rate　is　raised　to　90%

○ 　 2009:　For　pre-2005　cases　under　the　Act　on　Special　Measures　for　Specific　Industrial　Wastes,　the　government　has　been　providing　subsidies　directly　since　2008

Institutions for Removing hazards caused by Inappropriate Disposal of Industrial Waste

Inappropriate Disposal such as Illegal Dumping,【 This approach violates the disposal standard of Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Act (Para.1, of Article.12, or

Para.1, of Article 12-2) 】Risk of damaging the living environment

Orders from Prefectural governors (for removing trouble caused by inappropriate disposal)　 【 Article.19-5: disposal businesses, and waste emitters who have violated commission standards etc 】　 【 Article.19-6: waste emitters who have not followed their caution duties, etc 】

【 Illegal disposal before 16 June, 1998 】→Support under the Act on Special Measures

for Specific Industrial Wastes Special case of local debt　 　 Frequency of appropriation for local debt: 90 ％　 Frequency of inclusion for tax allocation: 50 ％

【 Illegal disposal after 17 June, 1998 】 →Support under the Waste Disposal and Public

Cleansing Act Proportion of support: 3/4 Special Measures for Local Allocation Tax 80% of inclusion for obligation costs from prefectures

Fund by the Center for the Promotion of Appropriate Disposal of Industrial Waste

Financial support by “promotion fund for appropriate disposal of industrial waste”

Countermeasures taken by polluters

Surrogate execution by Prefectures or cities (at the discretion of governors. Reimbursement requested to polluters) 【 Article.19-8 】

Drawing up an implementation plan based on the Act on Special Measures for Specific Industrial Wastes

(When polluters do not take countermeasures)

（ support to costs incurred by Prefectures and others ）

※ In general polluters have to remove the hazards caused by inappropriate disposal of industrial waste ※ When Prefectures, and others are in charge of administrative subrogation, its costs should be billed to the polluter ※ If polluters have little financial capacity, they can receive financial support from the Center for Promoting Appropriate Disposal of Industrial Waste. However, funds reimbursed by polluters will be returned to the fund maintained by the Center.

◇ Financial Support Scheme１． Fund Scheme under the Act on Special Measures for Specific Industrial Waste 【 Illegal dumping

before 16 June, 1998 】

Japan

Fund from the Center for Promoting Appropriate

Disposal

SupportPrefectures, and

others

Cooperation Request

Financial Support

(1/2 or 1/3)

Orders to remove hazards(Cases where disposers are unknown, or they are short of

financial means)

(municipal bond)

Subsidies from fund（ hazardous ： 1/2, others ：

1/3 ）

General bond for single project funding (subsidy shares up to: 70%)

General Municipal

funds30%

(subsidies to redemptions of principal and interest up to: 50%)

Special Municipal Bond＜ Prefectures, and large cities ＞

Subsidies from fund（ hazardous ： 1/2, others ：

1/3 ）

General bond for single project funding (subsidy shares up to : 75%)

General Municipal

funds25%

(subsidies to redemptions of principal and interest up to : 50%)

＜ Cities ＞ Special Municipal Bond

Subsidies from fund transferred as tax revenue sources

(note) Since April 2006, “Trinitarianism reform” was established. Subsidies of countermeasures case for restoring to original state is excluded from those that transfer as tax revenue sources. Also, special measures of debt issues is increasing to 90%. Furthermore, some cases implemented until March, 2005, can get subsidies partly from government directly.

General bond for single project funding (subsidy shares up to: 90%)

General Municipal

funds 10%

(subsidies to redemptions of principal and interest up to :50%)

Special Municipal Bond

＜ Prefectures, large cities and cities ＞

　　○ Financial support Scheme after Year 2006

２． Fund Scheme based on Wastes Disposal and Public Cleansing Act

【 Illegal dumping waste implemented after June, 1998 】

Japan

Fund(the Center for Promoting

Appropriate Disposal of Industrial Waste ）

Support

Industry

　　＊ Industry　:　State　:　Prefecture,　and　others　=　２：１：１ ＊ Compare　with　quantity　of　prefectural　burden　is　(1/4),　proceeding　of　special　transportation　is　(frequency　of　inclusion:　0.8)

Prefectures, and others

Proceeding for cleaning up troubles caused by illegal

disposal, etc（ If people who are dumping waste are unclear, and shortage of financ

e ）

Cooperation　Request

Financial　SupportDonation (3/4) (1/4)

