En Ver1

【Manual】
Strategy of separation and treatment of disaster waste~Focusing on the Great East Japan Earthquake 2011~

The Task Team on Disaster Waste Management and Reconstruction
In Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management (JSMCWM)

http://eprc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/saigai/
English version 1
Based on Japanese Ver2-Re3
2012.12.01
English checkers: Ken Rodgers, Tomohiro Tasaki, Kohei Watanabe, Seiji Hashimoto, Rieko Kubota

1【Table of contents】【Outline】

p.3【Guide 0】Flow of measures and process

p.5【Guide 1】Identification of category and sorting for disaster waste

p.8【Guide 2】Estimation of quantity generated

p.13【Guide 3】Phase of recovery or reconstruction and waste management

p.15【Guide 4】Outline of the processes of separation and disposalof disaster waste

p.17【Guide 5】Planning of separation and disposal strategy

p.20【Guide 6-1】Removal of collapsed houses etc. (Government guidelines)

p.25【Guide 6-2】Selection and operation of temporary storage sites

p.27【Guide 6-3】Selection and operation of storage sites (Primary and secondary waste storage sites) p.30
【Guide 7-1】Examples of types of waste: Waste management in evacuation shelters

p.34【Guide 7-2】Examples of separation ~ garbage from emergency accommodation facilities, household
disaster waste, tsunami-soaked waste, at early recovery phase

p.37【Guide 7-3】Examples of separation ~ tsunami debris and earthquake rubble at initial recovery phase
p.41【Guide 7-4】Removal and separation of waste from collapsed buildings

p.44【Guide 7-5】Countermeasure against airborne dust using dust masks

p.46【Guide 8-1】Mixed wastes containing combustibles

p.50【Guide 8-2】Desalination of wood waste soaked in seawater

p.57【Guide 8-3】Wood waste (reuse, recycle)

p.59【Guide 8-4】Tsunami sediment

p.64【Guide 8-5】Marine industrial waste

p.73【Guide 8-6】Cement concrete, asphalt concrete

p.76【Guide 8-7】Tires

p.82【Guide 8-8】Specified Electrical Home Appliances under the Recycling Law

p.88【Guide 8-9】Other WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

p.92【Guide 8-10】Automobiles

p.95【Guide 8-11】Motorcycles

p.97【Guide 8-12】Boats and ships

p.99【Guide 8-13】Asbestos

p.105【Guide 8-14】Hazardous/dangerous articles

p.107【Guide 8-15】Personal valuables

p.114【Quick Reference for Handling Disaster Waste】Cautions for workers and volunteers

p.115【Reference information about dismantling of damaged automobiles (for businesses)】

p.116

2

Outline■Purpose
One of the important aspects of securing lifelines after a disaster is how we respond to disaster waste issues.
Contermeasures that should be taken vary with each case: according to the place where a disaster occured,and the type and scale of the disaster. This manual is based on the approaches taken by disaster areas suchas Sendai City to deal with waste issues generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March, 2011.
The purpose of the manual is to support smooth recovery and reconstruction of disaster areas by sharing
this information as guidelines on how to tackle disaster waste issues together with the aim of preparing forpossible future disasters.
This manual has been compiled based on the Disaster Waste Management Guidelines provided by theUnited Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and aims to give objective
information, providing guidelines that are easy to follow, so that disaster areas can carry out smooth removal ofcollapsed houses and other waste, and can take actions to deal with waste generated by earthquake andtsunami, in line with notices and guidelines issued by the government (e.g.: Guidelines for Removal of
Collapsed Houses etc. / Guidelines for Measures to Treat Earthquake Waste / Guidelines for Measures toTreat Flood Damage Waste). Records of experiences and results at other disaster areas will be added to thismanual accordingly.
※ The scope of this manual, for the time being, does not include how to negotiate with the national
government concerning cost burden for managing disaster waste. This does not, however, mean that thismanual denies the need for information to be provided on financial issues. This manual also does not refer topreventive measures that should be taken in advance of disasters.

■ Contents are divided into sections as a【Guide】for easy reading.

Overview of measures to betaken 【Guide 0】
Identification of waste/recognition of process【Guide 1-4】
Guide for eachprocess

List ofclassifications ofwaste/ points ofconcern/ available
tools

Overview of “procedure of countermeasures/ strategies”
and “processes of separation and disposal of disaster
waste.” This section also serves as a list of contents.
Grasping disaster damage, estimating amount ofdisaster waste generated, and identifying processes andguidelines for each case.
Describes specific guidelines for each process

Lists specific classifications of waste, points ofconcern, and readily available tools3■Targeted readers of this manual :This manual is intended to provide useful information mainly for officials who create guidelines orspearhead on-site waste disposal, and for support staff.
■Targeted waste :The manual at this phase focuses on how we are tackling waste issues generated by the Great East Japan
Earthquake. The three main targeted kinds of waste are as follows, as shown in【Table1-1: Categories ofdisaster waste】.


Waste from evacuation shelters



Earthquake waste, which is waste resulting from the earthquake (Sometimes called“Yama-gomi” in Japanese – “yama” means “mountain”)

Tsunami waste, which is waste resulting from and affected by the tsunami (Sometimes called“Umi-gomi” in Japanese – “umi” means “sea”)

The above categories of waste are particularly classified to describe waste issues generated by the Great
East Japan Earthquake; they are different from those for “wastes produced in daily life” or “debris”
designated in the Guidelines for Measures to Treat Earthquake Waste, or those for “bulky waste,” “humanwaste,” and “others : driftwood” designated in the Guidelines for Measures to Treat Flood Damage Waste.
Radioactive contaminated waste (including contaminated general waste) generated by the accidents at
Fukushima nuclear power plant is not treated in this manual.

4【Guide 0】Flow of measures and process【Fig. 0】indicates a flowchart of management implemented after the occurrence of the disaster. 【Table 0】shows the main contents of management.

【Fig. 0】A flowchart of disaster waste management (PDCA cycle)【Table 0】Time flow of substantial contents of management and concrete strategies and tools for reference
Flow of management①

Concrete strategies and tools for reference

Establishment of initial system● Role sharing after the designation of
responsible person (including recess in case ofactivities without sleep or rest)● Collection of basic disaster information,
lifeline information and network information(compile concise data/use whiteboards for
efficient sharing of information)②

Initial response and grasp of situation●Identification of category and zoning for【Guide 1】

disaster waste●Estimation of quantity generated【Guide 2】● Grasp of situation of existing disposal
facility damages③

Examination or update of response guidelines5

● Examinationofresponse

guidelines【Guide 3】Phase of recovery or reconstruction

according to waste categories, recovery andand waste management

reconstruction phases【Guide 4】Flow for disaster waste separationand disposal④

Examination of plan and management● Planningofseparation

anddisposal【Guide 5】Planning of separation and disposal

strategy

strategy●Removal of collapsed houses, selection and【Guide 6-1】Removal of collapsed houses etc.

operation of temporary storage sites (primary(Goverment guidelines)

and secondary waste storage sites)【Guide 6-2】Selection and operation of
temporary storage sites【Guide 6-3】Selection and operation of storagesites (Primary and secondary waste storagesites)●Examination of waste sorting methods【Guide 7-1】 Examples of types of waste: Waste
management in evacuation shelters【Guide 7-2】Examples of separation ~ garbage
from emergency accommodation facilities,
household disaster waste, tsunami-soaked
wastes, at early recovery phase【Guide 7-3】Examples of separation ~ tsunami
debris and earthquake rubble at initial recovery
phase【Guide 7-4】Removal and separation of wastefrom collapsed houses【Guide 7-5】Countermeasure against airborne
dust using dust protective masks● Examination of disposal methods for【Guide 8-1】Mixed wastes containing

individual items

combustibles【Guide 8-2】Desalination of wood waste soaked
in seawater【Guide 8-3】Wood waste (reuse, recycle)【Guide 8-4】Tsunami sediment【Guide 8-5】Marine industrial waste【Guide 8-6】Concrete and asphalt【Guide 8-7】Tires【Guide 8-8】Specified electrical home
appliances under the Recycling Law【Guide 8-9】Other WEEE (Waste Electrical andElectronic Equipment)【Guide 8-10】Automobiles【Guide 8-11】Motorcycles6【Guide 8-12】Boats and ships【Guide 8-13】Asbestos【Guide 8-14】Hazardous/dangerous articles【Guide 8-15】Personal valuables●Ways to inform residents【Quick Reference for Handling Disaster waste】
Cautions for workers and volunteers●Detailed information【 Reference information about dismantling of
damaged automobiles (for businesses)】

Japanese version only

【Reference】National guidelines for waste●Confirmation of governmental guidelines

management following the Great East Japan
Earthquake

Step⑤～⑩are based on ①～④. Update (repetition) based on ⑩ is also important.

7

【Guide 1】Identification of category and sorting for disaster waste“What kind of waste” generated from “what kind of place”?
↓
Important for deciding how to “collect,” “sort,” “dispose of” waste in each area.

■Identification of generated waste categories
Since the types and amount of waste depends on the scale of the earthquake or tsunami, it is necessary to
divide them into several categories for the identification of the management guidelines (reference manual).
Here, we are going to organize them as shown in【Table 1-1】based on the cases used in management after
the 3.11 earthquake. This manual sheds light on “evacuation waste,” “earthquake waste (mountain waste)”and “tsunami waste (sea waste)”. Medical waste should be appropriately sorted and disposed of but if a routecannot be secured, it is necessary to swiftly examine the management plan. Corpses are not included in thedisaster waste we are dealing with here. We will deal with public toilets and human waste in the“evacuation waste” category.
■Zoning
It is necessary to understand what types of waste (category) have been generated from which area. Here,we will identify and organize disaster situation and waste as indicated in【Table 1-2】in each area based on
photographs, observation, seismic intensity distribution, inundated area and tsunami height distribution.

8

【Table 1-2】Examples of zoning and scheduling for disaster waste based on the damage situation9

【Table 1-1】Waste category and zoning in case of earthquake or tsunami(using examples of the 3.11 earthquake)
SUMMARY

CATEGORY

IMAGE

TYPE OF WASTE

General evacuation waste

Evacuation waste

Medical waste

General waste

Combustibles,

generated fromkitchen waste,evacuation shelter

incombustibles,

emitted andplastic packages,

managed in a ncans, glass bottles,

on-ordinary way

plastic bottles,

due to the difficulty

harmful waste,

in securing lifelines

human waste,(excluding collapsed

medical waste

houses, household(including dry

effects)

items)

Medical waste

Needles, items andgenerated fromglovesmedicalcontaminated withinstituitions,blood

nursing homes,
evacuation shelters

Household effects waste
Earthquake rubble

Earthquake waste (so called mountain waste)

Waste such as

Electricalhousehold effects

appliances,

destroyed, damaged

furniture

due to earthquake(including dry(excluding damaged

items)

houses)Carried-in waste storage site (Sendai-shi niperia 3/30)
Photograph by academy task team

Collapsed houses

Collapsed houses,

due to earthquake

home appliances,(may include

furniture,

household effects

large-sizedetc)

garbage, tatami＊including thosemat, matress,

which were damaged

Not the main waste in Sendai but was in the Hanshin

garden trees,due to fire after theearthquake (Kobe)

harmful waste

earthquake(asbestos, PCB
etc)(including dry
items)
10

Automobiles

Automobiles

Tsunami-soaked waste

Waste soaked with

[Items soaked withsea water in areas

sea water]

damaged but notelectricaldevastatedbyappliances,

tsunami (mainly

furniture,

household effects)

Tracks of flooding(in Tagajyou-shi 3/28)

large-sized

photograph by academy task teamgarbage, tatamimat, matress,
garden trees

Tsunami collapsed waste

Tsunami waste (so called sea waste)

Collapsed houses[Items soaked withand drenched withsea water]

sea water due tocollapsed houses,

tsunami (mayelectricalinclude household

appliances,

effects etc)

Collapsed houses mingled (Sendai-shi Wakabayashi-ku

furniture,

3/26)

large-sized waste,

Photograph by academy task teamtatami mat,matress, garden
trees, harmfulwaste (asbestos,
PCB etc)

Tsunami sediment

Sediment

Properties differ

accumulated on landfacilities in thedue to tsunami (mayareainclude sludge)⇒Should be copedwith individuallyin each area

Rice

farm

coveredwithsediment(Sendai-shi

Wakabayashi-ku 3/26) / top left corner: zooming parchedsediment Ishinomaki 3/31)
Photograph by academy task team11

Marine products,
processed marine

Marine products

products
transformed into
waste due todisaster (somemixed with tsunami
sediment)
Marine industrial waste (Iwate prefecture) / top left
corner: waste mixed with sludge starting to decay(Ishinomaki 3/31)
Photograph by academy task team

Automobiles,
vessels
Large- sized
items

Automobiles, vessels

Automobiles,
motorbikes,
vessels etc

Large/special type ofTanks,telegraphwaste generated

poles, forage,from factories andfertilizers which

structures

require individual
management

Concrete

Concrete

Concrete, asphalt,
demolished tiles

Scattered andRaw (unseasoned)

accumulated coastal

wood etc

pine trees andVegetation

garden trees

Accumulated truncks, branches and leaves of coastal
pine trees (Sendai-shi Miyagino-ku 3/26)
Photograph by academy task team

Others

May have to pay attention to in the near future*As for collapsed house waste, we mostly refer to them as damaged house materials.It may be necessary tochange managements according to the level of demolition.
[notes] We do not include corpes in the disaster waste indicated above. We will look into public toilets andhuman waste in the evacuation waste chapter.

12

【Guide 2】Estimation of quantity generated“What types of” waste “in what amount”?
↓
This is important for deciding how to “collect”, “sort” and “manage” waste on a certain scale or in
Estimation of the amount of disaster waste can be implemented by taking the following steps. Since theway of estimation illustrated below is for establishing the structure and the system of disaster waste
management in the emergency phase, it should be revised according to achievements etc in the disastermanagement cycle.
(1) Amass information on disaster. In municipalities, the fire departments are informed of the damages
caused by the disaster (Article 53 of Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act)In the emergency phase, if the disaster management headquarters are collecting information, theenvironmental departments are not necessarily responsible for the work.
(2) Estimate the damage of houses, workplaces based on the disaster information. If possible, it will bebetter to estimate the damage by classifying it into several groups (fully collapsed, heavily collapsed, halfcollapsed, partially collapsed, inundation above the floor level, inundation below the floor level). As for flood
damage or tsunami disaster, estimation is carried out by measuring the depth of inundation. As for
information on the depth of inundation, since it is difficult to gain that information in the emergency phase,
it is possible to make an estimation of the number of buildings or households in the inundated area using
various statistics.
(3) Estimation of the amount of disaster waste can be calculated by multiplying waste generation
consumption rate with the number of estimated damaged buildings and households.
Example of calculation:(100 fully collapsed households×113 tons per household)＋(1000 inundated households above floor level×
4.6tons per household )＋(10000 inundated households below floor level×0.62tons per household)＝22,100
tons

13

【Fig. 2】Summary of the estimation flow of the amount of disaster waste14【Guide 3】Phase of recovery or reconstruction and waste management
How recovery and reconstruction will proceed in the present time and in the future?
↓
How to manage “what kind of waste” on “what kind of schedule”?
Management (scheduling) based on the understanding of recovery, reconstruction of all disastermanagements (situation of disaster areas) is required. As for waste disposal, management indicated in theright column of【Table 3】,【Table 1-2】can be thought of.
In particular, swift response in the early recovery (relief) phase is required. Although in some area, thedisaster management phase may be heavily delayed depending on the local government or the size of thedisaster, it is important to share precedents and know-hows in order to advance the recovery andreconstruction as swiftly as possible.

15

【Table 3】Waste management standards in disaster management (disaster area) phases
Disaster management (disaster area) phases
Emergency Phase

Waste management

Occurrence of

102 hours① Establishment of intial system

disaster (prioritize(approximately② Initial management and grasp oflifesaving)

3 days ＝72

situation★Transportation

hours)● Mainly "evacuation waste",security is basically"earthquake waste (household

implemented in thiseffects)", "tsunami waste (tsunami

phase.

flooding)"③~⑧ Examination of management
guidelines ~ approval⑨ "Evacuation waste" commencedisaster management

Early Recovery

Implement until

103 hours● "Earthquake waste(collapsed)",(Relief) Phase

recovery of victims(approximately"tsunami waste(collapsed)"

and distribution of

1 month)management

goods (lifeline③~⑧ Examination of management

recovery)guidelines～approval⑨ Disaster management→removal of large amount of wastefrom the city area

Recovery Phase

Implement until

104 hours

recovery of social(approximately

stock (removal of

1 year)Waste disposal (reuse, recycle)

evacuation shelter)
Reconstruction Phase

Implement until

105 hours

recovery of industry(approximately
10 years)*It is highly likely that the time standard for these phases differs from area to area.
★Although "establishment of temporary toilet"etc is an issue of the emergency phase, it is not included inthis manual.

16

【Guide 4】Outline of the processes of separation and disposalof disaster waste
Common understanding for the processes of separation and disposal of disaster waste↓
How to place temporary storage sites and transport and recycle/dispose of disaster waste

Methods of separation and disposal for disaster waste vary with each category and type of waste, andaccording to region（some processes may be unnecessary, or impossible to utilize）; however, it is necessary tokeep the overall processes of disaster waste in mind when planning separation/disposal strategies. Common

understanding of the processes as well as technical terms among related parties is vital, to ensuresmooth communications. The following is an outline of the processes for separation and disposal ofdisaster waste.

【Fig. 4】Outline of the processes for separation and disposal of disaster waste

17

■Glossary
Temporary waste storage site:

A place where disaster waste is

temporarily stored in disaster areas to secure space/living environment, and to enable smoothreconstruction. The photograph on the right shows anexample of a temporary waste storage site set up in an
open space beside houses (following heavy rain damage
in Kagoshima Pref. in 2006)
Primary waste storage site: A place where waste is kept/sorted
for a certain period of time before disposal (including
reuse/recycling). The photograph on the right shows anexample of a primary storage site at a playground in acity in Kagoshima Pref. in 2006.

Secondary waste storage site: A secondary waste storage siteneeds to be set up in case that waste is not sufficiently separated if space for separation of waste at
the first (promary) storage site is insufficient. Guidelines on setting up/running it will be the same
as for the primary storage site. Depending on the types or various statuses of waste, or areas wherewastes are being kept, there are some cases in which only the same treatment as that provided at
the primary storage site is sufficient. In some cases, it may be possible to set up only one primarystorage site.
Separation: Appropriate separation for waste is desirable, taking into consideration later disposal including
reuse/recycling with each priority and hazard characteristics of wastes when keeping or disposingof them.
Reuse: Waste like “debris” and “gravel & pebbles and timber not soaked with salt water” should be
separated at primary/secondary storage sites and used appropriately for reconstruction.
Recycling: Waste like “debris,” “timber,” “metals,” “electric home appliances.” “automobiles” and others
collected and separated at primary/secondary storage sites should be properly managed and used
as recyclable resources for reconstruction.
Intermediate Treatment (Crushing & Shredding ) : This procedure is applied after waste is collected andseparated at primary/secondary storage sites to improve efficiency of transportation or incineration
disposal.
Intermediate Treatment (Incineration): This is a procedure before final disposal allowing stabilization andreduction of the volume of disaster waste. In some cases, temporary incinerators are set up in
primary/secondary waste storage sites.
18Temporary Incinerator: This will be installed to enable sufficient processing/treatment of waste in the casethat treatment is difficult using only existing incinerators, or when accepting large amounts ofdisaster waste from other regions.
Final disposal: Landfill incinerated ashes that are stabilized by intermediate treatments. In the case that
handling only with the existing landfill facilities is difficult, soil analysis must be made rapidly inorder to find and set up new landfill areas. The sites should be taken care of by each municipality.
Tiles and Pebbles：Concrete / asphalt rubble
Disaster debris（Debris）: Waste from collapsed buildings and from demolition/ mixture of household goods
and rubble★Difference between previous cases and the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, especially in
relation to “temporary waste storage sites” and “primary/secondary waste storage sites”):
Compared to previous cases, the volume and type of disaster waste resulting from the Great East Japan
Earthquake, especially due to the tsunami, is extremely huge and serious. This manual compiles dataand provides guidelines for “temporary storage sites” and “primary/secondary waste storage sites”. This
treatment is done because of the necessity of providing broad area-wide waste treatment. “Temporarystorage sites” should be set up close by houses, where waste from inside the houses can be put for ashort period in the early stage of recovery of individual daily lives. As “primary /secondary waste
storage sites” are intended to be places for separation of waste and intermediate treatment, considering
future processing including reuse/recycling, locations outside of the disaster areas can be considered. In
past cases, “temporary storage sites” were designated as “tentative storage sites,” and“primary/secondary waste storage sites” were described as “temporary storage sites”.

19【Guide 5】Planning of separation & treatment strategyz

Especially in the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, disposal of tsunami waste is
expected to be difficult, and waste management plans and order of priority are expected
to be different in each municipality. After looking through individual items described inthis manual concerning methods of treatment (or reuse/recycling), each municipality
should draw up a separation and treatment strategy according to the following criteria.

z

Criteria: prioritization of reuse and recycling, environmental protection, consideration forrecovery and reconstruction, capacity of separation and treatment facilities, cost, etc.

z

The main considerations in separation and disposal strategy are the quantity of waste to
be treated, separation and disposal process, zoning of waste collection and treatment,
selection of storage sites and transportation methods, organization for disposal,
scheduling, etc.

■Key points
・Especially in the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, disposal of tsunami waste is expected to bedifficult, and the disposal plan and the order of priority are expected to be different in each municipality.
After looking through the individual items described in this manual concerning possible methods of disposal(reuse recycling), each municipality should draw up a separation and treatment strategy according to thefollowing criteria.
■Criteria for planning strategy(1) Prioritization of reuse and recycling: reuse and recycling should be conducted as much as possible,
while urgency of disposing of disaster waste and its quantities are considered. Separation andtreatment process will be determined after conditions of receiving materials for reuse and recycling
and required separation are taken into account. Emergent receiving conditions and transportationroute might be decided by the industry or administration in addition to conventional ones. Refer to【Fig. 5-2】for an example of separation and treatment processes of wastes including reuse andrecycling.
(2) Environmental protection: It is important to minimize impacts on human health or theenvironment and to prevent danger, while considering speed of disposal. Fundamentally, it isnecessary to check the state of hazardous substances and products, which entail careful handling in
non-emergency situations, prevent any exposure of residents and workers to such materials, andtreat them properly during all stages of separation and treatment processes. If the entire disposal
process is likely to take a long time, priorities of removing waste should be set and storage sites
should be selected cautiously because hygiene problems may occur where waste exists, in the living
environment and at temporary storage sites, etc. Environmental monitoring should be carried out
basically.

20

(3) Consideration for recovery and reconstruction: Disposal of waste can support recovery andreconstruction of disaster areas, and it is preferable to treat and dispose of disaster waste in suchways. For example, job creation by hiring local citizens for separation and disposal of waste,
reorganization of regional economies and companies, and provision of resources (reuse and recycling
materials) that will be utilized in reconstruction work.
(4) Capacity of separation and disposal facilities: It is necessary to confirm the separation andtreatment capacity in municipalities in the disaster areas (or outside the areas if affectedmunicipalities do not have sufficient capacity), and examine the operational conditions of thosefacilities. Gaining cooperation from industry and various aid/support organizations is also important.
(5) Cost: It is essential to reduce total cost ensuring that disposal is carried out at a suitable pricewhile considering reuse, recycling and environmental protection. It is necessary to examine costs,
using normal unit prices of disposal or those in other disaster areas as benchmarks.
■The main points of separation and disposal strategy(1) Quantity of waste to be treated : The amount of waste by generation source and type of waste should be
estimated roughly, and the planned amount of waste to be disposed of has to be determined as early as
possible. This amount may change as disposal proceeds. Sooner or later, it is necessary to measure theamount of waste as accurately as possible. For example, consider installing a weighing station or truck
scale to measure the weight of vehicles in primary waste storage sites etc., and establish arecord-keeping system.
(2) Separation and disposal process: A detailed flow-chart should be prepared, showing all stages ofprocesses from waste generation to separation and disposal, clarifying what and how strictly materials
in waste should be separated. An example of such a flow-chart is the one in which the diagrams【Fig. 5-1,
5-2】are arranged in a way that local conditions etc. are incorporated. It shows flows of waste by waste
type together with the amount (1). Materials shown at the left in 【Fig. 5-2】, which are relatively easy
to separate at the site, should be separated as early as possible in the flow (closest to source). Oncewastes become mixed, separation is more difficult, and the possibility of becoming mixed with sedimentor destroyed by mixed loading during transportation also increases.
(3) Zoning of waste collection and treatment: Based on identified waste flows in (2), zoning of waste
collection and treatment should be made. That is, it clarifies what types of waste are generated, where they
are to be collected, and in which treatment facility they are to be treated in accordance with the amount ofwastes (in some cases, including wastes collected from more than one municipality). Then waste storagesites and transportation methods are selected in detail.
(4) Organization for disposal : It is necessary to clarify organizations responsible for disposal of specificitems/areas, as well as for the entire process. Especially when a prefectural or regional government
takes over the leadership of subordinate municipalities, an organization should be formed appointing
an appropriate person to lead the working group and frontline managers for districts and types of waste
to the member of the group, for effective disaster waste management and time-line management,
although the governor of the prefecture concerned or inter-municipal organization is formally
responsible.
(5) Schedule: Clarify the schedule of waste disposal, such as removal of disaster waste from an urban area
(transportation from temporary storage sites to primary waste storage sites) and collection of waste relating
21

significantly to citizens’ life, in a way expediting the process of recovery and reconstruction of disaster areas.
However, the schedule might be delayed due to various unexpected occurrences. This should be clearlystated in advance.
(6) Environmental monitoring: Monitor the environment if necessary such as measuring air quality whendemolishing and removing collapsed buildings (before, during and after) and soil at waste storage sites(before and after use). This should be done for environmental protection and the later use of waste storagesites after their closure and restoration.

