Law for Establishing the Recycling-based Society enacted in 2000: (i) reduce waste, (ii) reuse end-of-life products and parts, (iii) recycle as raw materials, (iv) recover heat as energy, and (v) dispose as final waste. The Law stipulated that the government was to formulate the Basic Plan for Establishing a Recycling-based Society to ensure that waste and recycling measures are implemented in a comprehensive and systematic manner. The Plan, formulated in March 2003, defined a specific image of the type of recycling-based society that Japan is aiming at, target values and the respective roles of citizens, NPOs, NGOs, businesses, local governments, and the national government.

Illegal dumping of industrial waste has remained steady at around 400,000 tons for the past several years, but in FY 2001, the volume decreased drastically to 240,000 tons.

### 5. Measures for Environmental Risk from Chemical Substances

Among the 50,000 or more chemical substances said to be distributed in Japan, there are many that have various kinds of toxicity, such as carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity. It is feared that these substances may affect humans and the ecosystem through various media, such as air and water.

In order to prevent damage by these substances, the environmental risk (possible interference with environmental conservation) of these chemical substances must be assessed and proper measures must be taken based on the assessment results.

Until recently, Japan’s system for evaluating and regulating chemical substances took the position of protecting human health alone. In order to introduce an evaluation and regulation system that focuses on the impact of chemical substances on plants and animals, in addition to the protection of human health, a revised draft of the Chemical Substances Control Law was passed by the Cabinet and sent to the Diet in March 2003. The draft also adopts more efficient and effective measures that take into consideration the possibility of chemical substances being released into the environment. The preparations must be made to implement a new evaluation and regulation system based on the revised Chemical Substances Control Law.

The average daily intake volume of dioxins for humans is decreasing annually. The volume is less than the tolerable daily intake level (4pg-TEQ/kg/day) that is low enough that even if this volume were to be absorbed throughout one’s lifetime, it would not have adverse health effects.

Note: * indicates the amount of industrial waste generated in FY 1996, calculated based on the “Targets of Waste Reduction” (government decision, September 28, 1999)—target for FY 2010, compiled in line with the Basic Policy for Dioxins Measures. The amounts of industrial waste generated after FY 1997 are calculated using the same conditions.

Source: Compiled from State of the Generation and Treatment of Industrial Waste (FY 2000 Results), Ministry of the Environment

Current State of the Illegal Dumping of Industrial Waste

FY	Average of 1993-1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Number of dumping (case)	435	719	855	1,197	1,049	1,027	1,150
Amount of dumping (10,000 tons)	38.9	21.9	40.8	42.4	43.3	40.3	24.2

Source: Compiled from State of the Illegal Dumping of Industrial Waste (FY 2001), Ministry of the Environment

Changes in Daily Intake of Dioxins

Implementation Procedure of Reporting, etc. of Releases of Specific Chemical Substances (PRTR/Pollutant Release and Transfer Register)