Photo 2-1-2 The Temporally Strage on Fire

# Section 1 Disposing of Disaster Waste from the Great East Japan Earthquake

The tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake brought extensive damage and created vast amounts of disaster waste in the coastal areas of Tohoku. Restoration and reconstruction from the disaster were possible without quickly disposing of the disaster waste.

To promote disposal, after the disaster the Ministry of the Environment issued basic policies, such as the Guidelines (Master Plan) for Disaster Waste Management after the Great East Japan Earthquake, for prompt disposal of disaster waste, in addition to providing financial assistance and offering necessary advice by dispatching professionals. These initiatives are being carried out with the cooperation of local governments and related groups. Also, to ensure that there are a sufficient number of workers for quickly and smoothly disposing of disaster waste in the affected areas, physical support continues to be offered from municipalities throughout Japan.

In terms of the work completed to date, delivering disaster waste to primary temporary storage areas located in the vicinity of residential areas was completed by the end of August 2011. It has almost achieved the target to complete the transportation of disaster wastes to temporary storage areas by the end of March, 2012. In a part of municipalities, another target date has been set up due to a vast number of houses needed to be demolished; however, all disaster wastes are expected to be delivered to temporary storage areas by the end of March 2013 at the latest.

The process of incineration, recycling, and landfilling

Photo 2-1-1 Disaster Waste in the Temporary Strage Space

Photo: Ministry of the Environment

waste delivered to temporary storage areas is planned for completion by around March 2014. However, the processing capacity in the affected areas has deteriorated, making it necessary to dispose of disaster waste in other prefectures (broad-area disposal).

The following gives an overview of specific cases of broad-area disposal of disaster waste, and includes an outline of the processing system, the status of delivery to temporary storage spaces, incineration and recycling of collected waste, and the status of landfills.

## 1 Establishment of Guidelines for Disposal Disaster Waste

To ensure smooth and prompt disposal of the tremendous amount of disaster waste produced by the massive earthquake, the Ministry of the Environment serves as a coordinator for local governments and related groups to establish a collaboration scheme for disposal. Specific measures have included: establishing an information collection and liaison system immediately after the earthquake; dispatching Ministry officials to areas with particularly severe damage (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures); and establishing a Special Countermeasures Headquarters for Disaster Waste within the Ministry of the Environment. In addition, starting from May 2011, Ministry of the Environment officials, researchers, and engineers have formed teams to visit affected areas and identify the current status of the target areas and problems, in addition to offering necessary advice.

The Ministry of the Environment further established a disaster waste disposal scheme in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures and a council for disposal of disaster waste consisting of related organizations (e.g., prefectural governments, municipalities, and the central government). These efforts were made to deliberate on a swift and smoothly functioning disposal method that matched the realities of the disaster-affected areas and to further consider specific measures for disposing of disaster waste.

To further encourage the disposal of disaster waste in collaboration with the groups involved, the Ministry of the Environment establish Guidelines for the Removal of Damaged Houses and Structures after the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, Guidelines for the Disposal of Damaged Houses and Other Structures (Draft Outline), and Guidelines (Master Plan) for Disaster Waste Management after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Along with measures to be taken by the central government stipulated in the Act on Special Measures for Disaster Waste Management, the following efforts have been made to dispose of disaster waste in the affected areas: (1) requesting broad-based cooperation to secure temporary storage spaces and landfill sites for the disposal of disaster waste as soon as possible; (2) promoting recycling; (3) formulating a unified policy regarding contracts related to the disposal of disaster waste; (4) preventing health hazards due to asbestos; (5) formulating a policy for the disposal of disaster waste that has flowed into ocean areas as soon as possible; and (6) preventing infectious diseases and odors caused by disaster waste such as tsunami sediment.

In the past, expenses required for the disposal of disaster waste by municipalities have been backed by governmental subsidies for disaster waste disposal projects based on the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (subsidizing 50% of municipal expenses). In addition, a new measure has been taken by the central government to cover expenses (on average, 95% of actual expenses) related to disposing of waste created by the recent earthquake. This measure provides support through the Green New Deal Fund for disposal of disaster waste produced by the massive

## 2 Schedule for Disaster Waste

As a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, about 18.8 million tons of disaster waste were generated in municipalities along the coast of the three prefectures affected: Iwate Prefecture, 5.3 million tons (12 times the normal yearly amount of waste); Miyagi Prefecture, 11.5 million tons (14 times the normal yearly amount of waste); and Fukushima Prefecture, 2.0 million tons (3 times the normal yearly amount of waste).

earthquake based on Guidelines for Special Measures regarding Disaster Waste Disposal (Act No. 99 of 2011), and increases the percentage of national subsidies based on the Act for Extraordinary Expenditures and Assistance to Cope with the Great East Japan Earthquake (Act No. 40 of 2011). For the residual part to be borne by local administrations as well, the Ministry of the Environment took the extraordinary measure of not burdening local administrations with the full amount by allocating taxes for reconstruction.

On November 29, 2011, the Ministry of the Environment reviewed a project plan and a road map for reconstruction policy, formulated on August 26 of the same year, to promote disposal based on the three targets described below (Figure 2-1-1). The first target was to transport most of the disaster waste from nearby locations where people currently live to temporary storage spaces by the end of August 2011. This target was achieved by all municipalities except those within the alert area in Fukushima Prefecture. The second target was to transport disaster waste to temporary storage spaces by the end of March 2012. This target was achieved by almost all municipalities except those within the alert area in Fukushima Prefecture. Special goals were set for some

## 3 Disposal of Disaster Waste

Disaster waste is disposed by: demolishing the affected area; delivering the waste to temporary storage spaces; intermediate processing; recycling; and landfilling. Due to the vast amount of disaster waste, Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures have requested wide-area disposal of disaster waste in excess of their capacity.

municipalities with special circumstances (e.g., Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture), such as a particularly large volume of demolished houses. For these areas, transportation to temporary storage spaces is to be completed no later than the end of March 2013.

The third target is to complete the disposal of disaster waste by the end of March 2014, which is three years after the disaster. In Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, measures such as establishing contract-based waste disposal by block and installing makeshift incinerators have taken place. As of the end of May 2012 a total of about 2.91 million tons of waste (nearly 16% of the estimated disaster waste overall) has been disposed of in municipalities in the coastal areas of the three affected prefectures.

Photo: Ministry of the Environment

Figure 2-1-1 Schedule for Disposal of Disaster Waste

2011	2012	2013	2014以降
April	July	October	January	April	July	October	January	April	July	October	January
Disposal of disaster waste Transporting the disaster waste to temporary storage spaces	(Waste in the vicinity of residents)	(Other disaster waste)
Special goals are set for some municipalities by the end of March 2013.
Intermediate processing·Landfilling	(Wood and concrete waste recycling)

Source: Ministry of the Environment (Project and schedule for the reconstruction assistance) (November 29, 2011)