Generation (site)

Temporary

Waste storage

storage site

site

Treatment

A building to be

Separation at

Sorted storage:

Sorted storage

Treatment

collapsedthe time ofon-site/in nearby(pretreatment)

within/outsi(affected bydemolition ->temporary

in a primaryde the area,

earthquake

sorted storage

storage site.

storage site

depending

and/or tsunami)(taking out)

outside anon the case,

Tsunami debris

RoughSorted storage:

urban area.

treatment

and earthquake

separation→

on-site/in nearby

Depending onby a

rubble (that dostorage

temporary

the case, sorted

temporary

not need(taking out)

storage sitestorage inincinerator

secondary(inside astorage site

primary

demolition)
Tsunami-induced

Separation

outside thestorage site

driftage→storagearea, after

and the(taking out)

separating andneighborhoo

storage withind, if

the areapossible)

Waste of

Separation at

Sorted storage in a nearbyAhousehold-goods

the time of

temporary storage site / primarymunicipal(caused bydiscarding ->waste storage site in an urban area

incinerator,

earthquake)sortedetc

collection* In actual practice, the amount of generated waste, the number and location of storage sites/treatment
facilities and transportation methods, etc. should be recorded.
* It is important to set and inform of items and criteria for sorting, etc.
* Although land transportation (e.g. truck) is generally used, marine transportation may be available
depending on type of waste and location.
* Needless to say, appropriate contractors with legal licenses and capability should be selected fortransportation and treatment of waste in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

【Fig. 5-1-1】Flow-chart of separation and treatment of waste (overall view)22◆An example of block plan of a large waste storage site

◆An example of operation of a large waste storage site by time

【Fig. 5-1-2】Diagram of separation and treatment

23

【Fig. 5-2】Example of separation and treatment processes for various types of wastes including reuserecycling24

【Guide 6-1】Removal of collapsed houses etc. (government guidelines)
The “Guidelines for removal of collapsed houses etc. resulting from the Great East Japan
Earthquake” were established especially to deal with difficulty of treating disaster waste.
Main points of the guidelines are as follows:z

Provide information in advance about the schedule for removing waste / debris and thelocation of targeted removal areasz

Record damage to buildings, automobiles, and ships/boats by taking photographs and byother methodsz

Return valuables and items of sentimental value such as ancestral tablets and albums to■ Key points
The main three points in the “Guidelines for removal of collapsed houses etc. resulting from the Great
East Japan Earthquake” will be introduced in this section: for more information, see【Ref.】Guidelines issued
by the government.
* Some parts are explained as plain and summarized descriptions; that is, not all of the following text
corresponds exactly to the original. For details of know-how concerning collapsed houses, see【Guide 7-4】.
1. Provide information in advance about the schedule for removing waste / debris and the location oftargeted removal areas
Try to contact landowners wherever possible to obtain their approval before entering private properties
to remove waste, and request their presence at the site. Removal, however, can be carried out even if
owners cannot be contacted.

It is desirable that the schedule for waste/debris removal and the locationof targeted removal areas should be provided in advance.
2. Keep records of damage to buildings, automobiles, ships and boats by taking photographs and by othermethods before removalz Buildings/ houses: It is desirable to obtain owners’ approval before removing debris of collapsed houses/
buildings or buildings that were swept away from their original locations. However, removal can be
carried out even if the owners cannot be contacted. In the case of buildings that partially retain their
original state and remain standing at their original locations, the basic procedure should be to confirm
the owners’ approvals before removal. If it is impossible to contact the owners or where there is potential
danger of collapse, these houses/buildings may be dismantled and removed according to the assessment
by experts, such as land and building inspectors, that they are of no further value. Keeping clear records
is desirable in such cases.
z Automobiles: Move them to temporary storage sites and try to contact their owners, returning them tothe owner if possible. As for automobiles that appear unuseable, keep them at temporary storage sites
and try to find their owners, returning them to their owners if possible. Others should be disposed25

according to the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling Act (Law). For other cases, a guideline will be
provided later. Keep records of the status in all cases in advance.
z Motor cycles/scooters: Dispose of them according to the instructions for automobilesz Ships/boats: Collect and keep them at temporary storage sites and try to contact their owners, andreturn them to the owner if requested to do so. As for ships/boats that seem to be unuseable,
remove/keep them at temporary storage sites and try to find their owners, and return them to the owner
if possible. As for ships/boats that seem to be difficult to remove, consult with their owners. For othercases, a guideline will be provided later. Keep records of the status in all cases before removal or
disposal.
3. Return valuables and items of sentimental value such as mortuary tablets and albums to their ownersz Precious metals, valuables and safes (movable properties other than automobiles/ships) should be
temporary stored; try to find the owners. Return those valuables to the owners if they ask for them.
Proper disposal should be carried out according to the Lost Goods Act in the case that owners cannot be
identified.
z Valuables such as ancestral tablets, albums, and other belongings that would appear to have intrinsic
personal value for individuals should not be disposed of.
z Items other than those above can be removed and disposed of.
Notice: Your vehicle damaged by tsunami will be removed/ stored
We express our deepest sympathy to everyone affected by the Great
East Japan Earthquake on 11, March, 2011.
As a step toward reconstruction, we are commencing to remove
disaster waste, including damaged vehicles, from the city. We hereby
inform vehicle owners that, on your behalf, the mayor of the city willremove, store, and recycle your vehicles after confirming/recording
ownership.
Removal of damaged vehicles will start from ●●, 2011.
Registration number：●●―●●
Please contact the following address in the case that you intend to pickup your automobile yourself, or if you do not want it to be removed
from this site.
Contact Address：●●City●●

TEL：●●●●●●●●【Fig. 6-1】Example of a notice to owners, to be attached to automobiles, etc.
26

【Guide 6-2】Selection and operation of temporary storage sites■Key points
・ Temporary storage sites should be set up and operated promptly from the viewpoint of enabling damaged
houses to be cleaned up, even if the victims have been evacuated, according to the situation of the disaster
area.
・When selecting sites and setting up temporary storage sites, it is necessary to locate them in availableparks and vacant lots in a disaster area. Moreover, it is necessary to position them keeping in mind thenecessity of allowing access from temporary storage sites to primary/secondary waste storage sites.
・Access must be provided for garbage and dump trucks to allow transportation from the temporary storagesite to primary/secondary waste storage sites.
・Since disaster waste is transported by residents and volunteers, the responsible administration has toprovide notification about separation rules of waste beforehand. This can be done through the use of an
administrative wireless network, distribution of pamphlets, information stickers in evacuation shelters,
advising heads of residents’ associations, and notification to volunteer centers etc., as the initial reaction
to a disaster.
・“Temporary storage sites” can also be called “on-site temporary storage sites.”■Selection of location and setting up of temporary storage sites(1) Temporary storage sites should be established at sites as close to victims’ residences as possible, such as
at parks and vacant lots in disaster areas.
(2) Access must be provided for garbage trucks (4-ton type) and dump trucks (10-ton type).
*As a rule, it is preferable that tsunami debris is accumulated in the primary waste storage sites which havebeen set up. However, we consider maintaining temporary storage sites that are separate from theprimary waste storage sites in disaster areas and access to them.
■Separation in temporary storage sites(1) Reducing the victims’ burden should be considered as much as possible in the separation of waste in thetemporary storage sites. On the other hand, when proper processing is considered, it is necessary tothink about separation as the starting point of the disaster waste treatment in addition to theseparation in the primary and secondary waste storage sites. As a rule, combustible waste,non-combustible waste (debris), specified Electrical Home Appliances under the Recycling Law,
non-large appliances (PC, etc.), tatami mats, tires, carpets, hazardous and dangerous articles (gascylinders, heating oil, and fluorescent lamps, etc.) are sorted. It is preferable to load each type into
different trucks when transported. 【Fig. 6-2】Reference image(2) The【Quick Reference for Handling Disaster Waste】 can be distributed and shared since it is drawn up
by victims and volunteers.

27

Waste generated fromshopping areas, etc. The
removal of the waste byvolunteers has begun, too.
(4/3 Ishinomaki City)■Operation of temporary storage sites (Including volunteers’ support)(1) It is necessary to make arrangements considering separation in the primary waste storage sites andtransportation to them. Moreover, it is preferable to assess the amount and state of separation every day,and to estimate the amount of processing and the cost afterwards. When direct weighing of the waste is
not possible, loading waste to vehicles could be recorded by digital camera for record-keeping on loadingor carrying, to estimate garbage weight visually from the image.
(2) The extent of separation depends on the strength, understanding, and the leadership of the victims andvolunteers who work on each area. So it is advisable to nominate a leader in each area, and to separate
within the possible range. Specifically, the following procedures are taken into consideration.
・The volunteers’ mobilization (where, how many, when) is adjusted in cooperation with volunteer centers.
Moreover, we consult with them about arrangements for safety equipment and work tools such as
buckets, hoses, shovels, wiping cloths, and cutters.
・Workers must wear masks, shoes with a strong sole (if possible, safety shoes are best, for prevention ofpenetration of sharp objects), protective clothing with minimum exposure, helmets, and safety glasses
for work safety. Also, volunteers work in groups from the viewpoint of secondary accident prevention.
・It is preferable that volunteers acquire a common understanding through lectures about separation
before they begin to work.
・Removal of household disaster waste, such as tatami mats, becomes easier if cutters are used. For
example, tatami floor mats can be cut into thirds or even smaller pieces for easier handling.
(3) If the setting up of temporary storage sites is delayed, or local notification is not maintained, citizens
might begin to carry out open burning. It is necessary to call for “prohibition of open burning” due tonegative impacts on the environment and human health that may result from burning of waste.

28

【Fig. 6-2】Reference : Example of separation in temporary storage sites and transportation to primary
waste storage sites

29【Guide 6-3】Selection and operation of storage sites(Primary and secondary waste storage sites)■Key points
・The setting up and operation of the primary and secondary waste storage sites (hereafter, jointly called“storage sites”) should be promptly started in accordance with selection of the method of treatment(including commissioned treatment and recycling). It is assumed that it will take about one year to collect
all targeted disaster waste in parallel with treatment, and about 3 years to fully complete treatment.
・In some cases, depending on location and state of waste, only primary storage sites are established. Whenseparation in the primary storage sites is insufficient, a secondary storage site is needed. When it is notpossible to set up both in the same municipality, the waste should be transported to a secondary storagesite in another city.
・Concerning the selection and setting up of storage sites, it is necessary to examine availability ofpermission from the landowner, use of abandoned disaster-affected land, accessibility and workability ofheavy equipment and vehicles, and securing the availability of the minimum amount of water required forfire prevention and extinguishing (if not available, consider the use of on-site sprinkler equipment, etc.).
Also, plenty of available space is required for storage of the waste.
・Concerning design of the storage site, it is necessary to apply appropriate separation matched to treatment
according to the characteristics of the waste and period of expected storage.
・In storage sites, a simple version of operational management executed at waste landfills has to be carriedout. Where possible, measures should be taken to eliminate environmental pollution risk by waste water
treatment, water interception, and prevention of waste particles scattering. In the case of toxic wastes,
those measures are essential. An adequate measurement of the state of the site (background-state) is
important for monitoring.
■Selection and setting up of storage sites(1) Land use and use of abandoned disaster-affected land: It is preferable to set up storage sites using
urban areas or farmland that has been flooded, unused publicly-owned land, abandoned land, parks,
parking lots, or landfills. Site selection can be carried out referring to “listings of current land use”
investigated and kept by municipal and prefectural authorities based on Article 6 of the City Planning
Law. Confer on this with the relevant department of city planning if possible.
*If transportation by sea to a waste treatment facility/disposal site is possible, a primary storage site near
the shipping port (wharf where large vessels can moor) should be set up.
*If the water supply system is unavailable, groundwater wells might be used. Basically, storage sites
should not be set up near them (precisely, this depends on the types of waste). The location ofunderground streams may need to be checked.
*When playgrounds and seaside resorts are used as storage sites, it is often necessary to remove broken
glass from the ground after the use of the sites.
*From disaster waste directly affected by tsunami, salts will leach out and affect the environment whenrain falls. It is necessary to take measures against the leaching by the installation of blue tarpaulins or
selecting appropriate places for storage sites where there is no problem even if salts elute (for instance,
land in a coastal zone or land formerly used as landfill).
30

*It is advisable to show in advance preventive measures against pollution and monitoring of pollution
level after remediation of contaminated lands to land owners and residents, especially in the case that a
privately-owned area is used as a storage site.
*A disposal site of ash from a thermal power plant and its coal yard could be used as a storage site. When
cooperation is feasible, the use of those sites should be examined. (Wastewater treatment in case thatdisaster waste contains organic matter, and a legal procedure to accept municipal solid waste arenecessary)(2) Access roads to a storage site: Prepare access roads (about 12 m or more in width) from disaster area tothe storage site, paved with concrete/asphalt/gravel through which large-sized vehicles can pass. The
roadbed may need to be stabilized.
*If the separation of debris (stone and concrete rubble) is possible, the rubble can be used as a basematerial for the roadbed of a temporary access road in flooded areas. When rice fields, dry fields, etc. areused for an access road, it would be better to place blue tarpaulins on the ground before rubble is put inplace, for the sake of remediation and protection of soil in the field. Moreover, it is necessary to keep
records of the location of the temporary road in case it is turned into a regular road.
(3) The ground of a storage site: It must be flat and large enough (in past cases, sites of about 2 ha or larger
were usually used). There must be plenty of space and ground strength that can support 10-ton dump
trucks. Especially, when disaster waste is temporarily placed on the soil (including farmland), "ironplates" used as a matt for a temporary road etc., should be used in order to ensure the workability of
construction machinery with water sprinkling. Hydraulic and mechanically stabilized slag (HMS) forroad can be used as a roadbed. When blue tarpaulins are laid out in a storage site where disaster waste
containing oil, salinity, or hazardous substances may be disposed of, waterproof sealing must be done at
joints. When the blue tarpaulins are installed under water, the blue tarpaulins must be covered with soil,
etc. in order to prevent lifting.
(4) Preparation of water for fire prevention and control: The minimum amount of water must be prepared forfire prevention, extinguishing, and dust control. If water is unavailable, prepare on-site sprinkler
equipment instead.
* Separation rules and allocation of storage sites will be described later.
■Separation rule and design (equipment) of storage site(1) In order to determine separation rules for waste, consider its treatment method, the hazards of thewaste, and expected period of the storage. If storage sites are each set as exclusively for combustible
waste, non-combustible waste, and hazardous articles, then management and treatment become easier.
(2) Although separation may be limited, depending on the amount generated and the type of waste, targets
are enumerated in【Guide 7】.
(3) In consideration of the owners’ feelings, “PCs and small home appliance products” and “Photographs,
albums, and ancestral tablets” should be carried out so that memories and personal information arepreserved. In the case of PCs and mobile phones, if manufacturers (industry lobby) cooperate,
information can be extracted according to owners’ demands.
(4) To process large amounts of wood waste and raw wood, a wood crusher and temporary incinerator (Refer
to 【Guide 8-1】) may be needed for volume reduction. A concrete crusher can be used to process large
amounts of debris. Prepare them in cooperation with the timber industry, fishing industry, and/or local
31

general contractors (with priority). When assistance is given by other municipalities, waste collection
vehicles with crushing function should be requested as a priority.
(5) When there is concern about dirty water being generated by disaster waste, underground seepage must
be prevented by using blue tarpaulins, etc. Outside leakage is also to be prevented by installation ofdrainage trenches, storage ponds, and tanks, etc. around the storage site. (In some cases, dirty water
should be collected and treated).
(6) Waste to be carried in and out must be measured and recorded on a daily basis by using a truck scale(suitable for weighing vehicles including trucks) in order to estimate the amount of waste to be treated
and its cost afterwards. When measurement by a truck scale is difficult because of power failure and/or
equipment shortage, the amount of waste in temporary storage sites can be estimated by recording thenumber of vehicles, areas and height of waste deposited. Recording vehicle loads with digital camera
enables estimation of the weight of waste from the image.
■Operation of storage sites (mainly environmental risk measures)(1) It is necessary to take measures against noise, air and dust pollution (by using a net to prevent
scattering of waste, especially plastic waste, and by water sprinkling), and offensive odors (by scatteringof slaked lime, disinfectant, and deodorant). Where shredders and temporary incinerators are used,measures against noise, vibration, and dust are essential. To block sound from storage sites, suitablematerials may be chosen from disaster wastes to create a simple enclosure.
(2) Environmental monitoring should be executed when possible. When evaluating the environmental
impact of a temporary storage site, take soil samples from about ten points before waste is placed on it.
(3) Especially, slaked lime should be sprinkled on wood waste soaked by seawater (wood and collapsed
house, etc.). Refer to 【Guide 8-2】 for details.
(4) To prevent combustion and heat generation, wood waste and combustible waste must not be piled up
more than five meters in height. See【Fig. 6-3-1】. Since secondary lead-acid batteries (in cars andmotorcycles), tires, and stoves (possibly still containing kerosene) might cause a fire, such items must be
removed from waste piles. Attention must also be paid to avoid crushing them with heavy machinary. To
facilitate fire-fighting and to prevent spreading of fire in such cases, the piles should be located two or
more meters apart. Prepare fire extinguishers if possible. (Fire extinguishers discarded as garbage
should be collected for reuse.)
For fire fighting and to prevent fires spreading.
Two meters or moreapart

To prevent combustionand heat generation

Wood waste

Combustible
waste

Five meters or less inheight【Fig. 6-3-1】Configuration of waste piles for prevention of combustion and heatgeneration32

(5) Infiltration of hazardous waste and oil contained in home appliances into groundwater must be
prevented by the use of blue tarpaulins. In this case, contaminated water is to be collected by adrainage facility and a temporary storage facility (storage ponds, tanks, etc.) and treated by proper
processing.
(6) Attention is required to ensure the separation and management of PCB and asbestos. Refer togovernmental guidelines for details. To provide relevant information on-site, the【Quick Reference for
Handling Disaster waste】can be used.
(7) Refer to【Guide 8】for responses and notifications regarding other individual wastes.
(8) It is important to keep in mind that the amount of waste at an urban storage site tends to increase morethan expected. Preventive measures for discarding undesignated wastes should be taken as well.
(9) The workers must wear masks and dustproof safety glasses to safeguard against possible asbestos
particles, in addition to appropriate clothing to ensure hygiene and safety. Though it is preferable towear safety boots due to the threat of nails that could cause tetanus, a thick sock liner can be used inboots when safety boots are unavailable.
Unused fire extinguishers
found in debris should be
Tatami floor mats, etc. arelaid down to protect tires

collected for
emergencies.

re-useinof vehicles and workers’
feet against glass shards.
Flat-tray trucks used for rubble(10-ton type is required).

A waste collection vehicle
sent by Kyoto City to assist
Sendai City was used in placeof a shredder that had broken
down.

【Fig. 6-3-2】Reference: Example of devices in operation (as described in【Guides 7-2, 7-3】)33

【Guide 7-1】 Examples of types of waste: Waste Management inevacuation shelters■Key points
・Evacuation shelters are established immediately after the occurrence of a disaster. Schools and community
centers are usually utilized to be evacuation shelters, where victims, i.e. those suffering significantly fromthe disaster reside temporarily. .
・The situation in each evacuation shelter largely depends on the post-disaster circumstances in the disasterarea, the degree of functionality of the local government, on-site conditions, etc. Moreover, the situation andrequirements of the evacuation shelter also shift from the immediate response right after the disaster to thetime when considering recovery from the disaster. Therefore, it is also necessary to seek the best practice ineach evacuation shelter at each different phrase of recovery.
・It is also important to collect and analyze information and experiences to obtain lessons learned from past
post-disaster responses and ideas for improvement of waste management strategies for both normal statesand possible states of disasters in the future. Evacuation shelters in a disaster area accumulate valuable
experience-based lessons which should be examined and compiled in order to better prepare for possible
disasters in the future, (including the expected functions and quantity of emergency relief supplies, theappropriate supply of support materials, the handling of surplus goods, the increase of waste caused bydisposable goods, etc.), drawn directly from experience in large-scale evacuation shelters after anunprecedented catastrophic disaster.
■ Waste from evacuation shelters immediately after the victims’ arrival(1) Evacuation shelters are established immediately after a disaster, in
facilities like elementary schools or junior high schools and otherfacilities designated to be safety evacuation shelters. In other words, assoon as such shelters are set up following a disaster, waste isimmediately generated through daily activities of the victims after they
move into these evacuation shelters. Though there are some differencesin disaster areas concerning how fast and how much support materials
are delivered, each evacuation shelter receives support materials consisting mainly of water and foodsupplies from the victims’ first arrival.

Wastes generated during the period include corrugated cardboard,plastic bags and packaging waste, food waste and human excreta, etc.

In addition to water and food,blankets and blue tarpaulins, etc. are also delivered.
(2) Immediately following a disaster, the needs for water, food and toilet facilities are particularly high inevacuation shelters. The following waste will be generated. To ensure sanitary conditions, it is advisable tobegin waste sorting using corrugated cardboard, garbage bags and labeling supplies (pens, packing adhesive
tapes and paper), etc. even though it may be coarse.
・Water: paper cups or plastic cups (in the case of supply by water wagons), empty bottles (in the case of PET
bottles)・Food: corrugated cardboard cartons, plastic packaging waste, cans (boxes for rice balls, bread, crackers,
etc.)
・Toilet*: Portable toilets (When obtainable; sealed management is required to minimize infection or34

offensive odors even for urine hardened by polymer, for which sanitary storage seems possible).
* Many existing toilets may be unusable due to suspension of water supply and power failure, etc. In thecase of combined septic tanks, toilet use becomes possible when water and electricity are restored. In theother cases, sewage disposal is dependent on operability of the sewage disposal plant; however, flushingitself is possible if water and electricity are restored. In emergency settings flushing forcibly, making
emergency toilets, and digging holes for toilet use (composting toilets), covering waste with newspaper
might be acceptable. Refer to【Guide 8-17】for further details.
* Since it is unlikely that temporary toilets are installed at the time of victims’ first arrival, it is necessary tosend emergency toilets together with drinks and toilet paper when sending support materials. Regarding
portable toilets, 800-cc toilets (not as commonly available) are better than the normal 500-cc toilets due totheir greater capacity. It would be necessary to improve hermetic sealing for storage of excrement for acertain period of time.
■ Evacuation shelter waste during the period of early recovery(1) The volume of relief goods received will increase quickly after three days. Not only food but also clothing
and daily necessities will begin to arrive. Discharge of corrugated cardboard increases, and waste from daily
life also starts to increase. 【Table 7-2-2】shows how waste sorting can be conducted with consideration ofwaste types. This is an essential aspect of evacuation shelter management.
(2) When collection of household waste by the local government is resumed, collection of evacuation shelter
waste is usually performed as well. In some cases, all may be collected as waste because it is unfeasible toseparate recyclables from waste. If possible, waste containing recyclables should be stored at the evacuation
shelter until the usual MSW collection is resumed by the local government.

【Fig. 7-1】The situation of a evacuation shelter in Sendai city (newspapers are also separated)■ 3Rs of evacuation shelter waste (including house evacuation)(1) Recycling: When collection of waste generated at evacuation shelters isdifficult for a disaster-affected local government, it may be possible to use thereturn route of transportation carrying in support materials or to ask
volunteer personnel to take waste away, especially stable recyclables. In
particular corrugated cardboard would accumulate in large quantities.
Although it will be collected appropriately if paper recyclers resume
operations, such take-back would be worth considering.
(2) Reduce and reuse:
The following actions should be considered to counter the tendency of increased waste generation, due towide use of disposable products for hygienic reasons and convenience, etc.
35

・Cling film use for tableware: Since it is often impossible to waste tableware, many disposable containers
will be used. A good practice observed was that tableware was wrapped with cling film and only the cling
film was discarded after meals for reuse of tableware (for individual use only).
・ Composting of food waste: Examples were also observed of collection of food waste for recycling byneighboring farmers or dairy farmers.
・ Installation of washing machines: if clothing is used and thrown away since washing is impossible, thismay result in a large quantity of waste when supply of support materials increases. Installation of washingmachines should be considered in the case that evacuation is prolonged.
(3) House evacuation
・Household waste: Household waste collection is generally based on the normal means of MSW collection inboth cases of house evacuation and evacuation shelters. Normal waste collection would be resumed with
reduced frequency immediately after a disaster in places without tsunami damage. Recyclables would be
kept at private houses, which causes stress to citizens. Citizens’ cooperation is necessary for a certain period(approximately one month).
・Tsunami-soaked waste:
Household goods inundated by tsunami are discharged as “tsunami-soaked waste” 【( Guide 7-2, 7-3 】). Since
this waste contains mud etc., it may be difficult for residents to discard by themselves. Moreover, even if
discarded with a help of volunteers, it may be left on the street in front of houses especially when it cannot
be stored in a nearby temporary storage site, etc. This can cause obstructions to traffic where roads are
made narrower by the accumulated waste.

