Figure 3-12 Changes in the Number of Illegal Dumping Cases of Industrial Waste and Volume Dumped

Note 1: Regarding the number of cases and volume of illegal dumping shown above, from among illegal dumping of industrial waste identified by prefectures and ordinance-designated cities, cases where the volume of dumping per case was 10 tons or more were totalized (however, cases including specially controlled industrial waste were all counted individually).

2: The cases of Gifu City and Numazu City were revealed in 2003 and 2004 respectively and it was found that the illegal dumping had already been carried out for several years by then. As a result, these cases were reported as a large-scale case in the above fiscal years. The case of Chiba City case (colored white) was revealed in FY 1998 but reported to the Ministry of the Environment in FY 2006. The case of Kuwana City Tado Town (colored white) was revealed in FY 2006 but reported to the Ministry of the Environment in FY 2008.

The case of Kuwana City Tado Town (colored white) was revealed in FY 2006 but reported to the Ministry of the Environment in FY 2008. 3: Sulfate pitch cases and ferrosilit cases were excluded from this survey and would be arranged for separate survey reporting.

3: Sulfate pitch cases and ferrosilt cases were excluded from this survey and would be arranged for separate survey reporting.

Ferrosilt was used as refill materials, and its sales and use started in August 2001. Approx. 720,000 tons were sold and used, but later this was identified as illegal dumping cases. The illegal dumping was confirmed at 45 sites in four prefectures, and removal of ferrosilt has been completed at 42 sites (as of February 15, 2010).

* Figures were rounded off; therefore the total may not equal to the breakdowns.

Source: Ministry of the Environment

### 4. Assessing and Managing the Environmental Risk of Chemical Substances

## (1) Current State of Chemical Substances Remaining in the Environment

In today's society, a wide variety of chemical substances are used in various industrial activities and daily living, providing convenience to our lives. In addition, there are some chemical substances generated unintentionally as a result of incineration and other activities. There are some chemical substances that would pollute the environment, causing harmful effects to the human health and ecosystems, if they are not properly managed in the various stages of manufacturing, distribution, use, or disposal. The Ministry of the Environment has been conducting environmental survey and monitoring of the state of chemical substances remaining in the general environment and releasing the findings in "Chemicals in the Environment" (http://www.env.go.jp/chemi/kurohon/). The government has been examining the selection of target chemical substances and improving the survey methods in accordance with the environmental measures so that the results of the survey would be utilized effectively in measures to tackle chemicals in the environment since FY 2002. The government conducted the surveys with a new adopted framework that consisted of several surveys with different purposes: the Initial Environmental Survey, the Detailed Environmental Survey for Exposure Study, and Environmental Monitoring from FY 2010. These survey results have been utilized in various substances-related policy measures, including the addition of substances for regulation to the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. (Act No. 117 of October 16, 1973, hereinafter referred to as "the Chemical Substances Control Law"), review of the designation of certain chemical substances, under the Law Concerning Reporting, etc. of Releases to the Environment of Specific Chemical Substances and Promoting Improvements in Their Management (Law No. 86 of 1999, hereinafter referred to as "PRTR Law"), and the basic data for the implementation of environmental risk assessment.

## (2) Promoting the Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemical Substances

In response to the need in regard to environmental policies and based on the results of the above-mentioned environmental survey and monitoring of chemicals, the government is assessing the harmful effects on human