Masaru Tanaka

(Chief of Solid Waste Management Ofice, The Institute of Public Health)

Abstract

In order to dispose solid waste properly, appropriate regulations should be enforced. However, because of recent increase of solid waste, luck of disposal facilities, illegal dumping and environmental and health risks, amendment of existing regulations including classification of waste, responsibilities and penalty is expected. Under these circumstances, "Draft Amendment Bill of Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law" is proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and others. The other hand, to cope with critical situation of current waste disposal, necessity of countermeasures for each stage of manufacturing, trading and consumption is pointed out. "Law for Promotion of Utillization of Recyclable Resources" is proposed by the Ministry of International and Trade Industry and others and passed in the Diet in 1991. This is for waste reduction and environmental conservation achieved by promoting recycling and reuse. The contents of these two laws are described and responsibilities and business chances for private sector under the new regulatory system for solid waste management are analyzed.

Key words: draft amendment bill of waste disposal and public cleansing law, law for promotion of utilization of recyclable resources, regulatory system, specially controlled solid waste, solid waste disposal center