36

【Guide 7-2】Examples of separation ~ garbage from emergency
accommodation facilities, household disaster waste, tsunami-soaked
waste, at early recovery phasez

At early recovery phase, attention should be paid to “garbage from emergency
accommodation facilities (evacuation waste),” “household disaster waste,” and “tsunamisoaked waste.” Generally speaking, the goals include the deployment of collection sites inurban areas and restart of collection services of household waste, etc.

z

Separation should be carried out as much as possible in order to maintain hygiene, avoid
risks from hazardous waste, and promote reuse and recycling.

z

Every effort should be made to follow ministerial guidelines. Such guidelines include thoseabout automobile, ships, asbestos, and PCB-containing electrical equipment such astransformers, and Specified Electrical Home Appliance under Recycling law.

■ Wastes of most concern at early recovery phase
At the early recovery phase, it is necessary to deal with “garbage from emergency accommodation(evacuation waste),” “household disaster waste,” and “tsunami-soaked waste.” (See【Table 1-1】). In someareas, recovery may be delayed due to the extent of damage, etc. It is important for even such areas to share
information about areas where recovery is proceeding and their know-how in order to promote progress inrecovery and reconstruction.
■ Guides for separation and examples
・ 【Table 7-2-2】shows examples of wastes that require proper handling and consideration, amongevacuation waste, household disaster waste, and tsunami-soaked waaste. At the early recovery phase,first priority should be given to deploying collection sites for these wastes and to restarting collection
services for household waste, etc. As the generation of waste tends to be elevated in this phase, weshould aim to control the amount of waste generation and collection according to an order of priority.
・ Waste treatment cannot be carried out within the jurisdiction of a municipality in some cases. Whensetting separation rules, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of treating the collected waste
in another municipality.
・ The guides here are based on the concept that collection and treatment of wastes are to be delayed asmuch as possible without causing waste/sanitary issues. The reason is due to the facts that capacity ofcollection sites and intermediate treatment facilities tend to be insufficient and it is difficult to obtain
fuel for collection in some cases.
・ Basically, most actions to deal with huge amounts of collapsed housing/building debris will be made in
the recovery phase. Even in the emergency phase, a certain amount of debris may have to be collected.
Refer to【Guide 7-3】for this case.

37

【Table 7-2-1】Reference: Examples of early actions in the case of East Japan Earthquake Disaster (Sendai
Date
March 13
March 15

March 23

March 27
March 28
March 29 April 4
April 25
May 10city) (complied by the task force)
Action for waste management
Items of separation and collection
Decision on deploying one primary waste storagesite (to bring in) for each ward (district).
Restart of waste collection, limited to household Regular collection: Household waste
waste only
(combustibles)
Deployed five primary waste storage sites in the Primary waste storage: three separationcity (Ima-izumi, Seikaen Park, Nishi-Nakada Park, categories (burnables, unburnables, andTsurugadani Central Park, Shogen Park)
electronics). Workers sorted them further.
Establishment of a primary waste storage site at
Hinode-cho Park baseball ground (The one in
Tsurugadani Central Park was closed). When a site
becomes full, a new site will replace it, using themin turn.
Establishment of a primary waste storage site at Six separation categories (combustibles,
Nipperia.
Glass/ceramic waste, debris, WEEE, metal
scrap, furniture)
Restart of funeral hall for pets
Collection of cans, glass and PET bottles, and batteries (one time only)
Restart of collection of plastic packaging waste (Limited collection for a while)
All to be closed (according to plan at that time)38

Entrance: Directing vehicles
according to congestion inside.

Entrance: Checking categories of waste andgiving instructions on disposal.

* It is preferable
to sort HHW
although this site
apparently did
not insist on this.

Entrance
Staff

DebrisGlass/
Ceramics

Furniture
MetalsMattress“Debris” was sorted
behind“glass/ceramics”.

Among “WEEE”, designated appliances(TV, refrigerators, washing machines, airconditioners) were stockpiled together.

WEEE (Four designatedappliances and the others)
Combustibles

Exit

HHW*

Tatami mats“Metals” are mainly metal scraps;
motorbikes and bicycles were stockpiled
adjacently.

“Combustibles” contained some wood,tatami mats, and carpets.

“Furniture” was sorted although thesign says “sofa”. (At some sites,
mattresses were separated)【Fig. 7-2】Reference: A good example of separation at a primary waste storage site for early recovery phase,
Nipperia playground, Sendai city; Workers direct and instruct how to sort and unload waste indrive-through style (Similar to deposit sites of municipalities in Western countries).

39

【Table 7-2-2】Wastes requiring proper handling and consideration at early recovery stage(Evacuation waste, household disaster waste, and tsunami-soaked waste)
Early recovery (emergency) phase
Recovery phaseCollection sites
At restart of collection Until return to normal(to bring in)
Combustible waste
Food waste
Received as
Diapers and sanitary
Collected with limited“combustibles”
goods
frequency as(until collection isCollected with limited“combustibles”
Highly degradable
started)frequency as
waste“combustibles”
Packaging waste
Requested to be stored on-site; only collected if
Othersnecessary(non-degradable)
Incombustible waste
Requested to be stored
WEEE*
Received as “WEEE”
on-siteBroken glass andReceived as
Requested to be stored
on-siteceramics*“glass/ceramics”
Other WEEE
Received as
Motorbikes/bicycles*“motorbikes/bicycles”
Furniture*
Received as “furniture”
Tires*
Received as “tires”
Metals*
Received as “metals”
OthersRecyclables
Paper
Plastic packages
Cans and glass/PET
Collected with limited
bottlesfrequency
Hazardous waste and medical waste
Collected with limited
Batteries
frequency
Sorted collection with labeling/wrapping forCollected with limited
Lamps
broken items
frequency
Healthcare (Medical)
Sorted collection with labeling/wrapping
waste (household)Fire extinguishers,
Sorted collection with caution for accidents
stoves (kerosene), etc.
Other hazardous
Sorted collection with labeling/wrapping
waste*
Requested to be stored on-site; only collected if necessary
Others
Debris (Large amount of collection will be conducted at the next recovery phase.)
Sorted according toDebris and tatami
condition (tatami
Requested to be stored on-site; only collected if
necessarymats/carpets
mats, combustibles,
etc.)
Asbestos-containing
Sorted collection with labeling/wrapping – : ministerial guidelines, etc.
materials
PCB-containing
Sorted collection with labeling/wrapping – : ministerial guidelines, etc.
WEEE
[Color of cells] Red: First priority, Yellow: higher priority, blue: low priority* Only for waste causing hindrance to recovery
Debris that may contain asbestos (【Guide 8-13】) shall be sorted and not crushed/shredded.

40【Guide 7-3】Examples of separation~Tsunami debris and earthquake rubble at initial recovery phasez

Tsunami debris and Earthquake rubble will be the main focus at the initial recovery phasez

Designate temporary storage sites within a disaster area), and then aim to locate waste
storage sites (primary and secondary) in- or outside the disaster area.

z

Sort debris much as possible, from the viewpoints of hygiene, hazardousness, andreuse/recyclabilityzFollow ministerial guidelines regarding; automobiles, boats and ships, asbestos,PCB-containing electrical equipment such as transformers and items subject to theElectrical Home Appliance Recycling Act.

■ Main waste subject to recycling/disposal at the initial recovery phase
In the initial recovery phase, it will be necesssary to deal with “tsunami waste (collapsed house bytsunami) ”and “earthquake waste” (collapsed house by earthquake)【Table1-1】.

To speed up the recovery

and reconstruction process, it is important to share the experience and know-how gained in previous cases ofrecovery, although some areas may experience delayed progress, depending on the local authority andseverity of damage.

Policies made in the initial recovery phase will greatly affect the later stages ofrecovery and reconstruction.
■ The basic ideas for and examples of separation【Table 7-3】shows an example of separation categories in the initial recovery phase. “Tsunami debris” and“earthquake rubble” in the initial recovery phase are the main waste that should be considered. This table
was compiled from the viewpoint of running (primary) waste storage sites.
temporary storage sites will be designated as well as the collection sites.

In the initial recovery phase,See【Fig. 5-1】for chronologicaldevelopment, 【Fig. 5-2】regarding final separation and disposal, and【Guide 8】regarding treatment ofspecific items.
・ Some items may be impossible to treat locally.

Separation should take into account the situation

outside the local area.

41

RubbleHazardous or
dangerous items

Tyres

Tatami mat

Metallic

Other

i

li

Gypsum board

Automobile

Home Electrical
Appliance Recycling act(each item)

Watch out for fire!
Fire extinguishe●Items containing asbestos or PCB require special care
●Also: kerosene, gasoline (to be sorted and accumulated in oil
drums), waste oil, lead-acid batteries, gas canisters, paint,
spray cans, fluorescent lamps, smoke candles, etc.
●Discarded fire extingishers can be stationed nearcombustible wastes

Mixed combustible
waste
Mixed combustiblewaste

Raw wood◆ Piles should not bemade higher than 5m◆Regular invigilation◆Keep explosive items
away◆Utilise discarded fire
extinguishers◆Even tatami mats canigniteTsunamisediment

Raw wood can be treated as
feedstock for papermaking, if
stored at early stage. (Eventuallyshipped to chipping facilities)【Fig.7-3】Example of separation at primary waste storage sites for tsunami debris (Sendai City)【Table 7-3】Wastes that need to be sorted at the initial recovery phase
Waste category

Notes on separation and

Ideas on waste storage sites andGuidance

accumulation of waste
・ Removal of salinity isdesirable
・ To be incinerated(possibly recycled)

time-span to deal with items
・ Ideally where it is convenient toremove salinity
・ Mid- to long term disposal

for disposalz 8-2

Large raw wood・ Potentially recyclable

・ Short- to mid term disposalz

8-3

Timber・ Potentially recyclable

・ Mid- to long term disposalz

8-3

Putrescibles

・ Detrimental tosurrounding
environment. May
contaminate
groundwater・ To be incinerated
・ Risk of ignition
・ In principle to beincinerated (orcrushed) (batch withlittle contamination
may be recycled)

・ Choose a location away from adisaster area
・ Incinerate within short termz

8-1

・ Similar treatment as salt water
doused timber may be necessary
・ Safe area even if it catches fire・ Incinerate in mid-term★ May be useful to classify by thecontent of extraneous items in the batch

z
z

8-1
8-2

・ Shred and incinerate
preferably after
removal of salinityand drying
・Depends on the・ Treat similarly as salt water doused
timber・ Dry as much as possible before
intermediate treatment
・ Mid-term landfill* Apply slaked lime if necessary

z
z

8-1
8-2

z

8-4

Timber soakedwith salt water(demolishedhouses etc)

Mixedcombustibles(wood and paper
waste, plastics,
furniture）
Tatami mats andmatresses
Tsunami sediment

42

(Items covered

characterstics of tsunami

with thesediments

sediment)
Concrete debris

Tyres
Gypsum board
and slate board
Item subject to theElectrical Home・ Heavy /Environmentally
inert
・ Can be utilised as
roadbed material★ Watch out forasbestos
・ Recyclable as fuel・ Can be accumulated near a disasterarea
・ Mid-term disposal (reuse if possible)

z
z

8-6
8-13

・ Relatively easy to handle (risk offire)
・ Mid- to long term disposalz

8-7

・ Avoid piling up the items
・ Cover ground with blue tarpaulins(items may leak oil)・ Recycle in mid-term

z
z
z
z

8-8
8-10
8-11
8-12

・ Owners may seek torecover memory
media
・ Potentially recyclable

・ Sheltered area is desirable
・ Need to provide access for ownersz

8-9

・ Risk of ignition(check and remove
leftover fuel from oilheaters)
・ In principle to be
crushed andincinerated
・ Separation, packing,labelling may benecessary(Ministerial
guidelines)

・ Avoid piling up the items
・ Cover ground with blue tarpaulins(items may leak oil)・ Mid-term disposalz

8-9

・ Cover ground with blue tarpaulins
・ Items that could be scattered should
be stored in oil drums
・ Sheltered area is desirable

z 8-13z 8-14
Ministerial
guidelines

・ Owners may comesearching for them・ Sheltered area is desirable
・ Need to provide access for ownersz・ In some cases
recyclable★ Watch out forasbestos
・ Risk of ignition andexplosion・ Potentially recyclable

Appliances
Recycling Law,
automobiles, boats
and ships, andmotorcycles
Personalcomputers andsmall electronicequipment
Other household
appliances

Hazardous waste,(Fire
extinguishers,
asbestos, PCB,etc.)
Personal
valuables (photos,

8-15

mortuary tablets,
etc.)

43

【Guide 7-4】Removal and separation of waste from collapsed buildings

Removal of collapsed hause by tsunami is carried out in groups divided according to districtz

and date, under the instruction and consideration of municipal staff.
z 1) Waste metals, 2) raw wood, 3) home appliances, 4) automobiles, 5) hazardous articles (gascylinders and fire extinguishers, etc.), 6) rubble (concrete and asphalt), 7) tatami floor mats,mattresses, and 8) valuables and items of sentimental value are sorted as much as possible.

■Key points
・In this Guide, “collapsed houses by tsunami” refers to waste of house/building structures collapsed andhousehold goods washed away by tsunami, not including houses/buildings affected by tsunami required to
be demolished for waste disposal.
･ The owners’ approval should be obtained as much as possible. The clean-up schedule and district is to be
informed beforehand, according to the governmental guidelines and 【Guide 6-1】. For documentation,
photographs must to be taken before and after the cleanup.
・After setting work policy (including commissioned company’s work, separation, and coordination withmunicipal staff), the clean-up site, the schedule, the carrying-in route, and the group composition (thenumber of workers from the municipality and commissioned company and the necessary quantity of heavymachinary), commission a company which will undertake operations. Arrangements should be made sothat the commissioned company is instructed according to the directions of the municipal staff. Since themovement of large vehicles is expected to increase, it is necessary to design access road appropriately in aclean-up work area and to the primary waste storage site.
・Especially, since many inquiries and direct contact with residents are expected, it is preferable that related
information should be shared with the persons concerned, and Q&A should be prepared.
・It is assumed that these collapsed building wastes have already been searched for missing persons, mixing
various materials. However, it is preferable to sort them on-site, if possible, and transport them to a
primary waste storage site. Specifically, 1) waste metal, 2) raw wood, 3) home appliances, 4) automobiles,
5) hazardous articles (gas cylinders and fire extinguishers, etc.), 6) rubble (concrete and asphalt), 7)
tatami floor mats, mattresses, and 8) items of personal valuables etc. should be sorted as much as
possible.
■Notes・Ensure the safety of workers and all persons concerned, and confirm information sources (distribution ofradios) when a tsunami warning is officially announced and provide information on evacuation sites inadvance.
・Water sprinkling is necessary to prevent dust and asbestos from spreading. In addition, workers andobservers must wear protective equipment such as dust masks and safety glasses.

44

Separation and removal are
carried out more efficiently by
heavy machinary and hand work.

Items of personal valuables are
stored for safe-keeping.

A fire extinguisher is provided ina work area.

【Fig. 7-4】Reference: View of cleanup that commenced on April 22, 2011 in Sendai City (scheduled duration
is approx four months)

45

【Guide 7-5】Countermeasures against airborne dust using dust masks■Key points
・It is important that workers and volunteers wear an appropriate dust mask to prevent and reduce exposureof dust from disaster wastes such as collapsed houses by tsunami and tsunami sediments. The Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) issued a Notification Concerning Prevention of Occupational Injuries inDisaster Recovery Works, which describes preventive measures against dust-associated risk.
・An ideal countermeasure is to wear an all-round dust mask and prevent exposure to all hazardous
substances that might exist, because it is difficult to specify what kind of compounds may be contained inairborne dust. Actual state of chemical contamination of dust resulting from the Great East Japan
Earthquake is unclear as the tsunami collapsed and washed away many buildings and houses probably
containing hazardous articles. It is also important to apply more suitable countermeasures against dust
based on results of air quality monitoring.
■The significance of a dust mask
・A dust mask is a respiratory protective device that prevents inhalation of airborne dust containing
substances hazardous to human health.
・At sites where poisonous gases such as volatile organic solvent and carbon monoxide exist, a gas mask must
be worn. It prevents exposure not only to poisonous gas but also to airborne dust.
・Countermeasures against airborne dust through use of a dust mask, but not a gas mask, are described inthis chapter. If you need information about gas masks, please contact the Japan Safety Appliances
Association (http://www.jsaa.or.jp; in Japanese).
■Types of dust masks
・Several types of dust masks are available. It is important for workers and volunteers to select anappropriate dust mask from MHLV-certified products. Be sure to check the certification label attached (SeeFigure). Masks for pollen are less effective in blocking airborne dust from debris.
・Disposable and replaceable types are identified by the letters “D” and “R”. Masks labeled “S” and “L” arethose used for solid and liquid particles, respectively. If oil particles (oil-mist) exist in the work environment,
you should use an “L” type mask. If no oil particles are present, you can use an “L” or “S” type mask.
・Dust masks are categorized into three types, based on particle trapping efficiency (*): Class 1 is over 80%,

【Table7-5-2】). Select appropriately, according
Class 2 is over 95%, and Class 3 is over 99.9% (【Table7-5-1】
to potential hazardous substances in dust particles. (*Sodium chloride (particle size: 0.06 to 0.1 μm) anddioctyl phthalate (particle size: 0.15 to 0.25 μm) are used for measuring the trapping efficiency of solid andliquid particles, respectively.)46

Be sure to use products withnational certification!!

The following labels are displayed on
certified products.

Example of label
displayed on
replacement-type

国（平２０）検dust masks (Class

第 TM ○ ○ 号

RL2 Heisei 20

DR「直」RL２

certified)

Translated from a leaflet by the Japan Safety Appliances Association and Japan Respirator Manufacturers
Association.

■Putting on a dust mask・Select a suitably-sized mask and confirm that it fits properly. MHLW has issued a notification to carryout a fitting test before selection and use of a mask. For details of the Notification, access the website of
the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, Advanced Information Center of Safety and Health(http://www.jaish.gr.jp/anzen/hor/hombun /hor1-46/hor1-46-4-1-0.htm; in Japanese).
・When you put on a mask, make sure that the straps hold the mask tightly against your face. If you feel
any air leakage, confirm mask fit by: (i) Adjusting the position of the mask; (ii) Adjusting the length ofstrap; (iii) Checking the connection status of parts such as an air release valve.
・Air leakage caused by poor fit of a mask significantly reduces the particle trapping efficiency evenwhen an appropriate mask is selected. The following figure shows cases of inappropriate use of a mask.

47

Wear your mask properly
Avoid these cases

A large gap near the

One of strings is notnose partused

Upside-down

An absorption canisteror filter is missing

Fit your mask to your face firmly.

Make sure that your mask fits your faceproperly.
【Fig. 7-5】Examples of inappropriate use of dust masks
Note: Translated from a leaflet by the Japan Safety Appliances Association and Japan Respirator
Manufacturers Association.
【Table 7-5-1】Labels of dust masks with different trapping efficiencies

Replaceable type

Disposable typeFor solid
For oil mist

Trapping efficiency

particles

For solid
For oil mist

only

particles
onlyClass 3: more than 99.9%

RL3

RS3

DL3

DS3

Class 2: more than 95%

RL2

RS2

DL2

DS2

Class 1: more than 80%

RL1

RS1

DL1

DS1

Note: Illustrations are quoted from a leaflet by the Japan Safety Appliances Association and Japan Respirator
Manufacturers Association.

48

【Table 7-5-2】Appropriate dust masks to be used, according to types of particles and work
Types of particles

Types of works

Oil-mist (liquid particles)

Solid particles

RL3

RS3 RL3- Works incurring possible exposure todioxins or radioactive substances- Or any work similar to the above- Work where specified particle matters*
are present*Asbestos,

cadmium,

chromiumacid,

bichromium acid, and their compounds(Legalmanagement

level

for

workingenvironment is lower than 0.1 mg/m3)

DL2

DL3

RL2 RL3- Work in which metallic fumes are

RS2 RS3
DS2

DS3

RL2 RL3

generated, such as welding and cutting ofmetal- Or any work similar to the above- Work involving dust particles other thanthose listed above

L typeAny types49

【Guide 8-1】Mixed wastes containing combustiblesz

Mixed wastes are, after removal of reusable/recyclable and incombustible wastes, to beincinerated with appropriate combustion conditions and flue gas treatment.

zThose wastes can be utilized for cement production, boilers and blast-furnaces. However
chlorine (due mainly to seawater) and foreign matters in the wastes may limit such
utilization.

z

In the case of long-term storage of wastes, due care must be taken to
avoid ignition and fire.

z

Open-burning is prohibited in principle for public health andenvironmental protection.

【Fig. 8-1-1】Basic treatment flowchart for combustibles■ General points
・ At first, remove 1) Reusables/recyclables and 2) Incombustibles from large-sized housing timber, mixed
wastes containing combustibles, tatami mats and furniture. These combustible wastes are to be reducedin volume and stabilized by incineration, and then ashes generated are to be disposed of in a landfill site.
・ To reduce the formation of hazardous substances such as dioxins in the process of incineration, hightemperature (over 800 degree Celcius) and adequate exhaust gas treatment are desirable, andpretreatments of waste such as washing salinity (see【Guide 8-2】) and mud away from wastes are
preferable.
・ Incineration facilities should be equipped with a good combustion control system and exhaust gas
50treatment. First of all, availability of the existing facilities should be examined.

In the case thatcapacity of the facilities in disaster area or neighboring areas is not sufficient, installation of atemporary incinerator is examined.
・ Wastes can be used in cement plants, boilers and blast-furnaces. However, chlorine and foreign mattersin the wastes may limit such utilization. In the case of the utilization in cement production, chlorine
concentration should be below 0.1%. Details are described in【Guide 8-3】. It is important to take thesefactors such as treatment capacities into consideration, when creating a disaster waste managementplan.
・ For storage of waste containing combustibles, due care must be taken to avoid ignition and fire.
・ Open-burning is prohibited in principle by law, for public health and environmental protection.
■Separation/Removal(1)

Mixed waste would contain many kinds of incombustibles such as nails, clay-wall and exterior-wallboards other than seawater and mud. Separation as specified below should be carried out as much as
possible to reduce low-grade combustible wastes.
- Sort reusables/recyclables ( see 【Fig. 5-2】) from mixed waste at the early stage.
- Use different blocks in a storage site according to the level of dirt and content of foreign matters.
- Separate and remove incombustibles from mixed waste.
(2) Incombustibles that tend to be contained in mixed waste containing combustibles are clay/sand, concreterubble, tiles, gypsum boards, glass wool, glass, metals, wires, and WEEE. Separate/remove them from mixed
waste by hand sorting with heavy machinery. In some cases separation by sieving might be necessary
depending on the treatment conditions (explained later).
(3)

Objects that should be separated and removed prior to incineration are PVC (see 【Fig.8-1-2】) and

explosives.
■Storage/Pretreatment(1) Salinity removal: Salinity should be removed as much as possible from timber, etc. soaked in seawater(see 【Guide 8-2】)(2) Crushing/Separation- Size of furniture, tatami mats and mattresses should preferably be reduced by crushers or cutters. Size
reduction is beneficial since wastes can be fed easily into an incinerator and transportation efficiency will be
improved by increasing loading density. Incombustibles and foreign matters should be removed sufficiently
before size reduction.
- For crushing and cutting, existing or temporary large-scale facilities can be used. Hydraulic excavators(mini-size jumbos/backhoes: see Pictures) or mobile crushers (e.g., chippers, tab grinders) may also be usedin the case of treating small amounts of wastes.
- Incombustibles which cannot be removed by simple separation such as adhered clay/sand, deposits andmetal particles on waste are to be separated by dry/wet gravity separation (e.g., by immersing in a pool),magnetic separation or sieve separation (e.g., trommels). Removed incombustibles are disposed of at
authorized sites. Since they often contain a small amount of combustibles and organics, they should
preferably be disposed of at controlled landfill sites.
(3) Avoidance of ignition and fire:

Measures specified in "【Guide 6-3】 Selection and operation of storage
51

sites (mainly for environmental risks)" are important. In particular, if tatami mats are stacked together,
there will be risks of the growth of molds and fungi and possible ignition. For this reason, tatami matsshould be treated at the earlier stage and special attention is required during storage — mixing withother wastes is one solution.
(4) Priority order of treatment: Problematic wastes causing odor and sanitary issues should be treated firstof all.
■Incineration/Combustion (including energy recovery facilities)(1) Some waste, depending on the characteristics of wastes, can be used at cement production plants.
However, chlorine and foreign matters in the wastes may limit such utilization. When waste is used for
cement production, for instance, chlorine concentration should be below 0.1%. More details are provided
in 【Guide 8-3】.
(2) Incineration should be implemented at high temperatures (above 800 degree Celsius) with adequate
exhaust gas treatment. It is preferable that incinerators are equipped with a heat recovery system, butother factors such as the capacity of facilities, transportation methods, and urgency of treatment may be
more important in disaster waste management.
(3) The use of existing municipal solid waste incinerators in the municipality should be considered in thefirst priority. There also are several alternatives:- Industrial incinerators for fishery waste can be used depending on the type of wastes.
- Installations of temporary incinerators or the use of existing incinerators located outside the municipality
should be considered when the amount of wastes exceeds available capacity of the incinerators in themunicipality due to damage, etc.
(4) Temporary incinerator- Temporary incinerators must be equipped with exhaust gas treatment and the combustion temperaturemust be controlled properly (above 800 degree Celsius). Two types of available temporary incinerators use
are shown in 【Table 8-1】. These were selected from the viewpoint of short installation time, i.e. taking only
a few months to construct (strictly speaking, depending on capacity). There is no significant difference in the
installation cost between the two if the capacities are about the same.
- It would be effective to utilize different types of temporary incinerators jointly for increasing efficiency ofwaste treatment in a disaster area. For instance, rotary-kiln type and stoker-type furnaces (including
fixed-bed type) are installed in the early recovery stage to treat wastes suitable for each type and/or waste
which needs urgent treatment. This would reduce the amount of wastes piled up at waste storage sites.
Remaining wastes are then transported to an existing incinerator or a newly built stoker-type incinerator
equipped with a heat recovery system for proper treatment.
- Even in the case of treatment by temporary incinerators, exhaust gas treatment for the removal of dust
and HCl is necessary to prevent environmental pollution caused by exhaust gas from the stack.
- Cooling equipment should be installed to reduce exhaust gas temperature to 200 degree Celsius before
entering a dust collector. The gas temperature should be measured and recorded. In addition, use of acontinuous measurement and recording system for gas temperatures in the combustion chamber isdesirable.
- Temporary incinerators are usually built outdoors, and heat recovery by such incinerators is difficult.
However, consideration of hear recovery should be encouraged. A melting furnace is another alternative but52may not be practical due to its long installation period (1 to 2 years) and difficulty in fuel or electricity
acquisition.
- Disaster waste is more likely to contain various kinds of waste as compared to ordinary municipal solid
waste, and thereby it dirties and damages the furnace and its stokers more. It is therefore important toselect an incinerator that can be maintained and cleaned easily.
(5) Incinerators outside the disaster area
In the case that disaster waste is treated by municipal solid waste incinerators outside of the disaster area,
types of waste to be treated should be selected cautiously and mixing ratio of disaster wastes and ordinary
waste should be determined so as not to disturb waste treatment of the municipality. In the case ofincinerating mixed wastes from collapsed hause by tsunami, it is desirable to accept only sorted waste
and/or incinerate them after mixing and diluting with other waste. This would avoid the following problems:
unstable combustion due to unstable calorie value of waste, increased clinkers and ash, difficulty indischarging ash, and subsequent insufficient treatment of exhaust gas.
(6) Control of wastes to be incinerated:
As in the case of ordinary incineration, calorific values of waste to be incinerated should be adjusted at an
optimal condition by mixing plastics and wet waste.
【Table 8-1】Types of temporary incinerators and their features
Type

Features-

Suitable for incinerating wastes with high calorific values (e.g., plastic waste) andwastes which tend to show fluidity in the course of combustion. Because combustion
air is supplied to the surface of waste, carbonized materials and clinkers may begenerated depending on the extent of mixing waste. Due care should be taken whenburning wood waste or wet papers in order to minimize generation of suchmaterials.