How soil contamination creates health risks

摂食飲用 吸入

吸収

摂食

摂食

地下水（帯水層）公共用水域

汚染土壌

汚染土壌の飛散

汚染土壌との接触

揮発

農作物や家畜

井戸水

魚介類

⑥

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1. Direct　ingestion　of　contaminated　soil　(including　soil　particulate)

2. Dermal　absorption

3. Ingestion　of　groundwater　contaminated　by　hazardous　substances　eluted　from　contaminated　soil

4. Inhalation　of　hazardous　substances　emitted　from　contaminated　soil　to　atmosphere

5. Discharge　of　soil　containing　hazardous　substances　to　municipal　waterways　→　accumulation　in　aquatic　ecology　→　ingestion　by　human　beings

6. Accumulation　of　hazardous　substances　in　crops　and　livestock　raised　on　contaminated　land　→　　ingestion　by　human　beings

eating

breathingeatingdrinking

breathing

eating

Public waters Groundwater

fish

Farm productsevaporation

contact

Contaminated soil

Contaminated Agricultural Land

・　 1880’s ～ 1970s’ Mineral Poison Damage of Ashio Copper Mine, Tochigi Pref. in Watarase River (Damages on rice growth, etc)

・　 1910’s ～ 1970’s “ Itai-Itai Disease” of Jinzu River Basin in Toyama Pref., etc

・　 1920’s ～ 1960’s Mineral Pollution from Toroku Mine in Miyazaki Pref. (Damage: arsenic poisoning, and rice growth, etc)

↓

　　 In 1970, Contaminated Agricultural Land Countermeasures Act was legislated by the Diet

The origin of Act related to Soil contamination in Japan

　　（ at the same time, the Diet established “Water Quality Pollution Control Act” and “Wastes Disposal and Public Cleansing Act.” The Diet was called “Public Hazard Diet” 7

Contamination in Urban areas （ 1 ）・　 In 1975, Soil contamination caused by hexavalent Chromium from

chemical factories・　 In 1980’s, Underground water pollution caused by

trichloroethylene, etc becomes a social issue 　　　　　・　 In 1986, Drawing up of “Draft Countermeasures Policy related to

Soil contamination in Urban cities”・　 In 1991, Establishment of “Environmental Standard (Soil

Environmental Standard) related to Soil contamination”・　 In 1994, Drawing up of “Policy on Soil Contamination Research and

Countermeasures related to heavy-metal, etc” and “Draft Policy on Soil and Groundwater Pollution Research and Countermeasures related to organochlorine chemical compound”

　　　

8

Legal system of soil contamination countermeasures is not consolidated as a whole, but countermeasures based on policies, that are related to research and measures for cleaning up of soil contaminations, through administrative training is promoted

• “Stocked pollution”; the negative impacts from harmful substances are accumulated inside soils over a long period

• Contaminated soil area; private land (private property)

• Depending on the land-use, contaminated lands may not entail any health impacts

↓Numerous issues to be better understood and

synthesised = difficulty to set legislations

Problems of Soil Contamination

9

Soil Contamination caused by Dioxins• The end of 1990’s: High concentrations of dioxins are

detected from soils (around waste incinerators). Soil contamination caused by dioxins became a social issue

↓In 1999, Act on Special Measures against Dioxins is instituted

　　　 Comprehensive Countermeasures; not only for soil

contamination countermeasures, but also on dioxin emissions and disposal process of dust and ash from waste incinerators

　　　 In the framework of environmental standard , it was the first time that risk assessments were implemented with regards to the direct intake of polluted soil

10

• Cases of soil contamination discovery were increasing

• The rules for investigation and countermeasures were not specified

• Concerns about health damage from soil contamination

　 Act on Special Measures against Dioxins was established in 1999, but there were no regulations on other substances

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓

In 2002, Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act was established at the regular Diet session

（ In 2009, amendment of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act at regular Diet session ）

11

Contamination in Urban areas （ 2 ）

Designated hazardous substances （ Article 2 of the Law）

Designation standard （ Article 5 of the Law）Reference: Soil Environment

Standard （ except for copper ）Soil Concentration Standard＜ Risk for direct ingestion ＞

Soil Leachate Standard＜ Risk of ingestion from groundwater etc.

