Yukichi Suzuki

President, The National Federation of Industrial Waste Manggement Associations
(3-1-17 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo 106 Japan)

Abstract

It is essential to establish an appropriate law and an economic system for the industrial waste management in order to secure the proper management of industrial waste. As for the present law amendment, it is important to eliminate the vicious practice of postponing the settlement of problems, and to amend the law itself properly, incorporating regulations, which are needed to maintain our global environment. Regarding waste management, the flow of materials, from their manufacture to their disposal should be precisely recognized throughout the world. An economic system of waste management also must be established. Waste reduction and recycling should be promoted on the assumption that the necessary costs are met. They also should be carried out rationally toward reducing the costs. This revised law refers to the following important issues: 1) Clarification of the procedure to establish industrial waste treatment facilities; 2) Enlargement of the obligation to use the manifest system; 3) Measures to prevent illegal dumping, such as severer punishments; 4) Action to remedy the sites, where waste is illegally dumped, to their original condition. It will be interesting to see how these items will be embodied in ordinances in the future.

Key words: procedure to estabilsh treatment facilities, public information, treatment facility, illegal dumping, global environment