Rotary-kiln-

When inlets of burners and combustion air are placed at the front side of the kiln
together with a waste feed, the size of the waste feed has to be small. Crusher is

typeneecsary.
-

Operation is relatively easy. Depending on the extent of mixing waste and the
supply of combustion air, gas flows, temperatures and exhaust gas properties may
fluctuate occasionally and therefore should be monitored with caution.

-

The diameter of the kiln should be larger than 2m for removal of clinkers, andappropriate capacity of a furnace is considered to be 100 ton/d. Note that the volume
of exhaust gas from the stack becomes larger when employing water-sprays forcooling of combustion gas.

-

performance of mixing wastes, have been employed to ensure stable treatment of

Stoker-type

various wastes ranging from relatively high calorie value to those with high ash(including
fixed
type)

Stoker-type furnaces, owing to efficient supply of combustion air and highcontent resulting in low calorific values. To reduce the formation of clinkers, thisbedfurnace is suitable for incinerating wastes with smaller residue content.
-

Fixed bed furnaces’ mixing performance is not necessarily high. The size of wastes
should be reduced to 150mm or smaller by a crusher as pretreatment and53

distributed onto the grates (stoker). Auxiliary fuel burning equipment is necessary
to cope with fluctuation of properties of waste.
-

Be aware that waste might become stuck between the stokers or grates and that thegrates might be abraded, damaged or fall down.

-

Stoker-type furnaces can feed large-sized waste (*). However, the use of crushers is
encouraged to reduce the size of waste because the waste feed of the furnace isdesigned so that it is sealed with waste.

-

For continuous operation of fixed-bed type furnaces, it must be equipped with asealing device at the waste feed and automatic discharge device to remove ash fromthe grates.

-

When heat is not recovered from an incineration process of a disaster waste,water-spray cooling of combustion gas is to be employed. In this case, the volume ofexhaust gas becomes larger. Installation of two-or-more small stoker-type furnaces(e.g., <50 ton/d/unit) can be an option.

* Appropriate size of waste: Maximum size of waste to be fed to furnaces varies according to feeding methods
and sealing equipment of the furnace.
■Caution: Open burning (forbidden in principle)(1) According to the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, open-burning is forbidden for thefollowing reasons:・Increase of respiratory diseases and deterioration of eyesight caused by fumes and dust.
・Virtual impossibility of control of generation, distribution, and pollution of hazardous chemical substancessuch as dioxins.
・Increased risks associated with a runaway fire.
【 Reference】 Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, Article 16 (Prohibition of
Incineration)
Article 16-2 No one shall incinerate waste except the following methods.

1) Incineration of waste, which is conducted in accordance with the municipal solid waste disposal
standards, the specially controlled municipal solid waste disposal standards, the industrial waste
disposal standards and the industrial waste requiring special treatment standards.
2) Incineration of waste, which is conducted in accordance with the other acts or disposal method
based on these acts.
3) Incineration of waste, which has no other way to be incinerated for the reason of the public good orsocial custom, or which only has a slight impact to the living environment of the surrounding area as
specified by the Cabinet Order.
(2)Meanwhile, the Ordinance for Enforcement of Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act (Article 14)
also refers to exceptions. Among them, the following two cases could specifically be applied to the case ofrecovery and reconstruction from the Great East-Japan Earthquake.
・Incineration of garbage commonly practiced in daily life on a small scale such as small open fire.
・In the case that local or neighboring “incineration facilities” have stopped operating due to the54damages caused by earthquake/tsunami, while wastes need to be incinerated locally and urgently inorder to prevent serious public health problems such as an expansion of infectious diseases.
【Reference】Ordinance for Enforcement of Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act,
Article 14 (Incineration of waste exempt from the prohibition of incineration)
Article 14: Incineration of waste specified by Article 16-2-3 of the Cabinet Order is as follows:
1. Incineration of waste necessary to control the facility by the national/local governements.
2. Incineration of waste necessary for prevention of, emergency actions against, and recovery
from earthquake, wind and flood damage, fire, freeze and frost damage, and other disasters.
3. Incineration of waste necessary to conduct social customs or religious ceremonies.
4. Incineration of wastes inevitable in agriculture, forestry or fishery.
5. Incineration of garbage commonly practiced in daily life on a small scale such as small openfire.

(3) However, even when open-burning is carried out as an exception in accordance with (2), the following
measures should be taken without fail.
・Measures against spread of fire・Removal of PVC and timber treated by CCA to avoid generation of toxic substances. (see 【Fig. 8-1-2,
8-1-3】); Both materials would contribute to generation of toxic substances such as dioxins.

◆ Widely used products containing◆ Simple method to distinguish PVC in plastics

PVC:
Wallpaper, sash, vinyl film (mostly
agricultural)/sheets and water pipes(mostly grey)◆Distinguishing method
Use of handy-type analyzers using
infrared rays, or the method as
described on the right.

*If PVC is sorted from other waste, it can be recycled.

【Fig. 8-1-2】 Methods to distinguish chlorine compounds such as PVC (The figure is cited fromhttp://homepage3.nifty.com/asanoyayoi/ )55◆ Judgment on appearance1) Cut or scrape wood to clean the surface or show the cross-section.
2) Assess the surface by color. CCA treated wood has greenish color (refer to color samples). Wood not treatedby CCA (but containing Cu) sometimes exhibits a similar color.

◆CCA: Wood-preservatives
containing a fair amount of heavy
metals (chromium, copper andarsenic)
are often used for treatment ofcolumns in houses. The chemicals
penetrate to the depth of 10mm
from the surface by pressurized
injection.
◆Distinguishing method: Reagentor handy-type analyzer usingnear-infrared rays, or by themethod described on the right.

【Fig. 8-1-3】A method to distinguish CCA treated woods by appearance56

【Guide 8-2】Desalination of wood waste soaked in seawaterz

The Great East Japan Earthquake generated tsunami waste such as wood waste soaked inseawater.

z

Basically, wood waste containing salinity should be incinerated athigh temperature for subsequent exhaust gas treatment after
desalination by exposure to rainfall.

■Key pointsz

Tsunami waste treatment following the Great East Japan Earthquake is essential. Waste wood soaked
in seawater should be treated very carefully.

zWaste wood containing salinity should be incinerated in an incineration plant with exhaust gas
treatment at a temperature above 800 degree Celsius for reduced generation of toxic substances such asdioxins from the treatment. Ideally, salinity and adhered tsunami sediment of wood waste should be
reduced during storage.

z

Although correlation between salinity and generation of dioxins is still unclear, it has been reported
that, due to exposure to seawater, dioxins emissions from incinerators doubled (The report identified

10

8

6

4

2

0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

PCDD/Fs and Co‐PCBs in ehausted gases (ng‐TEQ/g)

PCDD/Fs and Co‐PCBs in ehausted gases (ng‐TEQ/m3)

salinity in municipal waste as the cause of the generation of dioxins).

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

0.0

0.5

Salinity (%)

1.0

1.5

2.0

Salinity (%)

【Fig. 8-2】Correlation between salinity and generation of dioxins at incineration.
Combustion time of wood with various levels of salinity was about one or two hours. Exhaust gases werecollected at the outlet of the combustion chamber and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS). Plots circled in red were gases incinerated in the combustion chamber at temperatures above
800°C. The others were treated at temperatures ranging from 549 to 618°C.
Note: Salinities of less than 0.01% were plotted as 0.01% in Figure 8-2.
(Produced from data in Yasuhara et al. Environ Sci Technol. 2003, 1563-1567.)

57

- Wood waste and drift waste from which salinity is removed to a certain extent, as well as wood wastefrom collapsed houses generated inland may be re-used . Refer to 【Guide 8-3】 for further information.
■Treatment in storage sites- Wood waste soaked in seawater should be exposed to rain to reduce salinity. Exposure to river or
agricultural water is more effective.
- Salinity from seawater soaked into wood up to one centimeter from the surface. According to a report,
it is possible to reduce salinities from 2-3% to 1% by exposing to 80 millimeters of cumulative rainfall. In
the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, salinity would be removed from wood waste at the time of
the rainy season.
- Be sure to store wood waste with particular attention to spontaneous ignition and fire until the end ofdesalination. Limit the height and area of piles of wood to less than 5 meters and 200 square meters,
respectively. Separate wood piles at intervals of 2 meters.
- Incinerate wood waste promptly after desalination and/or sprinkle slaked lime on wood waste in orderto prevent generation of molds and fungus which tend to grow as salinity decreases and thetemperature increases.
* When removing salinity from wood waste without using a blue tarpaulin on the ground, note thatleached salinity would accumulate in surrounding soil. Therefore, when selecting collection sites, it isimportant to consider the expected use of the land after the closure of the site. If possible, it is advisable
to place collection sites of waste wood near the coast and/or alongside rivers.

■ Incineration at municipal solid waste incinerators, etc.
- Incineration should be implemented at high temperatures (above 800 degree Celsius) with adequate
exhaust gas treatment. If wood waste containing soil and tsunami sediment is incinerated, the furnace
may be physically damaged by incombustible solids called clinkers.
- Incinerating wood waste together with plastics, which have high calorific value, will increasecombustion temperature and contribute to reducing the formation of dioxins.
- Please refer to【Guide 8-1】 for detailed information about incineration.
■NotesProper combustion conditions for wood waste from collapsed houses should be examined by combustion
experiments, etc. prior to incineration because wood might have been treated by CCA or containtsunami sediment. Combustion of these contaminants may cause physical damage to incinerators
and/or environmental pollution.

58

【Guide 8-3】Wood waste (reuse, recycling)● Large raw wood, timber from sawmills and relatively clean wood
waste mainly from demolished houses could be reused or recycled. An
appropriate separation strategy should be implemented by taking into
account the quantity of waste that can be accepted, and otherconditions.
●These wood wastes should be sorted and stored suitably so as not tobe mixed with other wastes.
●Raw wood can be used as a raw material for paper
manufacturing. Relatively clean wood waste from demolishedhouses can be used as various raw materials after being chipped.

■Key points
・Large raw wood, timber from sawmills and relatively clean wood waste mainly from demolished houses
could be reused or recycled. An appropriate separation strategy should be implemented by taking into
account the quantity of waste that can be accepted, and other limitations.
・Raw wood can be used as a raw material for paper manufacturing, and relatively clean wood waste fromdemolished houses can be used in various raw materials after being chipped. These wood wastes should be
sorted and stored so as not to be mixed with other wastes. Chipping should be done shortly before processingof wastes to avoid decomposition and fire.
■Options of reuse and recycling and their requirements
・Possible available methods of reuse and recycling of wood waste and their requirements are summarized in【Table 8-3-1】 based on existing reuse/recycling methods.
・Raw wood can be used as a raw material for paper manufacturing, wood wastes mixed with other waste canbe used as a raw material for cement manufacturing, and relatively clean wood waste from demolishedhouses can be used as various raw materials after being chipped. Recycling as litter and compost is notconsidered in this section due primarily to concerns about degradation of the quality of materials.
・Among methods of energy recovery from wood waste, direct combustion is the most common practice. To
improve energy efficiency gained, research and demonstration studies have been carried out for gasification,
biodiesel fuel and methane or ethanol fermentation.
・Each reuse/recycling facility has a different criterion toreceive and process wood wastes and a different treatment
capacity. Selection of a facility should be made carefully
after operating and treatment conditions at the time(including qualities of the wastes accepted) are investigated
and the conditions of wood waste to be recycled are59

considered. With the aim of contributing to recovery from a disaster and development of local industries,
priority should be placed on local use of recycled wood within the area.
■ Crushing/Separation
Wood waste can be recycled after chipping, according to the following three scenarios, depending on・

where chipping is carried out.
(1) Wood waste is chipped at a primary/secondary waste storage site by crushers temporarily installed forthe recovery and then to be transported to a recycling site(2) Wood waste is chipped at an utilization site(3) Wood waste is chipped at an existing facility and transported to a utilization site.
The selection from (1) to (3) should be made after drawing up a flowchart of the treatment up to theutilization site. In the case of (1), chipping at a collection site, transportation efficiency will improve, but
long-term storage should be avoided in order to prevent possible fermentation.
Prior to chipping, it is important to remove large foreign matters by preferably hand-sorting and・removing clay/sand to a possible extent. Impurities such as clay/sand also should be removed after crushing,by employing a separation method (e.g. trommel) and washing equipment.
In addition to existing chipping facilities (e.g. those for chip production), mobile crushers can be・used such as chippers, large crushers for wood, and tab grinders.
【Table 8-3-1】Examples of reuse/recycling of wood waste and requirements (can vary by facility)
Reuse/recycling

Paper
manufactu
ring

Used as a raw material for paper
manufacturing or fuel substitute

Limit ofsalinity
concentration(example)*―Possibility of recycling /otherconditions

・ Raw

wood

(lumber)is

optimum・Rotten wood and wood withclay/sand must be avoided.
・Relatively large capacity

Cementproduction

Used as a raw material
or a fuel for cement
production

0.1%

・Wood with clay/sand is acceptable(needs to be taken into account in
the total treatment plan)
・Relatively large capacity

BoilerPelletstove
Plantingandmulching
materials

Used as a fuel in the form of wood chips
for boilers installed in paper mills andheated swimming pools.
Foreign matters may
damage the furnace.
Used as a ground-covering material toprevent scattering of the surface andgrowth of weeds and to maintain heatandhumidity ofthe soiltherebypromoting
plant

0.4%

・Rotten wood and wood withclay/sand must be avoided.

0.05%

・Rotten wood and wood withsoil/sand must be avoided.

1%・ Wood withacceptable.

clay/sandis60Particle
board

Othersgrowth.
Used as a material for production ofparticle board, which is made byblending wood chips with glue.
Use of wood waste from damaged
houses as abuilding
material for
publicfacilities (e.g.
toiletfacilities),wood
frameworks
for supports of tree roots and concrete
structures

・Timber from damaged houses
with less dirt/stain is suitable.
・Rotten wood and wood withsoil/sand must be avoided.
・Size is important.

－－・Rotten wood is not acceptable.
・Applicable in recovery andreconstruction periods.

* Goal for desalination. The concentration for cement production and fuel is chlorine concentration.
■Reference: Required quality and use of recycled woodchips
・Effective use and required quality of recycled woodchips presented by the NPO Japan Wood Resource
Recycle Association are shown in 【Table 8-3-2~8-3-4】. Typical required characteristics are still under
examination but indicated in “quality standard for recycled wood chips”.
Woodchips are categorized as either “shaved chips,” or“crushed chips,” according to processing・

method. Effective use of each, and their relevant quality standards, are shown in 【Table 8-3-2】 and 【Table
8-3-3】, respectively.
Quality for each standard prepared by the association mentioned above is shown in 【Table 8-3-4】.

・The standards for salinity also have been summarized in the proposal for coastal driftwood recycle systems(partially cited in 【Table 8-3-1】).
Information about whether wood waste comes from fallen wood (raw wood) or construction

・materials is important in some cases, and therefore the information should be obtained for better operation.
【Table 8-3-2】 Standard use of recycled wood chips
Classification of chips
A

B

C

D

E

TypicalMaterial

MDF

○

use

recycling

Ethanol

○

Paper

○

Paper (cardboard)○○

Charcoal○○

Compost△※4△※4

Mulching○○

Hardboard/Insulation board○○

Particle board

○

○

○

Energy

Fuel

○

○

○

○

△

recoveryMaterial/fuel for cement

○

○

○

○

○

△※4

61

(fuel)Blast-furnace reducing agent

OthersWood mat for livestock (litter)*3

Material for moisture control

○

○

○

○

Cultivation soil
*3

Qualityclassification is necessary according to the purpose of use. Special
attention should be paid in the case of using byproducts of C-D
chips.
*4 When used as compost materials, lumbered wood /wood after◆Chip A-D : less than 50mm in size
◆Chip E : less than

5mm in size

◆Judgment of CCA:

refer to 【Fig.

8-1-3】

root removal are preferable as they are less likely to contain foreign matters or preservatives.

【Table 8-3-3】 Quality standards for recycled woodchips
Chip category

Raw material of chips

Remarks

Chip A (incl. cut

Wood with large cross-section such

Foreign matters such as

chips)

as pillars, beams and trunks orpreservatives, ply boards, painted

virgin wood

wood, metals, plastics and clay/sandor bark are not contained.

Chip B (incl. cut

Similar to those for Chip A andForeign matters such as

chips)

virgin wood including wood forpreservatives, ply boards, painted

pallet/ packaging

wood, metals, plastics and clay/sandChip Cand dismantledwood

are not contained.

Similar to those for Chip B

Similar to those for chip B and ply
boards. Foreign matters such aspreservatives, painted wood, metals,
plastics and clay/sand are notcontained.

Chip D

Similar to those for Chip C and fiber

Foreign matters such as CCA wood,boards, wood with paint/glue (incl.

metals, plastics and clay/sand are notwood-framed and papered doors

contained basically.

(Japanese “fusuma and tatami mat”)
or branches and wood after root
removalChip E

By-product of chip production

Hazardous materials and metals are
not contained.

◆Chip A-D: less than 50mm in size, ◆Chip E: less than 5mm in size, ◆Judgment of CCA: refer to【Fig. 8-1-3】

62

【Table 8-3-4】 Required test items
lassification

Test item

Standard to be

Name of standard

Standard value

Sieves for theLess than 50mm

appliedCommonSize

JIS Z 8801-1

test-No.1
Metal-made net
sievesTotal water

JIS Z 7302 3

content *5

Refuse derived

Less than 25 %fuel (RDF): thetest-No.3 forwater content

For energy

Calorific value

JIS M 8814

recovery only

Coals and cokes-

Higher than

Measurement

3,000kcal/kg

method of higher
calorific values bybomb calorificmeter andcalculation
procedure oflower calorificvaluesAsh content

JIS Z 7302 4

Refuse derived

Less than 2.0%

fuel (RDF): thetest No.4 for ash
content
Chlorine content

Sewage test

Less than 0.1%

method 2.4.20.1*5: Applied especially to particle boards among other board groups63【Guide 8-4】Tsunami sediment
Although the main component of tsunami sediment is seabed soil and sand, various materials were engulfed
by the tsunami in coastal, harbor, and urban zones. The properties and composition of the debris andtsunami sediment are therefore not uniform, and might be hazardous to human health and human living
environments.
-

Removal and treatment of tsunami sediment must be carried out with particularly careful attention.

-

While carrying out disposal of existing tsunami sediment, the taskforce intend to continue todisseminate relevant information in order to promote effective processing of tsunami sediment based on
the knowledge obtained to date.

Composition and properties of tsunami sediment-

Tsunami sediment is fundamentally seabed soil and sand that has been carried onshore by the tsunami,
subsequently remaining there. However, depending on the circumstances of land use in the disaster area,various other objects and materials (wreckage) might have become mixed into it. Thereby, its
composition and properties tend to be diverse.

-

Composition and properties of tsunami sediment differ according to the circumstances of land use andtype of seabed soil/sand that the tsunami has deposited onto coastal lands. “Circumstances of land use”
in this context mean, for instance, a circumstance that the coast is natural and that no structures had
been constructed there, or a harbor with a high density of residences and buildings of businessenterprises. The difference in the circumstances results in variety in the composition and properties oftsunami sediment. In addition, the characteristics of the aquatic environment of the coastal lands
influence them greatly. From open waters, sediment will be composed of mainly sand and gravel. In
contrast, from closed waters or the mouth of a river, the sediment might be extremely muddy, containing
much organic matter.

-

Whether or not sediment includes wreckage is an important index in planning removal work. Inclusionof wreckage of homes or household articles from collapsed houses and buildings can be judged by visualinspection.

-

Organic matter is an important index of decaying matter and oil content. Discarded decaying organic
matter does degrade, usually emitting offensive odors and inviting the growth of pathogens. In addition,
oil might contain toxic substances that adversely affect people’s health. Here, we defined “includes
organic matter” as ignition loss of greater than about 5% and called attention to decaying organic matterand petroleum products on this basis. This was referred from a standard shown in the individual
treatment standards at a landfill site designed for inert industrial waste, which is determined by the
Waste Management and Public Cleaning Act enforcement order, Article 6, Paragraph 1, Item 3. However,in measuring ignition loss, it is necessary to separate organic matter that had been included originally inthe carefully measured soil. For quick assessment, visual judgment, measurement of temperature, andconfirmation of offensive odors are useful as well.

-

Although chemical analysis is to be conducted, a preliminary assessment can be made according to theland use circumstances of a disaster area. If a facility regulated as promoting the accumulation ordischarge of specified chemical substances to the environment exists or existed in the area, then it has
been asked to submit a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) report to the national64

government. Thereby, one might easily evaluate the possible discharge of toxic chemicals from thatfacility. To find institutions that have provided PRTR reports, visit the following website of the Ministryof Environment:
http://www.env.go.jp/chemi/prtr/kaiji/index.html-

The circumstances of land use prior to the disaster suggest the properties of tsunami sediment. We canperform a tentative zoning that reflects the risk existing in tsunami sediment, considering thecircumstances of land use and characteristics of facilities before the disaster. Zoning conducted in thismanner and making use of its information would promote proper assessment, removal, and disposal oftsunami sediment.