＞

Carbon　Tetrachloride

Class　1　

(VOC)

≤　0.002mg　/　L ≤　0.002mg　/　L

１，２－ Dichloroethane ≤　0.004mg　/　L ≤　0.004mg　/　L

１，１－ Dichloroethylene ≤　0.02mg　/　L ≤　0.02mg　/　L

cis－１，２－ Dichloroethylene ≤　0.04mg　/　L ≤　0.04mg　/　L

１，３－ Dichloropropene ≤　0.002mg　/　L ≤　0.002mg　/　L

Dichloromethane ≤　0.02mg　/　L ≤　0.02mg　/　L

Tetrachloroethylene ≤　0.01mg　/　L ≤　0.01mg　/　L

１，１，１－ Trichloroethane ≤　1mg　/　L ≤　1mg　/　L

１，１，２－ Trichloroethane ≤　0.006mg　/　L ≤　0.006mg　/　L

Trichloroethylene ≤　0.03mg　/　L ≤　0.03mg　/　L

Benzene ≤　0.01mg　/　L ≤　0.01mg　/　L

Cadmium　and　its　compound

Class　2

(Heavy　metal　etc.)

≤　150mg　/　kg ≤　0.01mg　/　L≤　0.01mg　/　L,　and　≤　1mg　/　1kg　rice　on　agricultural　field

Hexavalent　Chromium　compounds ≤　250mg　/　kg ≤　0.05mg　/　L ≤　0.05mg　/　L

Cyanides　compoundsAs　isolated　cyanides　≤　50mg　/　kg

Less　than　detection　limit Less　than　detection　limit

Total　Mercury　and　its　compounds≤　15mg　/　kg

≤　0.0005mg　/　L ≤　0.0005mg　/　L

　 Alkyl　Mercury Less　than　detection　limit Less　than　detection　limit

Selenium　and　its　compounds ≤　150mg　/　kg ≤　0.01mg　/　L ≤　0.01mg　/　L

Lead　and　its　compounds ≤　150mg　/　kg ≤　0.01mg　/　L ≤　0.01mg　/　L

Arsenic　and　its　compounds ≤　150mg　/　kg ≤　0.01mg　/　L≤　0.01mg　/　L　and　≤　15mg　/　kg　soil　on　rice　field

Fluorine　and　its　compounds ≤　4000mg　/　kg ≤　0.8mg　/　L ≤　0.8mg　/　L

Boron　and　its　compounds ≤　4000mg　/　kg ≤　1mg　/　L ≤　1mg　/　L

Simazine

Class　3

(Agrochemicals　and　PCBs)

≤　0.003mg　/　L ≤　0.003mg　/　L

Thiuram ≤　0.006mg　/　L ≤　0.006mg　/　L

Thiobencarb ≤　0.02mg　/　L ≤　0.02mg　/　L

PCB Less　than　detection　limit Less　than　detection　limit

Organic　phosphorus　compounds Less　than　detection　limit Less　than　detection　limit

Target substances and standards

Cement factory

Final Disposal

Designatedtreatment facility

990000 ｔ

410000 ｔ

According to surveys with treatment facilities, the total order is 670000 t and 5000 t from the designated area.

100000ｔ

1220000 ｔ

Landfill

540000 ｔ

2210000 ｔ

80000ｔContaminated soil

needing treatment

　　　　　　Legally ordered treatment

Cement factory reception amount 2100,000 t (according to the Cement Association)

＊　 In-country General ConstructionsAnswered the surveys

９． The flow of contaminated soil

Non designated treatment facility

60000 t

120000 ｔ

Generated contaminated soil around 3000,000 t

60000 ｔ

1770000 ｔ

Amount of soil emitted from the registered contamination sites

Voluntary treatment 130000 ｔ

1290000 ｔ

（出典）「平成 18 年度汚染土不適正処理に関する実態調査」

（財）産業廃棄物処理事業振興財団

（ Estimates 2005 ）

１０． Inappropriate treatment of contaminated soil

①Hexavalent chromium contaminated soil was abandoned (July 2006)

Hexavalent chromium was detected from the soil dumping site and despite the municipal request to rehabilitate the area, nothing was done. Now the buyer of the land is dealing with the soil contamination countermeasures

②Mercury contaminated soil (November 2003)

Mercury contamination occurred at a thermometre manufacturing centre. The soil was planned to be treated at appropriate facilities but in reality was transported elsewhere to undergo the melting process.

③Arsenic-contaminated soil (October 2003)

Arsenic exceeding the standards was detected in a soil storage mound.

