In addition, for municipalities on isolated islands that have difficulty collecting used vehicles, a support program with specified recycling deposits was started. In fiscal 2008, deposits for 23,000 vehicles were given to 89 municipalities.

### B. Evaluation and Examination of the Vehicle Recycling System

Because five years passed since the complete enforcement of the End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Law in January 2005, in the joint meeting of the Automobile Recycling Technical Committee under the Central Environment Council and the Automobile Recycling Working Group under the Industrial Structure Council, the law enforcement status was evaluated and examined, and was reported in January 2010. As recommended by this report, the Ministry of the Environment will make a guideline for the judgment of end-of-life vehicles or used ones.

## (10) Law for the Promotion of Use of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Resources as Raw Materials of Biofuel (Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Resources Biofuel Law)

In October 2008, “Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Biofuel Law” was newly enforced to promote the use of biomass originating from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries as biofuel, and to expand the production of domestic biofuel.

This law states the following: (1) the national government approves plans related to the “Production and Manufacturing Cooperation Project” in which farmers, foresters, fishers, and biofuel manufacturers, in cooperation with one another, are engaged in the process from production of raw materials to the manufacturing of biofuel (ethanol, wood pellet, etc.) and a “Research and Development Project” in which research and development is carried out to improve biofuel manufacturing techniques and (2) according to the approval by the government, support measures are taken, such as reduction of fixed property taxes on newly built biofuel manufacturing facilities and prolongation of the redemption period of improvement funds for farmers, foresters, and fishermen.

In December 2008, the first plan related to “Production and Manufacturing Cooperation Project” was approved.

## (11) Law concerning the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities (Law on Promoting Green Purchasing)

### A. Promotion of Actions by the National Government and Local Public Bodies According to the Law

According to the “Basic Principles for Promoting Green Purchasing” (Basic Principles), organizations of the national government and others officially announced their procurement plans for fiscal 2009 and procured eco-friendly goods and services, based on the plans.

Designated procurement items and criteria for judgment of what should be procured specified in the Basic Principles are subject to revision as necessary according to the development and popularization status of the items and the improvement of scientific knowledge. Also in fiscal 2009, the Basic Principles were revised in February 2010, and the number of designated procurement items became 256 in 19 fields.

### B. Promotion of Green Purchasing by Various Types of Participants

The activities of the Green Purchasing Network, which started as an organization composed of companies, the administration, consumer groups, etc. that took the initiative in working on green purchasing in cooperation with one another, were actively assisted, and, through their green purchasing seminars and educational and awareness activities, the idea was introduced that they preferentially purchased products with less environmental load, such as products with less generation of waste and recyclable products. In addition, briefings were given to help people to know and understand the “Guidelines for Labeling concerning the Environment;” the guidelines describe how information on eco-friendly goods and services should be provided to promote green purchasing.

## (12) Law concerning Special Measures for Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes (PCB Special Measures Law)

The Kanemi rice oil disease incident that occurred in 1968 revealed the toxicity of PCB to humans. Accordingly, in October 1973, the “Law concerning the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.” was enacted, and the manufacture, import, and use of PCB were banned. However, no treatment system for waste home appliances, etc., was built because the cooperation of local public bodies and people around possible construction sites for treatment facilities was not forthcoming, and for other reasons. Therefore, PCB waste was securely stored over a long period of time. In addition, the “Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants” (POPs Convention) adopted in May 2001 requires that the use of PCB be wholly abolished by 2025 and PCB waste be controlled appropriately till 2028. Under such circumstances, in order to prevent environmental pollution by PCB to protect public health in the future and conserve the living environment, the PCB Special Measures Law was enacted in June 2001. According to this law, the national government should take measures for building a PCB waste treating system, such as establishment of the PCB Waste Treatment Fund and the development of base treatment facilities by the Japan Environmental Safety Corporation (JESCO). With these measures, the treatment of PCB waste is supposed to be completed by 2016. In April 2003, the “Basic Plan for PCB Waste Treatment” specified in the PCB Special Measures Law was formulated in order to comprehensively and systematically promote the certain and proper treatment of PCB waste. In order to develop a comprehensive system for treating waste electric equipment contaminated with very small amounts of PCB and promote treatment of PCB-contaminated material, the basic plan was revised in November 2009.

## (13) Law on Special Measures concerning Removal of Environmental Problems Caused by Specified Industrial Wastes (Law on Special Measures against Specified Industrial Wastes)

In Japan, industrial wastes generated because of improper treatment, such as illegal dumping, have caused problems with the conservation of the living environment. In addition, the industrial wastes left as they are for a long time,