Basic flow of removal and treatment tsunami sediment
Removal and treatment of tsunami sediment must follow the procedure presented in Fig. 1, depending on its
composition and properties.
(1) Zoning with characteristics of areas (area division)(2) Classification into categories by visual inspection and spot screening(3) Intermediate treatment and utilization of tsunami sediment by category(1) Zoning with characteristics of areas (area division)
Zoning divides tsunami affected area into three areas: Area I (non-polluted areas), Area II (possibly polluted
areas), and Area III (polluted areas). Divisions are designated in accordance with local characteristics andon-site reviews. Local land use and distribution of facilities may also be taken into consideration.
Area I: Clean sand gravel without inclusion of wreckage or toxic materials, according to local characteristics
and onsite study.
Area II: Possible inclusion of wreckage, organic matter, toxic chemicals, or hazardous articles, according tolocal characteristics and onsite study.
Area III: Definite inclusion of harmful chemicals and dangerous materials, according to local characteristics
and onsite study. Institutions might have filed PRTR reports since the occurrence of the tsunami.
(2) Classification into categories by visual inspection and spot screening
Area I: Check by visual inspection to determine whether the tsunami sediment contains wreckage.
Determine whether it is contaminated by oil spilled from vehicles and whether it contains muddy slime withorganic matter from floodwaters. If free of all the above pollutants and confirmed as clean sand gravel, it isclassified as Category A. When it includes wreckage and/or other materials, it is classified as Category B or
C after spot screening.
Area II: Sediments in Area II are classified as Category B or C after spot screening.
Area III: Sediments in Area III are classified as Category D or E at the collection site.
(3) Intermediate treatment and utilization of sediment by category
Area I:
Sediment from Area I might not contain anything harmful to human health. If visual inspection identifies it
as clean sand gravel it can be used as it stands (Category A). Confirmation by analyses is fundamentally
unnecessary. However, if the appearance of deposition is questionable, analysis shall be requested. Although65sediment of Area I is usually transported to the collection site and stored there, it can be transferred directly
to the place it is used. Alternatively, it can remain at the site of deposition. In addition, ocean dumping
might be a solution in some cases. However, in this option, several aspects need to be considered. Firstly, thecircumstances of the site of deposition and pressing need of excavation and removal of sediment. Secondly,
formation of consensus among related persons and organizations on ocean dumping. Thirdly, compliancewith the Act for the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disasters and other regulations relating
to maritime disasters (“Marine Pollution Prevention Act,” hereinafter).
Area II:
Tsunami sediment in Area II might contain wreckage, organic matter, toxic chemicals and hazardous
articles. Carry out field screening by simplified measurement to verify whether the sediment contains toxic
substances and hazardous materials. If the sediment does not contain toxic organic substances, glass wool
and harmful substances and includes only the inert industrial waste such as concrete debris and plastic
waste, it can be processed at facilities for that type of waste which have submitted reports to the national
government in compliance with the Waste Management and Public Cleaning Act enforcement order, Article
15, Paragraph 2, Item 5 (Category B). Chemical analysis of Category B sediment may be carried out asnecessary according to the method of utilization.
When close attention is necessary for handling sediment, it shall be transported to a collection site andstored there after proper separation. If high concentrations of organic matter are probable and incineration
disposal seems applicable, the sediment can be burned at an energy recovery plant (Category C).
Alternatively, if chemical analysis of sediment suggests the necessity of detoxification processing, it must be
sent to a detoxification facility and then utilized appropriately after processing (Category D). Finally,
sediment that does not meet landfilling standards should be purified and processed by thermal treatment(Category E). In addition, some marine products for which ocean dumping was permitted were actuallydumped into the ocean as an urgent measure because they could have caused severe sanitary andenvironmental problems due to decay if left uncontrolled. In such cases, necessary measures must be taken
to comply with the Marine Pollution Prevention Act.
Area III:
From results of examining local characteristics and field confirmation, sediment in Area III was found to be
more likely to include toxic substances and hazardous materials. Sediment in the area shall be sent to acollection site for separation and chemical analysis. If detoxification processing is necessary (Category E),then it is to be treated at an appropriate processing facility. The remainder (Category D) shall be properly
utilized depending on its properties and quantities.
Preventive measures against work-related accidents and environmental pollution while processing tsunami
sediment(1) Preventive measures against work-related accidents while processing tsunami sediment
Tsunami sediment may contain toxic substances and disease-causing bacteria and agents such as oil, acids
and alkali, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, asbestos, and other hazardous materials. Therefore, it isnecessary to provide protection for the health of workers as listed below:
1) Use appropriate dust masks and protective goggles to reduce exposure to dust when handling sediment.
662) Wear gloves that are suitable for the work, with nylon glove liners in them as needed.
3) Work clothes must be dust-proof, such as nylon ones.
4) Wear safety shoes to prevent injury from stepping on nails, for example.
5) Prepare portable gas detection equipment, monitoring oxygen concentrations, hydrogen sulfide, andother substances, depending on the circumstances.
6) Water sprinkling on sediment to reduce dust scattering.
7) Furnish working areas with disinfection equipment, shower facilities and washing water faucets in
preparation for injuries. Blow off dust with an air shower, for example, after work and change into clean
clothes before leaving the work area.
8) Make daily checks of protective equipment and keep it clean. Put used disposable matter in designatedplaces and dispose of it properly.
9) Appoint sanitation supervisors in each working area and assign them to supervise the hygiene andhealth of workers.
Wearing of dust-masks is to be rigidly enforced as a preventive measure against work-related accidents ofworkers. Appropriate masks must be worn, depending on the sediment properties.
In addition, wreckage might be mixed into tsunami sediment. It must be separated before removing
sediment. If heavy machinery cannot be used for separation, then wreckage must be separated manually. In
this case, suitable measures should be taken to ensure workplace safety against injury by nails and collapseof wreckage.
(2) Measures to protect the environment during sediment processing
Dust, offensive odors, and noise might occur during removal work of tsunami sediment or at the collection
sites. It is extremely important to keep open diverse channels of communication with the local community
concerning sediment-related work. Inform local residents of the scheduled work and report on work progress
via bulletin boards. In addition, continue water sprinkling on sediment and install fences around work
areas.
To protect the environment, take the following measures:
1) Water sprinkling and deodorant appropriately to prevent dust scattering and spreading of offensive
odors.
2) When strong winds blow toward residential areas, consider working procedures and prevent scatteringof dust by installing fences.
3) Install a water flushing apparatus to remove mud from construction and transporting vehicles at thesite entrance.
4) It is extremely important to maintain diverse channels of communication with the local community
about sediment-related work. Inform local residents of the scheduled work and report on work progress
via bulletin boards.
Sediment removal
Sediment including organic matter that has been discarded for a long time is likely to decay and emit badodors. Muddy materials might produce dust.
If rapid removal of these sediments is difficult, take emergency measures by spraying slaked lime over67

sediments or mixing it with the sediment.
As an emergency measure, sprinkle soil improvement agents that are appropriate to the sediment andagitate it, sterilize it, absorb offensive odors, and prevent dust spreading.
Remarks: easy procurement, early delivery, easy work tasks at the site, development and duration of effects(test by preliminary experiment), and cost. Taking into account the importance of all these items, sprinkle
the agent and agitate the sediment manually or with heavy machinery. Agents that may be used include
slaked lime, zeolite, cement-based improver, and steel slag. Perform a preliminary examination anddetermine the best mixing ratio of these agents to achieve the target.
When muddy sediment includes much organic matter, high alkalinization of the sediment generates
ammonia, which might remain for a prolonged period. It should be confirmed through a preliminary
examination.
When mixing a soil improvement agent with sediment, take the following precautions:
1) Wear a dust-mask and protective glasses when working.
2) Perform a preliminary examination and confirm how the materials mix. Monitor generation of ammonia.
3) For rapid disinfection, sprinkle sufficient slaked lime on the surface of the sediment. Because dust mightoccur at that time, give careful consideration to neighboring work areas, residences, and the winddirection.
4) Sprinkle zeolite or deodorant to prevent outbreaks of offensive odors.
5) Mix agents well with sediment to ensure easy removal later.
・Work while watering, if dust has been produced by drying.
・If the date of removal is not scheduled definitely, take care not to harden sediment too much.
・Although treated sediment takes from several days to one week to solidify sufficiently, it may be removed
sooner if planned correctly.
・Mixing ratios of water and an agent should be determined by experts after mixing trials.
・Work characteristics are largely dependent on the availability of heavy machinery. Take full account ofmachinery availability when planning operations.
Use the following directions as reference for planning work procedures in the field:
1) Remove mixed wreckage manually. When heavy machinery such as a power shovel or backhoe isavailable, the use of skeleton pail with a retiform bottom is effective.
2) In a field where heavy machinery is available, sprinkling an agent packed in a flexible container bybackhoe and mixing using that machinery is beneficial (Fig. 2). Mixing by cultivator is also effective.
3) In a field where heavy machinery is not available, sprinkling agents in 20 kg packages manually will be
sufficient. Although mixing by cultivator is effective, it can be done manually when a cultivator isunavailable.
Methods of excavation and removal of tsunami sediment shall be determined depending on the size of thedeposited area, its thickness, the circumstances of land use, and the composition and properties of thesediment. Tsunami sediment is usually only a thin layer, which makes the use of heavy machinery difficult.
Account for this fact when planning the procedures and duration of work. The basic workflow of excavation
and removal proceeds as follows:681) Separation and removal of large items manually or with heavy machinery
2) Excavating, scraping, and collection manually or with heavy machinery
3) Loading onto transportation vehicles using heavy machinery
In urban areas and small areas, use large sandbags (packed in flexible container and others) and buckets forearth and sand to reduce dust scattering. Collect these by Unic crane car and transport them to a collection
site.
Muddy sediment from submerged land and farmland can be scraped from damp ground by a bulldozer andthen collected by a small caterpillar-tracked carrier).
Because of the varied composition and properties of tsunami sediment, appropriate selection of a collection
site tailored to those characteristics is desirable.
In addition, those characteristics might change from those found in preliminary examination, during thecourse of removal work. Staff assigned to examine and verify the characteristics of sediment should remain
at the site where removal work is conducted. Keep a manual and material to examine the sedimentcharacteristics there. In addition, keep in contact with local authorities managing waste disposal in
preparation for collecting sediment of unknown properties.
Depending on the sorting conducted at the work site, monitor the mass of sediment at each collection site
and for each item of waste using truck scales.
Collection and transportation
Selecting appropriate methods of collecting and transporting sediment based on its properties is importantfrom the standpoint of preventing scattering, outflow, and exposure to the atmosphere.
1) Wreckage and other items separated at a removal site might contain harmful agents and hazardous
substances such as pharmaceuticals or oil waste used by business entities. Muddy matter of high watercontent might also be found. Therefore, transportation materials and equipment must be selected while
taking these characteristics of sediment into account. Durable bags made of nonwoven cloth andcontainers that are resistant to breakage might be worth consideration for some properties of sediment.
2) Sediment that has been discarded for a long time might smell bad and release dust. Therefore, theseoffensive odors and dust must be suppressed during loading and unloading of such sediments. In
addition, during loading and transportation work, ensure the safety of workers and neighboring people
with reference to “Summary of preventive measures against public disasters in construction work”(Construction Ministry, Department of Construction Economy, Number 1, January 12, 1993). It goes
without saying that observance of traffic regulations is necessary.
3) When full-scale removal work of a huge amount of tsunami sediment is carried out to finish processing
in a short time, numerous transportation vehicles will operate. Observe measures to prevent noise andvibration in addition to preserving traffic safety. Regarding routes of transportation, detour to avoid
residential areas, shopping streets, schools, and narrow roads. Regarding timing of transportation work,
strive to avoid crowded times in streets and commuting times to schools and kindergarten. Whileplanning these matters, consult with local authorities.
At collection sites, store carried-in tsunami sediment as separated by onsite screening, taking steps not to69

cause impairment of neighboring environments and to execute provisional storage properly.
Separated sediments shall be kept at each specified place and must not be mixed. Put marks indicatingboundaries of each specified place and prevent incorrect unloading by allocating attendants and displaying
posters to guide vehicles.
Dust might be blown away by wind and rain falling on sediments will produce muddy water or even wash
away the sediment itself. Take measures to prevent such environmental issues including the release of toxic
matter into the environment. In addition, prevent decaying substances in sediment from generating
offensive odors.
Separation of sediment and storage of separated sediment
A lot of wreckage might have been mixed with tsunami sediment carried in. Wreckage must be separated forthe purposes of utilization and disposal of sediment. Separated wreckage and other materials are stored
temporarily in each partition of the specified method of processing. They then undergo laboratory analysis todetermine the categories of separated sediments. Keep them properly in the designated space for eachcategory, taking care not to affect neighboring environment.
During safekeeping, it is desirable to secure a safekeeping space depending on the acceptance situation of
the processing facilities and designated place of utilization.
Management of the working environment at the collection site is carried out to secure a safe work
environment. This is of great importance because sediments that are separated and stored might emit dust
and offensive odors and spread a variety of chemical substances.
Measures must be taken against scattering of dust and efflux of muddy water and sediment caused by rain.
The neighboring environment and quality of water must be monitored to prevent their disturbance by dust.
Intermediate treatment
Intermediate treatment is done to stabilize, detoxify, and adjust the quality of tsunami sediments based on
their composition and properties. The output shall be appropriate to their later utilization.
(1) Objective of stabilization
To reduce ignition loss to less than 5%, which is an index of mineralization of organics causing
contamination.
(2) Objective of detoxification
To clear prescribed limits of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, which are fundamentally intended toeliminate concerns about human health and living environments.
(3) Adjustment of quality
To ensure that output of intermediate treatment shall be appropriate for easy utilization later.
Intermediate treatment of sediment is to be carried out according to categories of separated sediments after
separation at the site of deposition and collection site and classification there.
The intermediate treatment described here is intended solely for tsunami sediments, and wreckage
resulting from separation. Classification is to be handled separately and appropriately, according to theircharacteristics.
70

Examples of intermediate treatment are shown below. They are done at collection sites and other facilities.
(1) Category A
1) Provisional keeping or safekeeping, depending on properties such as particle size and color
2) Aging for desalination (as needed)
3) Adjustment of particle size using a classification device (as needed)(2) Category B
1) Separation of wreckage by visual inspection and human effort2) Desalination
3) Adjustment of particle size using a classification device
4) Disposal at landfill sites of inert industrial waste(3) Category C
1) Energy recovery (high-efficiency power generation at waste incineration plant)
2) Simple incineration (including temporary incinerators and industrial waste incinerators)(4) Category D
1) Separation of wreckage by visual inspection, human effort and heavy machinery depending on
composition and properties when carried in to the collection site2) Provisional keeping or safekeeping, depending on water content, color, and other characteristics
3) Sorting of earth, sand, and foreign substances using screening equipment
4) Adjustment of water contents by sun drying, mixing with burnt lime, and other materials5) Curing6) Adjustment of particle size with classification device7) Cleaning and insoluble treatment by washing, heating, and mixing with other agents
8) Heat-treatment by incineration, gasification reforming, fusion, burning, conversion to cement raw
materials
9) Landfill at controlled landfill sites(5) Category E
1) Provisional keeping or safekeeping, depending on water content, color, and other characteristics
2) Cleaning and insoluble treatment by washing, heating, and mixing with other agents
3) Neutralization
4) Dehydration
5) Water processing by facilities to treat liquid waste
6) Heat-treatment by incineration, gasification reforming, fusion, burning, conversion to cement raw
materials
7) Physical and chemical treatments71

【Fig. 8-4-1】Selection of removal and treatment methods for tsunami sediment
Composition and properties of tsunami sediment1) Clean sand gravel not containing wreckage.
2) Sand gravel containing organic matter, but not containing wreckage.
3) Sand gravel containing well-mixed wreckage but not containing organic matter.
4) Sand gravel containing organic matter and well-mixed wreckage.
5) Sand gravel containing oil and/or chemicals used at coastal businesses.
6) Sand gravel containing hazardous substances and/or organic matter which spilled from land, and was
dumped as sediment into the ocean.
Note: “includes organic matter” refers to ignition loss greater than about 5%. When a quick judgment isnecessary, visual judgment, measurement of temperature and confirmation of offensive odor are useful.
Standards for landfilling are determined by the Waste
Management and Public Cleaning Act.

【Fig. 8-4-2】Image of work with heavy machinery.
72

【Guide 8-5】Marine industrial waste■Key points
・Marine industrial waste falls into two main categories: fish and wrapped
seafood products.
・ When implementing disposal and treatment, from the viewpoint of publichealth, give first priority to disposal of decomposed matter. It is essential to remove marine industrial
waste from urban areas as immediately as possible. Alternatively, inhibit spoilage by microorganisms
by spreading lime over the spoilage.
・Depending on the degree of urgency, conduct countermeasures such as disposal by night soil treatment
plant, incineration, aqueous cleaning with environmental water, and ocean dumping with restriction.
However, attention must be paid to related laws and regulations.
・In the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, authorization for urgent ocean dumping in Miyagi
Prefecture, under specific conditions, was issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. For
further information please refer to the Ministry’s website(http://www.env.go.jp/jishin/attach/an23_44a.pdf; in Japanese).
■Treatment method
・Prioritized countermeasures against decaying marine industrial wastes are shown in 【Table 8-5】.
・In the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, countermeasure【3】has already been conducted.
・Countermeasures【5】and 【6】 were considered appropriate for urgent treatment because decaying
marine industrial waste was generated in large quantities.
・In fact, Miyagi Prefecture applied for special consideration under the Act for the Prevention of Marine
Pollution and Maritime Disasters, to carry out urgent ocean dumping. Soil carriers conveyed anddisposed of decaying marine industrial waste offshore from Miyagi Prefecture.
・Countermeasure【7】should be considered to deal with a large quantity of paper packaging attached todecaying marine industrial waste.
・To prevent marine industrial waste from decaying, Iwate Prefecture planned to create a disposal site in
the mountains and dispose of the waste in landfill together with slaked lime after separating fish fromdebris.

73

【Table 8-5】 Countermeasures against marine industrial waste
Best【0】Incinerate or dump marine industrial waste in a final disposal site

Better【1】Decomposed matter: Dispose of marine industrial waste at a night
soil treatment plant after crushing it into smaller particles. Do notdischarge into sewers because sewerage systems are not usable due to theearthquake.
【2】Debris contaminated by marine industrial waste: Wash marine
industrial waste out of debris in the sea or a pond.

Emergency【3】Inhibit spoilage by microorganisms by sprinkling slaked lime overspoilage. Absorb excess water from marine industrial waste with water
absorbers such as cardboard.
【4】Seal marine industrial waste tightly in drum cans.
【5】Ocean dumping of marine industrial waste: dump marine industrial
waste wrapped in fishnet offshore.
【6】Store (or store temporarily) marine industrial waste in a site withclay soil or a downhole with plastic sheet lined surface.
【7】Conduct open burning of marine industrial waste at a site distantfrom urban areas.

■Detailed method of ocean dumping
・Dump marine industrial waste wrapped in fish net into the sea after separating it from plastics or
paper packaging. Fish net keeps waste from spilling during transportation, yet seawater easily enters
fish net in the sea.
A specific example: (1) Prepare receiving space by placing trawling net or drag net on the outer side ofbreakwater. (2) Crush marine industrial waste into small particles without separation by heavymachinery and dump into the receiving space by machinery. (3) Ship contents to the open sea.
■As an exception under the Act for Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disasters, an urgent
announcement was made to Miyagi Prefecture:(1) In Article 10, paragraph (2), item (vii) of the Act for Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime
Disasters, when urgent ocean dumping of waste is requested by the Minister of Environment and isconducted according to criteria for the dumping sites and methods designated by the Minister ofEnvironment, prohibitions on the ocean dumping of waste may be waived.
(2) In the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, a notification concerning the authorization ofurgent ocean dumping under specific conditions was issued to Miyagi Prefecture by the Ministry of theEnvironment, Japan on Apr. 7, 2011. The content of this notification are summarized as follows:・Due to freezer problems caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, a huge quantity of
deep-frozen fish for seafood products thawed out and decomposed in Miyagi Prefecture. It wasdifficult to appropriately dispose of about 35,000 tons of this material on land. At that time, Miyagi
Prefecture requested permission for ocean dumping.
・In response to this, based on Article 10, paragraph (2), item (vi) of the Act for Prevention of Marine74Pollution and Maritime Disasters, the Ministry of the Environment decided to issue authorizationof urgent osean dumping under specific conditions. Furthermore, the Minister of Environment set
the criteria for the dumping sites and methods in this special case.
・Waste covered by this announcement are defined as waste such as crushed animal and plant
residues listed in Part 4 and Paragraph 1 of Article 6 of the Order for Waste Management andPublic Cleaning Act. Furthermore, they should be waste generated by the Great East Japan
Earthquake and in above-mentioned places where waste exists.
・The criteria for the dumping sites and methods for this special case have been set by reference tostandards concerning ocean dumping of crushed animal and plant residues based on the Article 10,paragraph (2), item (v) of the Act for Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disasters(Ministerial Ordinance Concerning the approvals of waste disposal in the sea: the Appended Table
2 of Item (xxviii) of 2005 Ordinance of the Ministry of the Environment).
・In this announcement, the available dumping sites are designated in detailed and extended
diagrams: the upper red circle indicates the dumping site for marine industrial waste from
Kesennuma city, the other is for wastes from Ishinomaki city and Onagawa town (see 【Figure8-5】).

【Figure 8-5】The available dumping sites75【Guide 8-6】Cement concrete, asphalt concretez

Recycling of cement concrete rubble and asphalt concrete rubble can be easily carried out if thesetypes of rubble are properly sorted from others.

zSome cement concrete rubble and asphalt concrete rubble can be used for recovery andreconstruction.

■ Key points
・It is highly practical to recycle cement concrete rubble and asphalt concrete rubble if these types of
rubble are separated from other types of debis and waste.

・

As shown in the flow of 【Fig. 8-6-1】, these types of rubble can be recycled as construction material aftercrushing and classification by sieving. Both types can be handled by the same machinery. In general, a
processing plant consists of a rubble haulage management facility; sorting equipment for removal offoreign substances such as mud; crushing equipment; sieving equipment used to classify the recycled
aggregate by particle size; and a storage facility. The crushing equipment is composed of a primarycrusher and a secondary crusher. A jaw crusher or roll crusher is used for the primary crusher. An
impact crusher or barmac is used for the secondary crusher.

・

From the viewpoint of recycling and using for recovery and reconstruction, it is desirable to utilize theintermediate treatment facilities around disaster areas. If the amount of rubble brought in to a primary
waste storage site is large, consider installing the primary crusher at the primary waste storage site.
The location and area of the primary waste storage site needs to be considered, as well as thearrangement of the facilities and equipment, in order to ensure the capacity to receive and store a large
amount of rubble for its reuse.

■ Cement concrete rubble(1) Cement concrete rubble is typically reused as roadbed materials (recycled crusher-run stone) orbackfilling materials (recycled sand). However, considering the amount of the disaster waste and theincreasing demand for construction materials, it is necessary to consider the use of concrete rubble asrecycled aggregates for concrete. The methods of the intermediate treatment are shown in 【Table 8-6-1】.
(2) In the early stage of recovery from the disaster, land-clearing activities and restoration of road networks
are important. Therefore, primary target rubble includes cement concrete products for roads, cement
concrete paving slabs, and cement concrete substructions. These are called “initial cement concrete rubble.”On the other hand, the cement concrete rubble generated from concrete houses, buildings, and industrial
plants, etc. is treated in a later stage of recovery unless there is danger of collapsing. This is called “latercement concrete rubble.”・

Initial cement concrete rubble may contain various types of foreign substances such as salt, dirt,
ceramics, gypsum board, and wood, etc. These foreign substances pose little problem when using initial
cement concrete rubble for land preparation. However, in the case of utilization for construction
materials after crushing and sieve classification, foreign substances degrade the quality of construction
products. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly separate rubble and to wash with water depending on
the situation.
76

・

Later cement concrete rubble might be contaminated with asbestos. Thus, dust generation must be
inhibited by water sprinkling and a local dust collector during the crushing process. Additionally,
workers must wear full-face dust masks (Category 3). The asbestos-containing materials must be
removed from the recycling stream, and be disposed of in landfill. If the recycled aggregates have a
possibility of containing non-friable asbestos originating from slate boards etc., the recycled aggregatesmust not be used for paving materials covering large areas such as car parking lots.

(3) Reuse (applications and standards)
・

Roadbed materials: quality targets for recycled aggregate applied to roadbed materials for lower layer
paving are shown in 【Table 8-6-2】.

・

Backfilling materials: demand may increase for backfilling materials for the reconstruction of gas,
water and sewer facilities. There is no criterion for such applications of the recycled materials. However,in the case of concern about leaching of hexavalent chromium derived from the cement concrete, it isnecessary to confirm the presence of leaching and take countermeasures if found. When consideringcountermeasures, the technical report “Report of Joint Research Related to the Reduction of Hexavalent
Chromium Leaching from Recycled Cement Concrete, Joint Research Report No. 415, 2011.3” (inJapanese) published by Public Works Research Institute may be helpful. If stockpiled, the materials
shall be covered with protecting sheets to prevent scattering of fine powder.

・

Recycled coarse aggregate M: recycled coarse aggregate of grades M and L can be produced at relatively
low cost in existing plants. To produce recycled aggregate grade M, in addition to the primary crusher,
the several secondary crusher is required. Moreover, a facility for 20 mm or 25 mm sieve classification isneeded. The density and absorption of the recycled coarse aggregate grade M shall be more than 2.3
g/cm3 and less than 5 %, respectively. Use of recycled coarse aggregate grade M has been limited toconstructing underground structures by JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) concerning ready-mixed
concrete. However, if used only for producing precast concrete products (concrete secondary products),
recycled coarse aggregate grade M is acceptable even in severe usage environments such as Tohoku
Region. A draft guideline concerning this issue has been published by Japan Concrete InstituteTC071A: the technical committee on the Design and Utilization of Precast Concrete Products. There arealso some products registered to NETIS (New Technology Information System) which is consolidated by
the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan. Utilization of precast concrete
products can significantly reduce construction schedules. Therefore, aggressive utilization of therecycled coarse aggregate grade M for producing precast concrete products is desirable in order to makethe reconstruction activities more effective.

・

Others: if the condition of construction is right, cement concrete rubble can be used for the developmentof breakwaters. For example, the utilization of preplaced-aggregate concrete can reduce the workload on
crushing cement concrete rubble, because the recycled aggregate used for this type of concrete isavailable even with large diameter. However, the size and shape of the structures ofpreplaced-aggregate concrete should be designed appropriately, because the density of the recycled
aggregate is rather small. The recycled aggregate grade L can be used for ready-mixed concrete if used
only for leveling concrete which is a non-structural component. If the owner consents to the situation, it
is possible to produce recycled aggregates from concrete rubble without the additional facilities.

77

■ Asphalt concrete rubble
・The sources of asphalt concrete rubble are existing roads, parking spaces, building exterior paving, etc.
The asphalt concrete rubble is treated in plants which have some intermediate treatment facilities, andrecycled as roadbed aggregate and AS recycled aggregate in a conventional manner.