According to the data from the regional governments, there are many cases of inappropriate treatment of contaminated soil as can be seen in the following:

Contaminated soil

１５ , ０００

The manufacturers had planned to treat 250m2

In order to implement the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, and to protect human health, measures for investigating situations of soil contamination, and countermeasures for combating human health damages are instituted

PurposePurpose

② 形質変更時要届出区域（第１１条）Zone designation

・ Regulation on transporting contaminated soil from zones ① and ② (pre-notification, plan change orders, and countermeasure orders for transfers which do not follow the transport standards)・ Duty to deliver and preserve manifests related to soil contamination・ Permit institutions for disposal services of soil contamination

Regulation for transporting contaminated soil

Institution

Institution

Investigation

Land owners, etc (proprietors, managers and occupants) ask specific research institutes to implement research and the results are reported to governors of prefectural and city governments

Because this zone has the potential to cause human health impacts, countermeasures are needed such as removal of contaminations→Prefectural governors and city governments indicate measures for removing contaminations, etc (Article. 7)→Prohibition to change the land characteristics (Article. 9)

Because this zone has no potential to cause human health impacts , measures to remove contaminations are not needed (this includes zones where intake routes have been blocked)→Plan notification is necessary when characteristics of soil are going to be changed (Article. 12)

①Designated Zone for countermeasures(Article. 6)

When intake routes of contaminants have been blocked

※Amendment of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act is executed since 1 April. 2010※Contents of the amendment are shown in underlined sections

When contamination removal has been completed, the designation is withdrawn

【 When soil contamination levels do not match the standards 】

・ When closing down specific facilities which use harmful substances (Article.3)・ When prefectural and city governments receive notification on changes in land characteristics for an area of over 3,000 ㎡ , and suspect soil contamination in this area (Article.4)・ When prefectural and city governments are concerned that human health would be damaged by soil contamination

②Notification Zone for Changing Land Characteristics (Article.11)

３．３． Concept of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act after amendmentConcept of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act after amendment

15

１１． Financial support from the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Fund

＜ the targets for the fund ＞According to Article ７ , the recipient of the countermeasures fund must have received the order to treat the site, and must fit the financial profile as determined in the name of the Minister of the Environment.

＜ Support Fund Scheme ＞

Government support

Non-Government support

Support Fund

Prefectural support

Landowner

Numbers show proportion of support when considering that the total cost is 1

supp

ort

supp

ort

Designated supporting body

Outline of Law on Soil Contamination Prevention in Farmland

Potentially Contaminatedsites

Designation of areas

Establishment of plans

Remedialmeasures operation

Release of designation

Control　on　a　gradual　basis　(survey　of　remediation　

areas)

Control　on　a　gradual　basis　(survey　of　

deregistered　areas)

Registrationof　

Special　Areas

Deregistration　of　　Special　areas

Admonishment

Polluting　enterprises

Law　on　Operator’s　responsibility　for　Operation　

Cost　of　Contamination　Prevention

Law　on　special　measures　of　national　financial　administration　for　contamination　prevention

Subsidy　(55%of　total　operation　cost;　45%　=　cost　burden　of　enterprise)

State

Cost　burden

Proclamation　in　1970

Control　on　a　Gradual　basis　(Detailed　survey)

Areas　with　standard　exceedances　(public　access　possible)

Continued　Monitoring

Article　26　(prefectural　governors)

Procedure for prefecturalgovernors• Hearings　with　Environment　Council　etc.　• Hearings　with　municipal　mayors

Procedure for prefecturalgovernors• Hearings　with　municipal　mayors• Public　hearings• Agreement　with　the　Environment　Minister

Designated areas(Designation　of　control　measures　for　dioxin-related　soil　contamination;　Article　29,　prefectural　　governors)

Establishment of plans(Establishment　of　remediation　plans　for　dioxin-related　soil　contamination;　Article　29,　prefectural　　governors)

Remediation(i.e.　removal　of　contaminated　soil)

Subsidies　from　theMinistry　of　Environment

De-registration of designation (De-registration　under　the　

Dioxin　Special　Measures　Law;　Article　30,　prefectural　　governors)

Bank raising of grant rate (Law　on　special　measures　of　national　financial　administration　for　contamination　prevention)

Cost burden estimation(Law　on　Operator’s　responsibility　forCost　of　Contamination　Prevention)Operator’s　responsibility　applicable　if　causality　is　scientifically　clear.

8

System for remediation of soil contamination based on the “Dioxin Special Measures Law”

Proclamation　1999

Procedure for prefecturalGovernors• Hearings　with　the　Environment　Council　etc.　

• Hearings　with　municipal　mayors