The revised Air Pollution Control Law (Act No. 5 of 2006) that amended the Air Pollution Control Law, etc. was completely enforced in April 2007 in order to prevent damage caused by asbestos to the health, etc. of people. In order for the national government to promote safe and rapid treatment of wastes containing asbestos, started under this law is a system (called “Toxicity Eliminating or Decomposing Treatment Certification System) when the Minister of the Environment certifies an operator to be able to eliminate or decompose toxicity with advanced techniques, such as fusion, no license for a specific type of business and facility installation is required of a business operator by the governor, etc. of the prefecture.

### B. Municipal wastes

The Ministry of the Environment is requesting municipalities to deliver the wastes of household appliances containing asbestos, such as irons, toasters, and dryers, distinguish them from other wastes, collect them without damaging them, not to smash them if possible after collection, and to finally dispose of them by sprinkling with water or immediately covering them with soil, or to distinguish them from other wastes when stored.

On the other hand, as a permanent measure, the ministry laid down technical guidelines based on advice by professionals about how to treat the wastes of household appliances containing asbestos, showed the guideline to municipalities, and requested them to treat the wastes appropriately.

## (6) Development of a System for Treating Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Wastes

### A. Development of a Nationwide System for Treating PCB Wastes

The Japan Environment Safety Corporation developed a system for treating high-pressure transformers, capacitors, etc. containing PCB, based on this system, five broader-area treatment facilities have been established in Japan (Kitakyushu City, Toyota City, Tokyo Metropolis, Osaka City, and Muroran City in Hokkaido). Treatment operations started in Kitakyushu in December 2004, in Toyota in September 2005, in Tokyo in November 2005, in Osaka in October 2006, and in Hokkaido in May 2008.

The national government, in cooperation with 47 prefectures, has been making efforts to establish a fund (PCB Waste Treatment Fund) to facilitate treatment by small and medium size companies that cannot bear the burden of such expenses.

### B. Measures for Treating Waste Electric Equipment Contaminated with Very Small Amounts of PCB

Concerning PCB wastes, it has been found that transformers, etc. in which no PCB is used actually contain a large quantity of insulating oil contaminated with very small amounts of PCB (hereafter referred to as “waste electric equipment contaminated with very small amounts of PCB”). This waste electric equipment contaminated with very small amounts of PCB may damage the environment because of loss, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive system for treating such waste equipment. In order to develop a system for the treatment of the equipment by the

Table 2-10 PCB waste storage status (as of March 31, 2008)

Type of waste	Number of business establishments that store PCB waste	Storage quantity
High voltage transformer	6,246	33,887 units
High voltage capacitor	51,630	267,800 units
Low voltage transformer	918	44,861 units
Low voltage capacitor	4,040	1,678,375 units
Pole-mounted transformer	253	2,655,163 units
Ballast	15,095	6,094,353 units
PCB	296	50 t
Oil including PCB	2,495	132,973 t
Carbonless paper	384	704 t
Rag	1,711	437 t
Sludge	313	22,484 t
Other machinery and equipment	6,403	470,001 units

Remarks: Regarding items that cannot be measured as a number of units, weight or volume, e.g., transformers, etc. (high-voltage transformers, high-voltage capacitors, low-voltage transformers, low-voltage capacitors, pole-mounted transformers, ballasts and other machinery and equipment) and PCB, etc. (PCB, oil including PCB, paper, carbonless paper, rag and sludge) stored in a drum or any other bulk containers, only the number of business establishments were counted. PCB, etc. recorded by volume were totalized after converting into weight assuming 1 liter = 1kg.

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Table 2-11 Use status of products containing PCBs in business establishments that store PCB waste (as of March 31, 2008)

Type of waste	Number of business establishments that store PCB waste	Storage quantity
High voltage transformer	2,078	9,235 units
High voltage capacitor	6,336	21,938 units
Low voltage transformer	167	54,944 units
Low voltage capacitor	235	28,904 units
Pole-mounted transformer	27	1,164,296 units
Ballast	1,456	279,530
PCB	26	549 kg
Oil including PCB	21	4,138 kg
Other machinery and equipment	2,367	14,665 units

Remarks: PCB, etc. (PCB, oil including PCB, paper, carbonless paper, rag and sludge) recorded by volume were totalized after converting into weight assuming 1 liter = 1kg.

Source: Ministry of the Environment

private sector, the national government has been conducting 16 experiments in total for incineration verification in nine facilities from 2005 to 2008. The “Expert Committee on Treatment of Waste Electric Equipment Contaminated with Very Small Amounts of PCB” that was set up in the Central Environment Council has been discussed the results of verification tests and how to promote the treatment of such waste equipment. In March 2009, the result of study was summarized in “Treatment Measures for Waste Electric Equipment, Etc. Contaminated with Very Small Amounts of PCB”. Based on this summarized result, the related ministerial ordinances and notifications were revised in November 2009, e.g., waste electric equipment contaminated with very small amounts of PCB was covered by the special system on eliminating treatment in the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (Table 2-10 and 2-11).