・

Asphalt concrete rubble may be contaminated with foreign substances such as dirt carried by tsunami.
When using such asphalt concrete rubble as AS recycled aggregates, it is necessary to wash out the dirtwith water before crushing and sieve classification. The required quality of AS recycled aggregate isshown in 【Table 8-6-3】.

・■ Waste tiles (excluding cement roofing tiles), and others
・

Waste tiles (excluding cement roofing tiles) can be effectively used for soil pavements and backfillingmaterials. When used for soil pavements, waste tiles provide valuable material because of theirpermanent color, recharge feature, and heat island reduction effect due to their water retention. They
must be crushed into granules generally less than 10 mm as a sand substitute. In stockpiles, fine
powder scattering should be prevented.

・All other debris (waste mixed earth and sand, glass, bricks, etc.) should be disposed of in landfills.

Roadbed material
Asphalt concrete rubble
Cement concrete rubble
Flow

of

materials
Truck

Storagescale

ShippinGrizzly

Dust

Crusher

Sieve

classification

Transportation

Storageyard

Primaryforseparation

recycled* The primary separation materials may be used for roadbed materials.
The foreign substances such as metals or wood chips shall be treatedproperly according to manifest.
【Fig. 8-6-1】An example of production flow in a recycled aggregates plant described in the Handbook ofPavement Reproduction (in Japanese)78

【Table 8-6-1】Intermediate treatment of cement concrete rubble

RoadbedSoil

improvement

materials

Purpose of Use

Intermediate treatment

Roadbed (Recycled crusher-run

Crushed to less than 40 mm (correspondingstone)

to recycled crushed stone RC40 (0-40 mm))Material for liquefaction
countermeasure
Backfilling material (recycled

The maximum particle size should be

crusher-run stone, recycled sand) selected appropriately according to purpose.
Cement concrete

Recycled coarse aggregate grade M

5-25 mm. Secondary crushing is required
several times.

OthersDepending on the application.

* “Recycled crushed stone RC40” must follow other standards.
* According to the Technical Manual for Utilization of Surplus Soil Third Edition provided by PWRI (Publik
Works Receacher Institute) (in Japanese), if the mixing ratio and the maximum diameter of soil with rubble
is under 30 % and 30 cm, the soil can be treated equally with soil with gravel from the geotechnicalviewpoint. However, it is necessary to consult with the local municipal waste department before applying it.
* Cement concrete rubble is classified as “debris”, but fragments of brick must be excluded from cement
concrete rubble for reuse. Glass and ceramic scrap (such as tiles) are contaminated easily as well as
fragments of brick. Concrete rubble containing such scraps should not be used from the viewpoint of quality
control. (However, the limit value of contamination can be determined by administrative decision.)79

【Table 8-6-2】Required quality of recycled materials for lower layer of roadbed
Item

Construction method, Fixed CBR PI (Plasticity
materials(%)

index)

Uniaxial compressive
strength

Application
Material age, kgf/cm2(MPa)
Low-cost pavement

Recycled crusher-run

over 10stone[over 20]

Asphalt concrete

Recycled crusher-run

over 20

pavementstone[over 30]

Cement stabilization

Cement concrete

under 9---Under 6

---

---

---

7 days, 10 (1.0)

Lime stabilization

---

---

10 days, 7 (0.7)

Recycled crusher-run

over 20

under 6---

pavement[over 30]
Cement stabilization

---

---

7 days, 10 (1.0)

Lime stabilization

---

---

10 days, 5 (0.5)(1) In the case that the total thickness of an upper layer, a base layer and a surface layer is smaller than thevalues shown in the following < >, the fixed CBR values for using recycled crusher-run containing asphalt
concrete recycled aggregate shall conform to the values of [ ] in 【Table 8-6-2】.
< Hokkaido Region: 20 cm, Tohoku Region: 30 cm, Other District: 40 cm>* If CBR test is carried out at 40 degree Celsius, a test result should just satisfy the usual value.
(2) The cement concrete recycled aggregate used for recycled crusher-run must not exceed 50% abrasion
loss. The abrasion loss shall be evaluated by the Los Angeles abrasion loss test in which the grain must be
adapted to crushed stone for road S-13 (13-5mm).
(3) PI value shall only apply in case of using recycled aggregate base course or roadbed material in order toproduce the recycled crusher-run.
(4) When using a recycled crusher-run for cement concrete pavement, the maximum PI of particles passing
sieve 425 μm can be 10 if the bearing capacity has already been confirmed by a roadbed study, or if the
durability has been confirmed empirically in the previous example. In addition, the material that amount ofpassing sieve 425 μm is less than 10 % can be used if those PI is under 15. (Preliminary Draft Quality
Standards for the Recycling of Cement Concrete Rubble by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport
and Tourism)80【Table 8-6-3】Quality of asphalt concrete recycled aggregate, from Handbook of Pavement Reproduction (inJapanese).
Content of old asphalt, %Characteristics of old asphalt

Over 3.8
Degree of penetration, 1/10 mm

Over 20

Coefficient of Pressure crack,

Under 1.70

MPa/mmFine particle quantity of aggregate, %Under 5Note 1: the asphalt contained in recycled aggregate produced from asphalt concrete is called “oldasphalt”. Also the asphalt newly used for paving is called “new asphalt”.
Note 2: the recycled aggregate produced from asphalt concrete is classified into 3 or 2 levels ofparticle size, namely, 20-13 mm, 13-5 mm, and 5-0 mm, or 20-13 mm and 13-0 mm. The standard
shown in 【Table 8-6-3】 is applied to the particle size of 13-0 mm.
Note 3: if the recycled aggregate produced from asphalt concrete with particle size under 13mm has
been already classified into 2 levels, composite sample may be tested according to the proportion ofeach grade scale in the production of recycled aggregate, or test values may be determined by
calculation according to the synthesis rate and separate tests. If the particle is not sieved by 13-0mm or 13-5 mm and 5-0 mm, it is necessary to obtain a test sample of the particle size of 13-0 mm
from specimen material.
Note 4: the amount of old asphalt contained in the recycled aggregate produced from asphalt
concrete and the amount of passing sieve 75 μm shall be expressed as a percentage of dry mass of therecycled aggregate.
Note 5: the fine particle quantity of aggregate shall be evaluated by JIS A 1103: 2003 “Method of test
for amount of material passing test sieve 75 mum in aggregates”.
Note 6: cutting material in the asphalt mixture layer can be used for recycled hot asphalt mixture aslong as its quality satisfies the value of 【Table 8-6-3】. In this regard, it is desirable to mix the
cutting material with other materials produced from asphalt concrete rubble, because the particle
size of the cutting material scatters easily.
Note 7: the characteristics of old asphalt should satisfy either the standard concerning the degree ofpenetration or coefficient of pressure crack.

81【Guide 8-7】 Tiresz

Tires are fundamentally stable products and can be recycled. In the case of processing ahuge number of waste tires, after estimating the quantity, it is necessary to plan atreatment method and process flow, and to recycle them as much as possible.

z

When waste tires must be kept on a mid- and long-term basis, consideration is required
because of particular issues from the viewpoint of safety or environmental preservation.

■Key points
・ Tires and wheels are very stable products, posing low risk to human health and environment.
However, suitable methods are required when a large quantity of waste tires must beprocessed. In regions receiving heavy snowfall, many households own two sets of tires: forsummer and winter, respectively.

【Fig. 8-7-1】Actual conditions of waste tire disposal in Japan, 2009
(Source: Tire industry 2010, the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association and Japan)

・ Since treatment/recycling processes and distribution routes have already been established(refer to 【Fig. 8-7-1】), using an existing route is fundamentally ideal when dealing with
waste tires and wheels from a disaster area. However, in order to be acceptable for disposal
via this route, waste tires and wheels need to be fairly clean.
・ When large numbers of tires and wheels from the disaster area have been soaked in sea
water, or buried in earth/sand, it is difficult to use the existing treatment/recycling route andit is therefore necessary to set a plan [see【Fig. 8-7-2】for reference]. For efficiency, temporary82

storage sites for tires and wheels from disaster areas are needed, but due to the hollow
structure of tires, efficient storage is difficult and large flat land areas are needed for
temporary storage for a large quantity of waste tires. When it is difficult to obtain storagesites, crushing is an important method of reducing volume and in that case, requirements bycompanies accepting tire chips must be taken into consideration.
・ All of the main tire makers in Japan are members of the Japan Automobile Tire
Manufacturers Association (JATMA). In relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake,
JATMA says, “When an inquiry is received from a municipality, correspondence will be given
due consideration.” (From an interview at the headquarters on May 23, 2011). This
association supported tire recycling very actively before the earthquake, so it has a lot of
information about tire recycling methods, related treatment contractors, and recipients ofcrushed tire materials. We recommend contacting JATMA if necessary.
■ Basic information on tires and wheels
The weight of an automobile tire is 7-8kg, a truck tire weighs about 50kg, and a heavy machinery tire・

weighs from hundreds of kg up to one ton, and these truck tires and heavy machinery tires cannot be
lifted by workers without mechanical aid.
・

Wheels are roughly divided into two types: 1) aluminum wheels (aluminium alloy, lightweight) and 2)
steel wheels (mainly iron, general-use wheels). Usually, both types are bought by scrap collection
agencies as valuable wastes. Although another type of wheel has magnesium as its main material, its
distribution volume is relatively small.

■ The overall flow of recovery, collection/temporary storage, and taking out/disposal【Fig. 8-7-2】shows overall flow and【Table 8-7-1】shows points requiring attention.
Tire attached todamaged car

ELV Recycling Act
route, with tire attached.

RO: together with car.

R1: Use as it is◎Only tire
●Tire
（with wheel）○Only wheel◎Only tire
●Tire
(with wheel)

The disaster area

【 Subject C 】

Tire burned by fireetc.

【Subject R2】

Tire chip(commercialization!)

R2: Crushing and cutting

R3: Taking-out in the state of round tire
(period of temporary storage should be short)

C1: Collection/separation

1

Used in parks etc.
(restricted demand)

Feeding large demand, suchas paper manufacturing
company and cementcompany

To recycle after crushingoutside the area.

【Subject R3】○Only wheel
R4: Delivery to an acquisition contractor as valuables.

Temporary storage

To recycle suitably
outside the area.

R5: Crushing ＆ dumping (orincineration)【Fig. 8-7-2】The estimated collection/disposal route and the subject of waste tires and wheels in a disasterarea
・ C1 : If a temporary storage site can be set up, waste tires and wheels are collected from adisaster area, and if possible, separated there. In that case, based on the capacity of each83

temporary storage site (it is assumed that there is probably insufficient space for temporarystoragesites)

andcapacityofcarrying-out(acceptableamountofreceipt

fortreatment/recycling), collection should be carried out step-by-step. Moreover, if a large
number of tires are buried in earth, sand or rubble, heavy industrial machinery, such as a
power shovel, is needed in order to dig them up (especially large-sized tires).
・ R0~: First, in the case of tires attached to cars, give consideration to use of the route of the
End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Act for disposal of motor vehicles (R0). Reuse is aimed for (R1),
if usability of tires is confirmed, such as intact tires found at a gas station impacted by thetsunami (photograph 1), tires in good condition that can clearly be reused as tires, and tires
that can be used as shock-absorbent material in parks. But the quantity is restrictive and sovalue of examination is small. Fundamentally, for tires excepting those applicable to R0
above, following proposal R3 is realistic. That is, tires excepting R0 as described above are
entrusted to a waste tire recycling/processing contractor and taken to the outside area by
truck or vessel without shredding and cutting (although this is not efficient).
・ R4 : Wheels are handed over to scrap contractors as valuable resources (R4). Tires withwheels may be accepted because wheels can be sold for a comparatively high price. Therefore,
for the time being, it is not necessary to separate tires and wheels, considering time andeffort.
・ R2 : In order to use limited land space effectively, after securing a place where a shredder canbe installed in a temporary storage site, the collected waste tires shoud be shredded and cut(if possible, processed into rubber chips), and transported to an outside area by a vessel ortruck, and treated/recycled or, ideally sold (R2). For that purpose, with the intention ofcreating employment in a disaster area, the collaboration system (joint venture, etc.) between
tire recycling/processing contractors (who have know-how concerning processing of waste
tires) and local businesses is recommended in a disaster area, and implementation of
shredding in the area should be given serious consideration. However, in order to realize theR2 route, the following prerequisites are necessary. Satisfying the terms of conditions of tirechips that receiving contractors requires, availability of port facilities (including storage
space etc.), provision of necessary electricity for mechanical equipment, and prompt action by
the supervising authority dealing with the regulations and laws concerned, such as the
Ministry of Environment etc, but these prerequisites are not easily satisfied.
・ R5: The recycling of tires which are burned in partis difficult; after being shredded, they are landfilled
or incinerated (R5).
[Caption: An example of reuse in the disaster area（4/22 Sendai City) ]■ Important points about temporary storage(1) In the case of temporary storage, a place surrounded by a strong wall is desirable, but such conditions
cannot be expected in a disaster area, so what is called open-air storage is carried out. Points requiring
careful consideration are as follows.
・ Safety precautions: If waste tires are piled up haphazardly, the stack may collapse. In such a84

situation, if people are in the vicinity, it may be dangerous. Moreover, although tires do not
ignite easily, once they catch fire, they are very difficult to extinguish. Therefore it is necessary
to leave a certain amount of distance between open-air storage stacks. According to the Fire
Defence Act, the area of a temporary storage site should be no larger than 500m2.
・ Ensuring ease of work: passenger car tires can be lifted by workers, but working efficiency is low.
Large-sized truck tires and those of heavy industrial machinery are too heavy for one human
worker to lift them. Therefore it is necessary to use heavy machinery, such as a power shovel.
Moreover, to transport accumulated tires, it is necessary for trucks (mostly 4/10-ton trucks) toenter the temporary storage sites. Overall, considering use of heavy industrial machinery andtrucks, it is necessary to make sure of sufficient space between waste piles to facilitate ease ofwork.
Potential risk: although tires do not ignite easily, once they catch fire, extinguishing them is very
difficult. In the U.S.A., there has been a case in which children playing with fire caused adisastrous fire in a waste tire dump. It is adviseable to establish a fence around the storage site
to prevent children from playing in the area. A primary danger is that of a waste tire pilecollapsing. Other dangers are breeding of mosquitoes, which make use of water whichaccumulates in the hollow section of a tire (due to concern about infections that may be carried;
the northern limit of the Asian tiger mosquito which carries dengue fever and West Nile fever
seems to be moving further north) and use by field mice or noxious insects (especially, insummer due to high temperatures). Release of offensie odors from dirty water is also a matterof concern as a regional issue. Both inside and outside Japan, such problems are realistic issues
always pointed out in relation to illegal dumping of waste tires. It is desirable not to establish
piles of waste tires in open-air storage over a long time. The amount of waste tires collectedfrom the disaster area should correspond to the quantity which can be treated and transportedout.
(2) Form/arrangement of temporary storage : To be specific, if there is an enclosure wall, the dimensions of apile of tires in open-air storage is

10 x 20 x 5m (=length, width and height), which can containapproximately 70,000~80,000 automobile tires. However, if an enclosure wall cannot be employed in adisaster area, it is said to be appropriate to reduce the scale to half of the above-mentioned dimensions,that is, one pile of waste tires in open-air storage should measure 5 x 10 x 2-3 m, containing
approximately 20,000-30,000 automobile tires. As for the space between piles in open-air storage,
leaving at least a 6 m interval is desirable.

I

W=5、L=10、H=2～3、I=6（単位：m）【Fig. 8-7-3】 Form of waste tire piles in open-air temporary storage■ Trucks for conveyance of tires, shredder and cutting machine(1) Truck for conveyance of tires:If a 4-ton truck is used, and loaded carefully, it can carry about 400-45085tires per truck. If it is loaded haphazardly, only about 200 pieces can be loaded. When using a 10-ton
truck, the load is twice as large as that of the 4-ton truck, and if loaded carefully about 800-900 tires
can be loaded. If it is loaded haphazardly, it will carry only about 400 tires. In addition, since thespecific gravity of tires is light, deep-framed trucks are most suitable. When using a detachable-type“skip truck” (arm roll vehicle); whose loading capacity is 25m3, as for round tires, a quantity
equivalent to 4-4.5-tons can be loaded.
(2) Tire shredder and cutting machines
・If using a large-sized shredder (5.7 m long, 1.9 m wide, 4.2 m high, weighing 20 tons), two sets
(225 kW) of motors can be operated with a 440V power supply, and about 10 tons of tires per hour
can be shredded into about 2-inch chips (size of the tire chips used as auxiliary fuel in paper
factories or cement plants).

・On the other hand, processing capability of a cutting machine (press type) which does not hascapability like a crusher, is 12-15 tons per day using a 220V power supply, which for generalautomobile tires works out to about 1,500 tires per day.

32-Division articles

Shredded chips

Rubber powder【Fig. 8-7-4】Types of tire chips (Japanese Scrap Tire Recycle Association HP)
・ Self-propelled type shredders are available, and it is necessary to choose suitable machinery
according to planned disposal flow.
・ If earth and sand adhering to or deposited inside a tire obstructs the work process, it is consideredthat a certain amount of earth and sand will fall off when picked up by a hydraulic shovel with a grip. As
an alternative method, putting water in a big box, about 10m3 or so and dipping tires into it to release
earth and sand is also suggested.
・ In addition, if a shredder is carried in and tires are processed as industrial waste, that shreddercorresponds to a facility under Article 15 of the Wastes Management and Public Cleaning Act whichapplies to facilities with capacity to treat more than 5 tons/day of industrial waste, and approval isrequired, becoming subject to city planning deliberation (Article 51 of city planning). In the case offollowing usual procedures, a lot of time is needed, in order to obtain the required approval for bringing ashredder in and working in a disaster area. On the other hand, if the tires are regarded as generalwastes, they can be put on a maker's recovery route on the assumption that they are to be recycled, inwhich case approval for conveying waste is not necessary.

86Photograph 1. Intact tires left at a gas
station impacted by a tsunami(left-hand side of middle of the screen)(in Kamaishi City)

Photograph 2. Tires in front of a store(in Kamaishi City)

Photograph 3. Collected tires (inTaro Town)

Photograph 4. A pile of waste tires at a
temporary storage site (in front of
Rikuzen-Takata City hall)

Photograph 5. Earth, sand, and buried
tires (in Rikuzen-Takata City)

Photograph 6. Wheels buried in
earth
and
sand
(in
Rikuzen-Takata City)

Photograph 7. Burned tire of vehicle (atOtsuchi Station in Otsuchi Town).

Photograph 8. Large-sized tire (inRikuzen-Takata City)

Photograph 9. Tire on riverside (inRikuzen-Takata City)【Fig. 8-7-5】Situations of tires in disaster areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake(photographs taken by the task team ; April 16~18, 2011)87

【Guide 8-8】Specified Electrical Home Appliances under the Recycling Lawzz

Basically, the management of these home appliances should comply with the notification
published on March 2011 by Ministry of the Environment (“Notification with regard totreatment of damaged home appliances specified by Electrical Home Appliances Recycling
Law”)
Municipalities judge their recyclability (whether recovery of valuable resources is possible ornot).

■Key points
・ Treatment of home appliances specified by Electrical Home Appliance Recycling Law, such as televisions,
air conditioners, refrigerators/freezers and washing machines/cloth dryers, should comply with thenotification issued by the Ministry of Environment on March 2011; (“Notification with regard totreatment of damaged home appliances specified by Electrical Home Appliances Recycling Law” (seeAppendix for the details). The summary is as follows:・ If sorting is possible, these home appliances should be separated from other disaster waste and stored at
temporary storage sites.
・ Municipal staffs are to judge their recyclability (whether valuable resources can be recovered) taking into
account the extent of damage and corrosion. If recycling seems possible, the municipality brings them tothe producers’ designated collection sites (Under normal circumstances, these specified home appliances
are recycled by two producer groups (A and B), so basically their recycling is conducted in the samemanner). If recycling is not possible, they should be disposed of together with other disaster waste.
・ When assessment of recyclability is difficult, municipalities can contact the Association for Electric Home
Appliances as stated in the notification.
・ An example case is shown in Table 8-8-1. In fact, municipalities will consult with the person in charge ofeach group.
【Table 8-8-1】A case of response about treatment of damaged electrical home appliances (Group A, 31 days
after the disaster happened, April 14, 2011)
Policy forreceivingdamaged home
appliances bygroup A
Reception in
Sendai cityfrom April 11th

Basically, all damaged home appliances, which are specified by the Law, will bereceived regardless of the level of damage. Even if they are covered with sedimentfrom tsunami, they will be received. However, there are some exceptions such as only
the door of a refrigerator (accept even if the door is separated from a refrigerator
unless they are not together), CRT television with broken tube, etc., because theycannot be recycled. They should be treated as municipal waste.
Reception of all specified items was started in Sendai city from April 11th. Persons in agroup organized by several home appliance manufacturers visited the prefectural
office and discussed the receiving process. In the case of Sendai city, registeredhandling agents receive damaged home appliances and transport them to a
designated recycling plant. If damaged home appliances are covered with sediment,
registered handling agents wash them before the transportation to the recycling
plant. Besides, tap water for washing was not available at some locations in thenorthern part of the prefecture, and the collectors may transport those damaged
appliances with sediment to a recycling plant and the appliances will be washed there
before recycling.

88Procedure
reception

Storage siteofThe receiving procedure depends on how a municipality handed over those home
appliances in normal circumstances before the disaster. Normally, tickets issued bypost office are used as the manifest of the recycling scheme, to ensure handing over ofappliances to producers, when a municipality hands over home appliances dumped
illegally. This time, “municipality ticket” should be used because the number ofdamaged home appliances is so large. This “municipality ticket” serves as the
manifest as well. If the municipality didn't participate in this system yet, registration
for the system is necessary. It takes two weeks to complete registration for the system.
Sorted home appliances will be received with the ticket at designated collection sites
or transported from storage sites of disaster waste.
・ Damaged home appliances should be sorted into two groups (Group A and GroupB). If it is difficult to distinguish which group a product belongs to, it should be set
aside.
・ They should be further sorted into 4 classifications: televisions, air conditioners,
refrigerators/freezers, and washing machines/clothes dryers.
・ Transporting them to designated collection sites or producers’ recycling plantshould be conducted by trucking firms contracted to the municipality. If suchcompanies are no longer operating, manufacturers of home appliances will pickthem up directly.
・ Damaged home appliances will surely be accepted by producers for recycling. So,
never hurry to dispose of/shred them. If shortage of storage space is a concern,
treatment of waste other than specified home appliances should be made a priority.

■Treatment method and procedure・

Since specified home appliances are bulky and comprised of various complex materials, proper
treatment is difficult. Thus, they should be treated under the conventional recycling route established by
the Law as much as possible, if the situation is in less urgent or there is sufficient space for storage.
Some new policies might be introduced by producers later. So, it is important to not rush into disposal if
there is sufficient space for temporary storage. The order of priority on management is as follows in (1)and (2).

(1) If sorting of the damaged home appliance from other wastes is possible and recycling seems to be also
possible: At first, contact the producer group in order to confirm whether the appliance is acceptable ornot. Since severely damaged appliances are difficult to recycle, such as only the door of refrigerator, CRT
television with broken tube, etc., they should be treated as municipal waste. Others, which areconsidered to be possible to recycle, are accepted by producer groups regardless of the extent of damage.
(1-1) When a recycling scheme is available- Damaged home appliance is received by a retailer of home appliances or transported to designatedcollection site of producers. Several products will not be received, so confirmation should be madebeforehand if the product will be received or not.
- Information about the designated collection sites in each area is available from the Association forElectric Home Appliances (http://www.rkc.aeha.or.jp/text/s_place.html).
- Though municipalities have to pay the recycling fee when damaged home appliances are handed overto producers, it is compensated by a subsidy from the national government. (Ministry of theEnvironment, No.398, October 2, 2001, “Notification about the handling of discarded electrical home
appliances in case of disaster”)89(1-2) When a recycling scheme is not available- If there is enough space in temporary storage sites, damaged home appliances should be stored at thesites until designated collection sites are restored. Appliances might be transported to a designatedcollection site in the other area, or received directly by producers. Municipal officers in charge should
contact the Association for Electric Home Appliances and confer on the procedure with a person fromeach producer group.
(2) If sorting of damaged home appliances from other wastes is impossible and recycling seems to be
impossible: Municipalities must treat damaged home appliances. This should be avoided as much as
possible and regarded as an emergent measure. A procedure in this case is as follows:- If waste treatment facilities, such as crushing/shredding facility for bulky/incombustible waste, areavailable, damaged home appliances are to be conveyed to the facilities and treated there.
- In the case of no treatment facility or no facility available:
・ Shredding of damaged home appliances is possible if a mobile type shredder/crusher (e.g. Impact
crusher, etc.) is installed at a temporary storage site. Pretreatment of separating each material byusing heavy machinery or by hand sorting is preferable. Separation of each material before
shredding makes recovery of ferrous metals efficient and makes shredding plastics easier by using
dual-shear shredders.
・ When a mobile shredder is unavailable, crushing is conducted by using heavy machinery. A
magnet attachment for an excavator is effective to recover ferrous metals from shredded material.
- Direct disposal into a controlled-type landfill must be the last option only when none ofabove-mentioned methods is available. This should be avoided as much as possible.
■Storage at storage site
・ Notes on storing damaged home appliances at storage sites of disaster waste are as follows;- The damaged home appliances should be separately stored at a storage site distinguished by groups A
and B. When it is difficult to distinguish which group an appliance belongs to, it should be set aside.
- They should be stored by separating 4 items: televisions, air conditioners, refrigerators/freezers, andwashing machines/clothes dryers.
- Acceptance is case by case. However, a damaged home appliance can be received even if it is covered
with mud from flood and tidal wave, etc. In this case it will be washed at the designated collection site
/recycling plant.
・ Please refer to Section 6-3 for other notices for storage at primary waste storage sites.
■Treatment procedure・When a municipality has to treat damaged home appliances, the main treatment process is shredding.
Notices to be taken into account before shredding are summarized in Table 8-8-2.

