Yukichi Suzuki

(Executive Director of Board, The National Federation of Industrial Waste Management Associations)

Abstract

The amendment and reauthorization of "The Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law" are discussed. The illegal dumping and improper disposal of industrial waste are attributed to three facts, i.e., all waste generators do not complete their responsibility for waste management because they intend to gain only economic benefit; most of the industrial waste management contractors are small businesses; and the ability of national and local governments to conduct industrial waste management activities has been rather limited. In addition, because of the defects in the law itself, it is hard to install waste management facilities.

The amended bill does not accurately prescribe the responsibility of waste generators, and the national government's competence is reduced. From the viewpoint of environment conservation, it can be concluded that the amended bill has numerous defects. Simultaneously, the bill of "Resource Recovery Promotion Law" is brought to the Diet. However, waste management and resource recovery are inseparable, and they cannot be performed without economic incentives, and accord between government authorities.

Key words: industrial waste, waste management and public cleansing law, amendment bill, resource recovery promotion law