90

【Table 8-8-2】Notices for treatment of damaged home appliances
Considering the environmentAirconditioners

・ Fluorocarbons, which are contained

Effective shredding・ Sincecompressors

are

hard

and

as a refrigerant, should be removed.

difficult to shred, they must be

The removal procedure should bedismantled beforehand.

conducted by a designated company
for fluorocarbon recovery.
・ A capacitor containing PCB may be
used in some products manufactured

・ Heatexchangers

aremainlycomprised of copper and aluminum.
Recycling is feasible if they are
dismantled separately.

before 1972. Such a capacitor should
be removed before treatment.
Refrigerators ・ Fluorocarbons, which are contained ・ Sincecompressors

are

hard

and

as a refrigerant, should be removed.

difficult to shred, they must be

The removal procedure should bedismantled beforehand.

conducted by a designated company ・ There may be some leftovers of food,for fluorocarbon recovery.

etc. They should be removed before
processing.

Laundry・ Since motors are hard and difficult tomachines

shred,

they

must

be

dismantled

beforehand.
・ Washing tubs made of stainless steel
should be separated and recycled if
possible.
・ Saline solution contained in balancer
attached to upper part of a washingtub should be removed if possible.
Televisions

・ Capacitors containing PCB may be
used in some products manufactured
before 1972. Such capacitors should
be removed before treatment.

91

【Guide 8-9】 Other WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)(WEEE not covered by Electrical Home Appliance Recycling Law, including PCs)z

Basically, PCs (personal computers) and mobile phones should be sorted and recycled by
the relevant existing recycle systems wherever possible.

z

Check the guiding principle of PC recycling in “Notification about Treatment of Affected
PCs” announced by the Ministry of the Environment.

zSort and store hazardous articles and parts (e.g., primary/secondary batteries, fluorescentlamps, oil heaters, gas cylinders for portable gas stoves) from products and recycle or treat
them by existing collection systems.

z

Basically, other WEEE is treated by incineration after being crushed and resource
recovery.

z

Personal information in PCs, mobile phones, digital cameras/videos and HDDs (hard disk
drives) has a certain value for the owner similar to photo albums. These products should
be sorted before crushing and returned to original owners as much as if possible.

■Key points
・ Other WEEE except for the home appliances designated in the “Electrical Home Appliance Recycling
Law” (cf.【Guide 8-8】) is also to be collected and stored wherever possible.
・ WEEE that can be recycled by currently existing recycling systems are PCs and mobile phones.
・ Municipalities should consider how to recycle and treat PCs referring to “Notification about Treatment ofAffected PCs” (http://www.env.go.jp/jishin/attach/hisai_pc.pdf) announced by the Ministry of theEnvironment.
・ WEEE containing hazardous substances/parts needs to be handled cautiously.
・ WEEE that should be stored as “personal valuables” are PCs, mobile phones, digital cameras, digital
videos and HDDs.
・ The basic treatment method for other WEEE is incineration after crushing and resource recovery.
■ Target WEEE・ WEEE except for home appliances designated by the “Home Appliance Recycling Law” includes thefollowing appliances.
- PCs ：An existing recycling system is provided by the “PC 3R Promotion Association”(http://www.pc3r.jp/e/).
- Mobile phones ：An existing recycling system is provided by “mobile · recycle · network”(http://www.mobile-recycle.net/ ; in Japanese).
- Others (from households and business offices)：Microwave ovens, rice cookers, electric pots, cleaners,
electric fans, fan heaters and other heating apparatus, water heaters, fuel tanks, VCRs, DVD players,
video cameras, digital cameras, AV equipment, monitors (LCD and CRT), network equipment (routers,
hubs etc), printers, telephones (FAX), copy machines- Hazardous articles：Batteries (including ones in electronic appliances), fluorescent lamps, oil tanks,92portable gas stoves・ PCs, mobile phones, digital cameras, digital videos and HDDs can be treated as “personal valuables”
items.
・ It is necessary to pay attention to differences in type of WEEE from different types of area (residentialarea, industrial area, etc.). Special, unordinary equipment could be discarded. Planning of different
sorting rules and procedures for several areas might be necessary. Industrial wastes could be mixed inaccording to area. Specialists’ instructions might be needed, to ensure suitable sorting.
■Separation and collection of WEEE
・ Source separation at the early stages is desirable. In practice, according to the extent of damage and thesituation of removal, sorting, and collection, the following separation would be more practical.
(1) In case of houses collapsed by tsunami: At first, these wastes would be removed and stored in the nearest
temporary storage site, and then moved to a primary waste storage site. It is common that WEEE ismixed with debris and other wastes due to tsunami or subsequent life-saving activities. In such a case,
WEEE should be separated from other wastes at the temporary storage site as much as possible. The
following WEEE items should be identified and separated whenever possible. They are then to be kept at
a primary waste storage site, or a storage site for personal valuables.
a) Specified home appliances covered by the “Electrical Home Appliance Recycling Law”b) PC and mobile phonec) Personal valuablesd) Other WEEE (possibly, a), b), c), and d) include)e) Hazardous articles and parts(2) In case of household waste and waste from demolished houses: From the time of discarding anddemolishing, WEEE should be sorted as much as possible.
・ At storage sites, WEEE should be separated from other waste and stored as much as possible (in a waythat considers the processes of recycling and treatment). Items e), hazardous articles and parts, should be
stored and treated as in【Guide 8-14】.
■Treatment of PCs and mobile phones(1) Recycling systems for PCs and mobile phones exist, and therefore the systems should be utilized as far as
possible. However, utilizing the recycling systems might be difficult in some cases. It is effective to share
information on conditions of WEEE discarded and/or sorted with waste management companies
because the condition (degree of damage, salt-water content, sawdust content, sludge content andothers) of WEEE that they can dispose of may differ.
(2) WEEE can be regarded as “personal valuables.” If a storage and handling system for personal valuables
is available, consider having WEEE treated by such a system and stored for a certain period of time.
Such consideration is unnecessary for WEEE privately carried in, because these items are carried in on
the owners’ admission.
(3) Confirmation of saved data in memory devices should not be carried out without its owner being
present.
(4) Treatment of PCs
・ The Ministry of the Environment suggested that PCs should be separated into two categories: those with93

the “PC recycling label” that gives proof of payment of recycling cost, and those without the label.
However, in reality, checking the label is difficult, and distinguishing between PCs and word processors
is also difficult at the separation site, especially during removal. Recycling of these appliances should be
judged on the basis of whether they are recyclable or not, regardless of the presence of the PC recycling
label.
・ In the process of treatment of PCs, determine the presence of a “PC recycling label” for each PC andrecord the number of PCs with the label.
・ Data saved on HDD, etc. should be erased. However, the highest priority should be assigned not toerasing data, but to prompt treatment for waste disposal and reduction. Therefore, treatment should becommissioned to appropriate processing companies.
■Treatment of other WEEE・Other WEEE, larger than 30 cm in one dimension (this size varies according to incineration plants) isbasically to be crushed or shredded, iron is to be recovered if possible, and then the residue is to beincinerated.

94【Guide 8-10】Automobilesz

Basically follow the “Notification with Regard to Disposal of Automobiles Damaged by Great East
Japan Earthquake (March 2011).”z

Damaged automobiles including wrecked cars should be recycled in accordance with the “ELV(End-of-Life Vehicle) Recycling Act,” in principle.

Key points

・Damaged automobiles should be removed from disaster areas, stored at temporary storage sites, thenreturned to their owners or disposed of, in accordance with the “Notification with regard to Disposal ofAutomobiles Damaged by Great East Japan Earthquake (March 2011)” of the Ministry of theEnvironment, Government of Japan (see Ministerial Guidelines for details). The flow of automobile
disposal is shown in 【Fig. 8-10-1】.

【Fig. 8-10-1】Flow of automobile disposal (to owners or registered handling agents)95Management options and flow

・Damaged automobiles including wrecked cars should be recycled in accordance with the “ELV Recycling
Act” in principle. Basically, they should be removed from disaster areas, stored at temporary storagesites, and a request for disposal should be made to certificated collection centers.

・There is no need to pay a recycling fee when a request for disposal is made to registered handling agents,
in accordance with the “Notification with Regard to Handling of Automobiles of Unknown Identification
Number Damaged by Great East Japan Earthquake”(http://www.env.go.jp/jishin/attach/car_recycling_charge.pdf; in Japanese).



Details of management

・The main task is to remove damaged automobiles from disaster areas and return them to their owners
or to request a registered handling agent to collect them.

(1) Removal from disaster areas- The engine of submerged automobiles should not be started because of the possibility of water in theengine.
- The negative terminal lead of the battery should be disconnected in order to prevent a short circuit.
- Do not touch electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles without caution. Insulative protective clothing should beworn when removing electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.
- Automobiles washed out to sea by the tsunami should be hauled out of the water using a rough-terrain
crane or a truck crane (unic crane).
- In the case of a fuel leak, the fuel remaining in the tank should be drained off through the drain bolt and afuel hose (the employment of a professional is recommended). Oil and coolant should be drained off throughthe drain bolt and a hose coupled to the tank.
(2) Transfer from disaster areas: transportation to temporary storage sites by wrecker trucks(3) Storage at temporary storage sites: based on“Notification with regard to Disposal of Automobiles
Damaged by Great East Japan Earthquake”- Damaged automobiles may be stacked to a height of 3
meters within 3 meters of fences and to a height of 4.5
meters further away from fences.
- The height limit for large automobiles is the same asabove. However, large automobiles should be laid out flat.

【Fig. 8-10-2】Storage of damaged automobiles(“Disposal of Automobiles Damaged
by Great East Japan Earthquake”)- When rack structures are safeguarded against the weight of damaged automobiles and their loading andunloading are safe, they may be stacked above the previously mentioned heights.
- When damaged automobiles are stacked, their centers of gravity should coincide so that the stack does notcollapse.
- Other damaged items and materials should be separated from damaged automobiles.
- Sediment in damaged automobiles should be removed before treatment in order to prevent problems
during the crushing process and an increase in automotive shredder residue (ASR).
(4) Information about the dismantlement of damaged automobiles is available from【Reference Information
about Dismantlement of Damaged Automobiles (for Businesses)】.

96

【Guide 8-11】Motorcyclesz

Basically follow “Notification with Regard to Disposal of Automobiles Damaged by Great East Japan
Earthquake (March 2011).”z

Damaged motorcycles including handlebars, vehicle bodies, fuel tanks, engines and front and rear
wheels should be recycled in accordance with the “Motorcycle Recycling System”.

Key points

・Damaged motorcycles should be removed from disaster areas, stored at temporary storage sites, thenreturned to owners or disposed of, in accordance with the “Guidelines for removal of collapsed houses etc.
resulting from the Great East Japan Earthquake (March 2011)” of the Ministry of the Environment,
Government of Japan (see Ministerial Guidelines for details). The flow of motorcycle disposal is shown
in 【Fig. 8-11】. The flow of motorcycle disposal is similar to that of automobile disposal, and points ofdifference are indicated in red.

【Fig. 8-11】Flow of motorcycle disposal (to owners or registered handling agents)97Management options and flow

・Damaged motorcycles including handlebars, vehicle bodies, fuel tanks, engines and front and rear
wheels should be recycled through the “Motorcycle Recycling System.” Basically, they should be
removed from disaster areas, stored at temporary storage sites, and a request for removal should bemade to registered handling agents.

・

There is no need to pay a recycling fee when motorcycles with a recycling mark are discarded. All
motorcycles
after

that

Octoberrecycling

mark.

left

factories

2005

have

a

From

October

2011, there will be no need to pay

Examples of where the recycling mark can be found
Recycling mark Near vehicle
identification
numberUnder seat

Under seata recycling fee for motorcycles soldby the four motorcycle makers andthe twelve importers in Japan,
eventhough

they

have

no

Near vehicle
identification
numberrecycling mark.


Details of management

・The main task is to remove damaged motorcycles from disaster areas and return them to their owners
or to request registered handling agents to collect them.

(5) Removal from disaster areas- The engine of submerged motorcycles should not be started because of the possibility of water in theengine.
- The negative terminal lead of the battery should be disconnected in order to prevent a short circuit.
- Do not touch electric motorcycles and hybrid motorcycles without caution. Insulative protective clothingshould be worn when removing electric motorcycles and hybrid motorcycles.
- Motorcycles washed out to sea by the tsunami should be hauled out of the water using a rough-terrain
crane or a truck crane (unic crane).
- In the case of a fuel leak, the fuel remaining in the tank should be drained off through the drain bolt and afuel hose (the employment of a professional is recommended). Oil and coolant should be drained off throughthe drain bolt and a hose coupled to the tank.
(6) Transfer from disaster areas: transportation to temporary storage sites by vehicles for motorcycletransportation.

98

【Guide 8-12】Boats and shipszzz

Basically, the management of damaged boats and ships
should comply with the guideline published in April and July
2011 by the Ministry of the Environment (Guidelines on
Disposal of Boats and Ships Damaged by the Great East
Japan Earthquake).
Material containing asbestos may be present, so attention isrequired when handling.
Attention to publications on policy by industry groups and thegovernment, etc. is necessary.

■Key points
・ Based on “Guidelines on Disposal of Boats and Ships Damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake,
April and July 2011, Ministry of the Environment,” management of damaged boats and ships should
be carried out as indicated in Table 8-12-1. Basically, transportation and processing of damaged boats
and ships are described in the guideline as follows:
・ Severely damaged boats and ships, which can be moved, may be conveyed to temporary storage sites etc.
at any time if necessary.
・ If such boats and ships obviously lack utility, they can be processed as waste.
・ It is a fundamental principle that the disposal of damaged boats and ships is done under their owner's
responsibility. In the case of a disaster, a municipality may carry out the treatment and apply for agovernment subsidy.

【Fig. 8-12-1】Judgement concerning treatment of severely damaged boats and ships(Guidelines on Disposal of Boats and Ships Damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, April and July
2011, Ministry of Environment)99

・ The criteria for “utility” are as follows.
a）Boats and ships in the following condition are b） Boats and ships in the following condition
regarded as lacking utility
are regarded as having utility. Confirmationof the owner's intention is necessary.
・ Hull is severely damaged, is practically a ・ Possible to use if restoration and repairshulk.
are carried out, even in the case of damage
or loss of part of the hull or if it cannot be
・ Hull damage is serious (no longer inoperated due to damage to equipment.
original shape), and operation is impossible.
・ Embedded in house debris and other waste
anddifficulttoseparate
without
dismantling.
In the case of b), a certain period might be necessary for the owner to assess damage. From two weeks to
one month is a suitable period for confirmation.
・ As for the procedure for finding the owner, the MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure andTransportation) and the Fisheries Agency announced “We will provide information on ownership ofseverely damaged boats and ships” (http://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/kaiji06_hh_000033.html).
Based on this, necessary items of information for establishing ownership are as follows; (1)Identification number (Inspection certificate number for small boats of less than 20 tons displacement),(2) distinctive letters on the boat, (3) registered number of fishing boat, (4) name of ship, (5) port ofregistration. Contact offices for inquiries etc. are provided.
・ When contacting the owner, the following points should be confirmed.
(1) Does the owner know the location of his boat/ship?
(2) Is the owner receiving insurance compensation for his boat/ship? What is the situation of discussion
on compensation?
(3) What is the owner's intention concerning his boat/ship? (a: Transportation and repair by owner andthen reuse, b: Processing by the owner, c: Entrusting processing to the municipality)(4) In case of a/b in (3), when does the owner plan to transport/repair the boat/ship, and to what location?
(5) In case of c in (3), inform the owner of his responsibility for deregistration.
*The following insurances are usually applicable to a boat or ship (freighter, passenger boat, fishing boat,etc.) used for business purposes.
Insurance on hull (In thecase of fishing boats, it is“Regularnonlifeinsurance”)

Protection and indemnity
insurance (In the case offishing boats, “Protection
and indemnity insurance
for fishing boat”)

Insurance which provides compensation for costs such as damage repairs.
Generally, damage by earthquake/tsunami is covered by this insurance. （There aresome exceptions)
When the boat/ship is repaired and again in operation, the owner can receive
compensation for the cost of repair including the cost of transport to the place
where repair is conducted.
Insurance which helps cover costs resulting from owner’s responsibilities. When aboat/ship that is completely wrecked due to the earthquake has to be removed andprocessed under the owner's responsibility, the insurance provides compensation
for the necessary cost.

Refer to the guideline for details.
・ The practicality of transporting a ship is judged according to its size.
・ A vessel (larger than several hundred tons) stranded on a quay may be removed/moved by a floating
crane etc. When the removal of the ship is difficult because of excessive weight or a location that is too
far inland, at first reduce it to pieces of a size that can be transported.
100

・ In the case of small boats, the following standards have been established.
【Standard of transportation method according to length of ship】～9m : Unic truck crane can be used for lifting/transporting～10m : Truck crane of 20 ton capacity or larger can be used for lifting and a truck is
capable of transportation.
～13m : Truck crane of 20 ton capacity or larger can be used for lifting and alow-loading trailer is necessary for transportation.
*Lifting of boats/ships should be conducted by firms specialized in handling slings. In addition, adherence to the Waste
Management and Public Cleansing Act is important when transporting solid waste.

・ The following section lists treatment methods. However, more concrete treatment procedures wereannounced by government or will be available from related industry groups. Section VI of this guideline
mentions several important additional points concerning the treatment of boats/ships.
■When a conventional management system is available
・ When it is decided that damaged boats/ships are to be disposed of, treatment methods are classified asfollows, based on construction materials used.
(1) FRP boats (widespread among small boats/ships, including fishing boats): A special feature of this type ofboat is that FRP is a material regarded as being difficult to dispose of properly. Recycling is alsodifficult.
・ Under normal circumstances, the boat is treated according to “Recycle system for FRP boats” (Japan
Boating Industry Association: http://www.marine-jbia.or.jp/recycle/recycle.html). FRP boats can bereceived at marinas or consignment stores in each area. Recycling fees are stipulated according to typeof boat and total length.
・ Treatment is conducted by the following steps; At first, the boat is roughly shredded at the place ofreceipt. Then, it is pulverised at an intermediate treatment plant. Finally, fine FRP is utilized as fueland raw material at a cement factory.
・ To be accepted, the following items should be removed.
- Ordinary waste (food waste, bottles, cans, etc. and items other than those associated with boats)- Sea shells, sea weed, fingerlings, etc.
- Fuel, lubricant oil, (Crude petroleum, light oil, gasoline, oil, and coolant)- Bilgewater- Batteries, fire extinguishers, air conditioners and refrigerators- Fishing gear, ropes, fenders (tires, made of rubber, nylon, or styrene foam, etc.)(2) Light alloy ship (aluminum etc.): It is received by an industrial waste treatment plant, dismantled andsorted, and resources are recovered.
(3) Steel vessel (large-scale) : It is received by an industrial waste treatment plant, and it is dismantled andsorted, and resources are recovered.
■When conventional management systems are not available (Suggested processing method)・ If disposal of boats/ships is required after they have been brought to a temporary storage site, thefollowing procedures are considered possible. Attention must be paid during processing work to thepossibility of materials containing asbestos (see following description).
101

・ In the guideline, materials and parts used for small boats are shown as follows.
Hull1) FRP (Also laminated wooden boards with FRP coating.), 2) Light alloy (Aluminum alloy), 3)
Wood
・Engine1) Inboard engine: Mainly made of cast iron; some parts are aluminum alloy.
2) Outboard engine: Mainly made of aluminum alloys.
3) Fuel tank: Tanks may be made of FRP, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and ABS, etc.
・Other equipment
Stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and iron・Dangerous and hazardous articles
1) Fuel (especially, gasoline), 2) batteries, 3) fire extinguishers, and 4) flares (maritime distresssignaling device)*Among these, the following items should be removed beforehand for safe processing:Engines, fuel tanks, batteries, fire extinguishers and flares(1) In the case of FRP boats
・ After dismantling, metals such as those used in engines, nonferrous metals such as aluminum materials,
wood, and urethane etc. should be separated. Then they should be allocated to the individual processing
streams for metal scrap, wood waste, and combustible items, etc.
・ It is preferable to pump out any fuel, lubricants, or water accumulated in the bilge of a boat/ship before
dismantling/sorting.
・ If it is possible to process FRP by the procedure indicated below (shredding the FRP to fine powder
satisfying the acceptance standard for a cement factory), FRP should be utilized at a cement factory. Ifsuch process is not possible, FRP should be disposed of into an inert type landfill as plastic waste.
・ Concrete examples of treatment procedure are indicated in 【Table 8-12】.
【Table8-12】Example of methods of waste FRP boat recycling
Transportation

Truck (4t-10t) or unic truck crane (4t-10t) can be used for transport.

Dismantling・ For dismantling, heavy machinery, especially caterpillar excavator (8t-10t)with various attachments is useful. Recommendable attachments are forks,
thumbs, grapples, etc.
・ Although it depends on the subsequent processing capacities, the size ofcrushing by heavy machinery is decided according to the size of shredder
intake (e.g. less than 1m).
・ Dust generation (dispersion of glass fiber) is generally small whendismantling.
・ Wood, metal, and nonferrous metals are separated by hand sorting.
・ Ratios of metal and wood increase with the size of boat/ship. Large amounts
of wood are used in fishing boats. The amount of interior materials isgreater in motorboats.

Shredding/sorting

It has been reported that all FRP materials can be shredded by adopting
general-purpose cold die steel DC53 for the material of the fixed blade and therotating blade of a single-axis-shearing type shredder. However, when metals
are mixed, the fixed blades can be damaged.
102

Treatment

・ FRP processing requirements at a cement furnace are as follows; 1) The sizeof shredded material is below 20mm. 2) Concentration of chlorine andhazardous substances (Na2O, SO2, Zn, Pb, Cr) is below the limit value. 3)
Foreign matter (metal and stone, etc.) must be removed. 4) The calorificvalue is 5000kcal/kg or more. 5) Dust such as glass fibers doesn't disperse.
6) Handling must be fully controlled.
・ When disposed of into landfill, it is preferable that shredding and sortingare conducted to reduce volume.
MLIT, Maritime Bureau, Project to create advanced recycling system of waste FRP vessels. Fiscal 2002.
(http://www.kaikoukan.jp/data/1-030303.pdf)(2) In the case of aluminum boats and steel vessels
・ Many recoverable resources are contained in these boats/ships. After dismantling, metals used in engines,
nonferrous metals such as aluminum materials, wood, and urethane etc. should be separated. Then theyshould be allocated to the individual processing streams for metal scrap, wood waste, and combustible
items, etc.
・ For instance, the following items can be recovered as metals from an aluminum fishing boat (by referring
to Japan Aluminum Association “Pocket book of rolled aluminum goods, 2009” (in Japanese)).
- Aluminum: Hull, deck, top rail, superstructure, partition, hatch, window frame, and mast
- Stainless steel: Tiller plate and propeller shaft- Propeller: Brass■Identification and removal of hazardous substances (Especially asbestos)・ It is possible that hazardous substances such as asbestos and PCBs may be encountered insuperannuated ships. When dismantling, it is necessary to ensure screening of hazardous substances,measures to prevent environmental pollution, measures to prevent worker's health impact, andappropriate removal/treatment of hazardous substances.
・ Parts where asbestos may be encountered are shown in 【Fig. 8-12-2】.
・ To prevent dispersion of asbestos and to avoid exposure to it, work levels are classified as follows:
Work level 1 is stipulated for the removal of sprayed asbestos.
Work level 2 is stipulated for disassembly work on heat insulators containing asbestos.
Work level 3 is stipulated for disassembly work on molded plates containing asbestos.
・ For details regarding removal/disassembling work, refer to the manual (Japan Ship Technology Research
Association "Manual on proper handling of asbestos used in ships" (in Japanese)
http://www.jstra.jp/html/PDF/Asbestos%20manual%E3%80%80jap.pdf )103

(1) Sprayed asbestos(2) Heat insulator【Fig. 8-12-2】Parts where asbestos may be used in boats/ships(Japan Ship Technology Research Association “Manual on proper handling of asbestos used in ships”)

104【Guide 8-13】Asbestosz

Separation and removal of asbestos should be conducted to the fullest extent possible, sothat emission of asbestos and exposure to people are prevented.

z

Buildings collapsed by tsunami are in principle composed of mixed materials, andremoval of asbestos from them is basically difficult. However, measures for prevention ofemission such as water sprinkling are recommended when they are removed andtransported away from the site. If materials containing friable asbestos are identified
such as insulation in stacks and boilers of ships or factories, separate removal should be
conducted.

■Key points
・ With regard to the handling of asbestos in an emergency, separation and removal of asbestos should be
conducted to the fullest extent possible, in order not to mix asbestos in the disaster waste as well as otherhazardous substances. Thus emission of asbestos and exposure to people can be prevented.
・ For this purpose, earthquake-damaged buildings should be investigated prior to demolitions, so thatasbestos is not mixed into the disaster waste and to ensure that appropriate separation and removal canbe implemented.
・ On the other hand, buildings collapsed by tsunami are in principle composed of mixed materials andremoval of asbestos from them is basically difficult. However, measures for prevention of emission suchas water sprinkling are recommended when they are removed and transported away from the site. Ifmaterials containing friable asbestos are clearly identified, such as insulation in the stacks or boilers ofships or factories, removal should be conducted separately from other waste.
・ At temporary storage sites, qualitative analysis of asbestos is recommended when possible
asbestos-containing materials are found among scrap metal, construction debris and others. In particular,when rubble is to be utilized as recycled gravel, careful separation and storage should be carried out inorder not to mix any asbestos-containing material into it.
・ Regarding non-asbestos waste disposal, a dust collection system is recommended for crushing, taking
into consideration the possibilities of non-friable asbestos-containing materials being mixed in. Friable
and non-friable asbestos waste should be disposed appropriately as “asbestos waste.”・ At sites for demolition and removal, temporary storage sites, and where material is crushed for treatment,
measures for emission prevention such as water sprinkling are recommended. Workers andenvironmental sampling personnel at those sites must protect their health and safety by using
specialized masks and other safeguard kits.

105

Earthquake-damaged buildings
Preliminary survey of asbestos (before demolition)
The roles of persons concerned- Owner (preliminary survey before demolition)- Prefecture and cities, towns and villages (makeowner known)- A building and asbestos specialist (checking for
doubtful materials)- Making asbestos and doubtful material known
by labeling etc.

Building collapsed by tsunami(Tsunami waste)
Removal in a mixed

Items requiring special attention (especiallyfriability levels 1 and 2)- Sprayed application on steel frames andceilings of old buildings (level 1)- Insulating material of boilers and factory
stacks, etc. (level 2)- Formed versions, such as slate (level 3)

Analysis of asbestos in material (at an
Method of analysis- When on-site judgment is needed, it shall be
carried out by an expert.
- If an asbestos measurement vehicle isavailable, polarized light microscopy will be
used.
- JIS A1481 (X-ray diffraction method, phasedifference and distributed staining method)

The method of removal- Tsumami waste should be removed from thescene and carried to a temporary storage site,with water sprinkling to prevent asbestos fromscattering because the site is a mixed state.
- When asbestos equivalent to friability levels
1 and 2 clearly exists, it is necessary to deal
with that waste and prevent asbestos fromscattering.
- Check for the existence of asbestos, if possible,
at the site.
Items requiring special attention- Asbestos equivalent to friability levels 1 and
2 are often utilized in heat insulating material,
such as that used in vessels,stacks, and factory
boilers

Demolition and removal
Removal and separation of
The contents of work
- A special contractor disposes of friable asbestos, Non-friable
such as sprayed type.
asbestos
・Non-friable asbestos, such as formed board, isdealt with differently from other wastes in orderto prevent it from being crushed.
・When separation is difficult, prevent asbestos
from scattering by water sprinkling.
- Workers and persons in the vicinity must takemeasures to prevent inhalation of dust, such as
wearing a mask.

Demolition precautions- When the site is a no-go zone due to safetyconcerns, waste should be demolished carefully,
taking measures to prevent asbestos fromscattering such as water sprinkling.

Te mporary storage site(primaryand secondary )Separation and storage of non-friable
asbestos
The contents of work
- Set aside non-friable asbestos, such as
formed board, and store it carefully in order toprevent it from being crushed.
- If suspected asbestos materials are found in
rubble and metal waste, etc., check byanalysis.
Complete separation should be carried out,
especially when the debris is reused as rubble.
- Workers must take dustproofing measures,
Measurement of asbestos in the atmosphere(periodical)

Measurement of asbestos in the atmosphere (atthe time of demolition and removal)

Friable asbestos(muck cotton

Friable asbestos (muck cotton
etc.)
non-friable asbestos

Demolition and removal

De molition and removal

Removal and separation of

Removal and separation ofNot
containing
asbestos

Work procedures- A special contractor disposes of the friable
asbestos, such as sprayed materials.
・Non-friable asbestos, such as formed board, isdealt with differently from other wastes in order
not to crush it.
・When separation is difficult, prevent asbestos
from scattering by water sprinkling.
- Workers must take dustproofing measures,such as wearing a mask.

Work procedures- A special contractor disposes of the friable
asbestos, such as sprayed materials.
・Non-friable asbestos, such as formed board, isdealt with differently from other wastes in order
not to crush it.
・When separation is difficult, prevent asbestos
from scattering by water sprinkling.
- Workers must take dustproofing measures,such as wearing a mask.

Demolition precautions

Demolition precautions- When the site is a no-go zone due to safetyconcerns, waste should be demolished carefully,
taking measures to prevent asbestos fromscattering such as water sprinkling.

- When the site is a no-go zone due to safetyconcerns, waste should be demolished carefully,
taking measures to prevent asbestos fromscattering such as water sprinkling.

The measurement (at the time of demolition andremoval) of asbestos in the atmosphere

The measurement (at the time of demolition andremoval) of asbestos in the atmosphere【Fig. 8-13】The outline of response to asbestos in a disaster area106【Guide 8-14】Hazardous/dangerous articleszzz

Various products with harmful/dangerous characteristics may
be mixed in disaster waste.
It is preferable to extract and sort them as much as possible forsafety in work/storage/processing.
Such products should be appropriately stored at temporarystorage sites until a proper treatment process is establishedbecause many of them do not require urgent treatment.

■Key points
・ Even in normal circumstances individual hazardous/dangerous articles (products) are classified as“Items difficult to dispose of appropriately” and they are not collected or treated by municipalities.
Many of them can have negative impact on human health and the environment and may also become
obstacles to reconstruction, if they are dispersed into the environment by earthquake/tsunami andproper collection/treatment measures are not taken. In disaster waste management plans formulated
in the past by several municipalities, management policy concerning “Items difficult to dispose of
appropriately” is stated as follows:- In principle, items corresponding to industrial waste (including industrial waste requiring special
treatment) should be treated under the responsibility of the business entities that generated the waste
even following a disaster, as well as under normal circumstances.
- Since increased generation of “items difficult to dispose of appropriately” from households is expectedfollowing a disaster, announcements should be made to residents regarding prioritization of discharge(e.g. the beginning date of collection service, restraint concerning discharge until normal collection isresumed, etc.) and appropriate management procedures.
- It is important to promote proper treatment of waste by taking measures to prepare a collection schemeby business entities. Moreover, cooperation of business entities should be requested. Information ontake back by business entities should be announced to residents by leaflet, etc., and consultation
services should also be provided.
・ The following section mainly describes important points regarding items indicated in【Table 8-14-1】 .
However, it is necessary to confirm the most recent information because additional importantannouncements may be made by industry groups and the government.
【Table 8-14-1】Hazardous/dangerous products
FeatureProduct

Products containing hazardous

Agricultural chemicals, insecticides, and other chemicals (not home

substances

medicines)
Coating medium, paintBatteries (Sealed type battery, Ni-Cd battery, micro cell, and car
battery)
Fluorescent lamps and mercury thermometers

Products having

Kerosene, gasoline, and engine oil
107harmful/dangerous

Organic solvent (thinner etc.)

characteristics

High-pressure gas cylinders
Gas canisters, spray cansFire extinguishers

Infectious waste from

Used injection syringe needles and disposable syringes, etc.

household*Asbestos and waste electrical equipment containing PCB, etc. are excluded.

■Collection/acceptance and treatment procedure of individual item
(1) If the conventional collection system for individual items is functioning in the same manner as innormal circumstances, go ahead promptly with treatment/recycling by asking the designatedcollection/processing entity to collect/take-back such items immediately.
【Table 8-14-2】Collection/take-back and treatment procedure of individual hazardous/dangerous products
Product
Agricultural chemicals,
insecticides, and otherchemicals (not home
medicines)

Coating medium, paintBatteries

Ni-Cd battery,
Nickel-hydrogenbattery,
Lithium-ion
battery
Micro cell,

Car batteries

Fluorescent lamps

Product
Ask shop/manufacturer
for collectionor ask waste
managementcompany forcollection andtreatment
Ask shop/manufacturer
for collection.
Ask wastemanagementcompany forcollection andtreatment
To collection
box inrecycling
cooperationshop
To collection
box in electric
appliance
shop etc.
Toauto-supply
shop or gas
station whererecycling iscarried out
Collected ashouseholdhazardous
waste or as
incombustible

Contact information
JA Group, Agricultural chemicals
shop
National Federation of Industrial
Waste Management Associations

Treatment
Neutralization
andincineration

http://server-4.zensanpairen.or.jp/index.php

Incineration

Japan Portable Rechargeable Battery
Recycling Center
http://www.jbrc.net/hp/contents/index.html

Battery Association of Japan
http://www.botankaishu.jp/srch/srch10.php

Shredding,sorting, andrecycling
Shredding,sorting, andrecycling
Shredding,sorting, andrecycling(metalrecovery)
Shredding,sorting, andrecycling(cullet,recovery of108

Kerosene, gasoline, andengine oil
Organic solvents (thinneretc.)

High-pressure gas cylinders
Gas canisters, spray cansFire extinguishers

Used injection syringe
needles and disposable
syringes, etc.

waste,
depending on
regionTo automobile
dealer or gas
stationAsk shop/manufacturer
for collection.
Ask wastemanagementcompany forcollection andtreatment
Return to
shop
After
completely
using it, makea hole in it
thendischarge asincombustiblewaste
Ask shop/manufacturer/wastemanagementcompany
Collected ashouseholdhazardous
waste,
depending on
region.
Or collected at
specified
medicalinstitution

mercury)
Incineration
and recycling
Incineration

LP Gas Sales Association
http://www.japanlpg.or.jp/index.html

Fire Extinguisher Recycling
Promotion Center
http://www.ferpc.jp/index.html

Reuse andrecycleShredding

Shredding,sorting, andrecycling
Incineration,
vitrification,
landfilling(2) If conventional collection system for individual items is not functioning
Hazardous /dangerous items should be stored at the temporary storage site until collection stations are
set out. If necessary, they are transported to a collection station located in another area and then they
are treated /recycled. Otherwise, by adding function of a collection station to temporary storage sites,and directly dealing with transport /treatment companies, prompt management may be achieved.

■Agricultural chemicals(1) “Management and disposal of unused agricultural chemicals, December 2004” (http://www.jcpa.or.jp/; inJapanese) is useful for reference.
(2) Basic concepts in normal circumstances are as follows; 1) To avoid left-over amounts, they should be usedcompletely. 2) Washing solution from used container should be used in the field as a dilute solution
for agricultural chemical spray.
(3) The following aspects should be noted when agricultural chemicals become disaster waste.
109

・Agricultural chemicals that remain in container- Agricultural chemicals that remain in their container must not be transferred to other containers, inorder to prevent misuse and accidental ingestion, etc.
- Agricultural chemicals that remain in their container and residues in used containers must not be
disposed of into rivers, lakes, irrigation channels, and sewers, etc.
- In the case of a can container which contains volatile agricultural chemicals (for instance, chloropicrinetc.), it should be managed according to “Notification with regard to removal of agricultural chemicals
residue from a used container and the disposal of empty containers, December 2004” (in Japanese),published by the Japan Crop Protection Association.
・When agricultural chemicals must be unavoidably discarded, they should be appropriately treated by oneof the following methods.
- The handling of agricultural chemicals should be consigned as much as possible to an authorized waste
management company.
- If a city, town, or village is responsible for their collection and disposal in normal circumstances, theyshould be stored until the normal function of the city, town, or village is regained.
- If a regional cooperation system had been established to collect and manage agricultural chemicals innormal circumstances, these chemicals should be stored until the system is reestablished.
(4) Cautions
・ In the case of poisonous or deleterious substances, the company that stores/transports thesesubstances must be registered, and management procedures for each substance are stipulated basedon the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act.
・ Agricultural chemicals, which contain more than a certain limited proportion of simazine, thiuram,benthiocarb (thiobencarb), organophosphorous compound (parathion, methyl parathion, methyl
demeton, EPN), and 1,3-dichloropropene, may be classified as industrial waste requiring special
treatment. Strong acid and strong alkali substances are subject to the same classification.
・ Additionally, full care must be taken when disposing of agricultural chemicals, including storage,transport, and treatment contract, because some liquid products might be classified as industrial
waste such as waste acid/alkali.
(5) When they are stored, all of them should be stored under a roof in order to prevent dispersal into thesurrounding environment by wind and rain. If they are stored outside, they should be fully enclosed bywaterproof plastic sheeting (including ground surface underneath them).

110■Coating medium, paint(1) If paints separated from the disaster waste are sorted as industrial waste, their transport and treatment
should be consigned to an authorized waste management company.
(2) Disposal of small amounts of paints used in households is not possible if they are in liquid state. In
principle, containers should be disposed of after the contents are completely used up. If they have to bedisposed of unavoidably, they should be treated according to the following instructions.
・ Paints: Paints should be poured out as much as possible, and daubed on newspaper etc. After the paintdries, the paper should be processed as a combustible waste. Another method uses paint treatment
agent to solidify paints, after which it can be disposed of as combustible waste by being wrapped innewspaper etc.
・ Container: Paints in the container should be poured out completely until no paint remains in the bottomof the container. Then, the container should be dried outdoors not in vicinity of a fire, and disposed of as
incombustible waste (or as metal scrap). Plastic containers should be disposed of as plastic waste.
・ Aerosol cans: The contents should be completely sprayed out. Then the can can be discarded, after
confirming that no gas remains inside. Don't make a hole in it to discharge gas. Never throw it into a
fire, as it may explode. If aerosol remains inside, it should be completely sprayed out onto newspaper etc
and then dried. After discharging gas completely, containers should be disposed of as metal scrap. Caps
should be disposed of as plastic waste.
・ Fluorocarbon might be contained in old products. So, it is necessary to check for its existence. If it ispresent, the products must be stored if possible.
■Batteries
・ Best efforts must be made to remove batteries from other wastes and to store them separately. Thenthey should be treated by the conventional recycling route. Especially, micro cell batteries containing
mercury should be stored in designated containers and kept stored until the recycling route isreestablished.
・ Because lithium-ion batteries may ignite, they should be stored in designated drums.
■Fluorescent lamps
・ Fluorescent lamps should be managed under the conventional collection system (recycling network) as
far as possible. Since the amount generated is not estimated to be huge, they should be stored at
temporary storage sites until the collection route is reestablished or transportation to a treatment
facility becomes possible.
・ In addition, they should be kept in a drum etc. because they are fragile.
■High-pressure gas cylinders・Gas leaks from high-pressure gas cylinders swept away by tsunami could result in cases of

poisoning, ignition, and explosion. Careful handling is essential when collecting and transportingthem.
・ When a gas cylinder is discovered on site, do not approach it closely or touch it. Untrained personnel
should not try to pick it up. Instead, contact the related group (e.g.
http://www.pref.fukui.jp/0902/gus.html; in Japanese). The L.P. Gas Sales Association is conducting
111

collection of gas cylinders as indicated in 【Table 8-14-4】with the announcement of “Measures taken by
the L.P. Gas Sales Association for the Great East Japan Earthquake (ver.4)”(http://www.japanlpg.or.jp/info/data/20110405.pdf; in Japanese).
・ When it is difficult to store cylinders in a container yard, temporary storage is necessary in premises. In
the case that the owner of a gas cylinder has been located, it should be returned to its owner. On theother hand, storage space is necessary for gas cylinders whose owners are deceased.
【Table 8-14-3】Contents and external appearance of high-pressure gas cylinders
Gas

Color of cylinder

Characteristics of gas

Liquefied petroleum gas

Generally, grayCombustible gas

Black

Combustion enhancing(LPG)
Oxygengas
Acetylene

Brown

Combustible gas【Table 8-14-4】Gas cylinder collection by the L.P. Gas Sales Association
Collection

Collection commenced in Miyagi prefecture where damage was most severe. In areas

area

where debris removal had not taken place, the collection took place after its progresshas been observed. In addition, gas cylinders used in evacuation shelters etc.
established in each disaster area are also collected.

Collection
procedure・Collection work is done by small groups (About two cars, and 4-5 people) going aroundthe area.
・They collect gas cylinders from areas where debris removal has made progress. Whencollecting them, stopgap measures such as closing the valve etc. are taken first.
Additionally, they cooperate in collection when high-pressure gas cylinders otherthan the L.P. gas type are found.
・The collected gas cylinders are stored at predetermined storage yards in eachprefecture.

■Gas canisters, spray cans
・ Gas canisters in which gas is still remaining may ignite /explode when handled by heavy machinery,loaded onto a truck, or shredded /sorted. Hence, they should be separated from other waste as far as
possible.
・ Fluorocarbon might be contained in old products, so it is necessary to confirm its existence. If
fluorocarbon is contained, canisters should be stored.
・ When gas canisters have been sorted from other waste, discharge of gas is necessary. The following
points must be noted. After gas is completely discharged, gas canisters can be disposed of as
incombustible waste.
- Gas discharge work should be conducted under conditions of sufficient ventilation. Do this work
outdoors, if possible.
- Discharge work should be done in accordance with the instructions indicated by the manufacturer (e.g.
Explanation regarding mechanism to release content etc).
112

- The work must be done at places where no ignition sources such as fire, thermostat, etc. exist.
- Making a hole with a nail might cause ignition by spark. Discharging gas by using the spray button,
without making a hole, is better.
■Fire extinguishers
・ Fire extinguishers sorted at temporary storage sites can be used effectively to put out fires caused bysorting operations etc. Therefore, removal of them from the site is not urgent, but they must be
separated from mixed disaster waste.
・ The collection and recycling of fire extinguishers is basically conducted by the Fire Extinguisher
Recycling Promotion Center. However, fire extinguishers will not be accepted if they are dismantled or
broken to pieces.
・ Measures for avoiding dispersion and leakage of extinguishant should be taken during collection andtransportation of fire extinguishers. Existence of safety latches should be confirmed. If leakage ofcontents is found, the whole fire extinguisher should be put into a bag.
【Table 8-14-6】Examples of fire extinguishers that are/are not supported by recycling system provided by
the Fire Extinguisher Recycling Promotion Center
Supported

Not supported

・ Small fire・ Fire Extinguishers Containing PFOS(*)

extinguishers (also,
some otherextinguishment
devices)・ Large fire・ Products classified as “industrial waste requiring special
treatment”
・ Aerosol fire extinguishers (Products manufactured as spraycans)
・ Fire extinguishers from manufacturers other than members of

extinguishers (also,

the Japan Fire Extinguisher Manufacturer's Association.

some other(Inquiry to manufacturer is necessary for such products)

extinguishment
devices)*PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulphonate) might be used in some fire extinguishers. If so, they should be properly
stored and managed, because PFOS is classified as a class I specified chemical substance under the Japanese
Chemical Substances Control Law. Most of such extinguishers are installed at facilities where inflammable
substances (gasoline etc.) are used, such as gas stations, chemical industrial complexes etc., and parking lots.
For pertinent products, a description such as “Strengthened liquid (neutral) fire extinguisher,” “Mechanicalfoam fire extinguisher,” “Mechanical foam (neptunian film) fire extinguisher,” etc. appears on the label of thefire extinguisher. Also, they are listed in the document “Handling of fire extinction chemicals and fire
extinguisher containing PFOS” (http://www.jfema.or.jp/pdf/pfos.pdf; in Japanese) published by the Japan Fire
Extinguisher Manufacturer's Association.

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【Guide 8-15】Personal Valuablesz

Allow people the opportunity to recover items of personal valuables, such as mortuary
tablets, photo albums etc. (valuables and memorabilia) to the fullest extent possible.

z

Place personal valuables in safe-keeping, avoiding damage to them, whenever you findthem while demolishing damaged houses.

■Key points
・Allow people the opportunity to recover items of personal and sentimental value, such as mortuary tablets,
photo albums etc. (valuables and memorabilia) to the fullest extent possible. For example, hand them in to
local government office and give owners the chance to check or get them back.
・Place personal valuables in safe-keeping, avoiding damaging them, whenever you find them while
demolishing damaged houses. Clear distinction should be made from items that citizens have brought bythemselves because such items are regarded as waste.
■Collection and Checking
・Items that should be collected include mortuary tablets, photo albums, photos, wallets, bankbooks, notes,“Inkan” seals, jewelry, certificates, PCs, HDDs, mobile phones, video and digital cameras. If you findsomething else, you should basically judge subjectively at the spot whether it should be kept.
・ Deposit the items collected at the local government office, providing the opportunity for owners to checkand recover their property. Basically, valuables should be handed over for safe-keeping at a police station. If
items are dirty, you should try to remove dirt from them. You may ask volunteers to work with you on this.

Governmental staff of Sendai city collected personal valuables, storing them in a cultural center. Volunteers
removed dirt from them. (April 23rd, Sendai city)*Checking is done in the cultural center

Items piled up at the entrance for checking. (April 4th, Sendai city)114

【Quick Reference for Handling Disaster Waste】Cautions for workers andvolunteers (please read this before commencing work)
Disaster wastes include a variety of wastes. It is necessary to process disaster wastes as quickly as possible
for recovery of a disaster area. You should separate different types of waste as much as possible during theprocess, considering final processing and disposal. It is also essential to watch out for dangerous materials
and items. Read the following reference carefully before working. Try to work with the recommendations
below in mind.
[Safety first] You must wear a mask (helmet and goggles), hard-soled shoes or boots, and clothes that do
not expose your skin. Always work with others, not alone.
【Articles that must be separated, packed, and labeled】
Construction materials

Transformers and condensers containing PCBs

Sharp objects such as
knives ,or medical wastes

containing asbestos

such as needles of syringes

White or gray board (in some cases,wavy); fibers can be recognized
clearly.

【Materials that should be separated for safety and hygiene】
Gas cylinders and oil stoves

Fire extinguishers

Toxic wastes,

Deposits（sludge）

fluorescent lamps,
batteries,
lead-acid batteries,(motorcycles)
and spray cans
【Items that should be separated in order to reuse, recycle and dispose of in the future】
Automobiles,
motorcycles,
ships and boats

Products covered by ElectricAppliance Recycling Law, PCs

Concrete rubble,
asphalt rubble,
earth and sand,tires

Lumber and woodchips

Tatami mats and mattresses

Scrap metal

Tatami mats are easy todeal with when cut into one
third of the original size

Wood with green surface (probably coated with chemical preservative) or wood soaked with seawater
should be separated because problems may arise in recycling etc.

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【Reference information about dismantling of damaged automobiles (for businesses)】z

Airbags

The document “Onsite treatment of Airbags in Damaged Automobiles”(http://www.jarp.org/pdfs/information/0412.pdf; in Japanese)” has been published by the Japan Auto
Recycling Partnership. This document provides safety measures to be taken against dangers such as thescattering of parts of damaged automobilesm and smoke emission due to short circuits in onsite treatment of
airbags in damaged automobiles. The following precautions should be made: to close doors in order toprevent the scattering of parts of the damaged automobiles, to keep enough space around them in case ofsuch scattering, to set up protection barriers and wear helmets, confirm the absence of combustible
materials, and to check that no smoke is emitted from the automobile after the treatment.
Some airbags with electric inflators cannot be inflated because of flooding and damage. If airbags cannot be
inflated, they should be removed manually.
If airbags cannot be removed even manually, please contact the Japan Auto Recycling Partnership.
z

Collection of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

The document “Collection of CFCs from Damaged Automobiles (in Japanese)(http://www.jarp.org/pdfs/information/0414.pdf)” has been published by the Japan Auto Recycling
Partnership. It states that the suction of seawater causes CFC collection machines to malfunction. When
CFCs are collected from automobiles damaged by the tsunami, check whether CFC collection is necessary
using a pressure manometer before collecting CFCs.
z

Removal of liquids

Liquids such as oils (engine oils, differential oils, ATF, transfer oils and so forth) and fuel in automobiles
damaged by the tsunami may need to be removed by a different method from the normal methods, because
the liquids may include seawater.
Collected oils and fuel can usually be sold; however, those which include seawater should be disposed of byincineration, etc.
z

ASR (Automobile Shredder Residue)

Items which should be removed beforehand, which should not be included in ASR, are airbags, tires,
batteries, liquids such as fuel, oil and coolant, fluorescent lamps, garbage in automobile interiors and trunks,and soil accumulated in the interior. These items should be removed by scrappers as part of their
responsibilities. In the case of damaged automobiles from which it is difficult to remove parts or liquids,
those with soil adhered by the tsunami, those with high chloride levels due to inundation by sea water, andso on, the difficulty of dismantling may be increased. The amount of ASR may be increased because of soil
accumulated in damaged automobiles, making the automobiles unable to meet the criteria for restrictedamounts of ASR.

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z

Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles

The document “Precautions for Handling of Damaged Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Vehicles (in Japanese)(http:// www.jarp.org/information/2011/http1.doc)” has been published by the Japan Automobile
Manufacturers Association. This document warns of the possible leakage of electricity and liquids fromdamaged electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, because they are equipped with high-voltage batteries.
When damaged vehicles are removed (transported or stored), the following precautions should be taken: towear insulation gloves in order to prevent electric shocks, not to touch orange high-voltage cables, to wear
protective glasses and masks in order to prevent accidents, handle batteries carefully in order to avoid therisk of electric shocks, and to dry batteries suspected of liquid leakage. Follow guidelines for the removal ofbatteries from damaged hybrid vehicles published by the battery manufacturers when the vehicles are
dismantled. Websites giving these guidelines are listed in this document.

117