NATIONAL PROFILE on Chemicals Management - UNITAR

Emissions of Specified Hazardous Industrial Waste fluctuate in the range of above and below1 million tons a year, as shown in Table 2-4. They make up approximately 0.25% of allindustrial waste emissions.Table 2-4Emissions of specified hazardous industrial waste and industrial wasteFY SPECIFIED HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE (10,000 TONS) INDUSTRIAL WASTE (10,000 TONS)1996 93 42,6001997 116 41,5001998 98 40,8001999 136 40,000Source: Survey conducted by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).Japan is a party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement ofHazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to people’shealth and the environment resulting from the transboundary movement of hazardouswastes and their disposal. In order to effect this convention, Japan promulgated the Law forthe Control of Export, Import and Others of Specified Wastes and Other Wastes in 1992 andit came into force in December 1993. Table 2-5 shows the volume of import and export ofhazardous wastes based on this treaty and the related domestic law. The definition of thesehazardous wastes is based on the Basel Convention and is different from the definition by theWaste Management and Public Cleansing Law.Table 2-5The amount of import and export of hazardous wasteFY EXPORT (TONS) IMPORT (TONS)1999 2,926 1,9392000 2,090 4,3822001 1,515 4,3262002 824 2,505Source: The Implementation Status of the Law for the Control of Export, Import and Others of Specified Wastes and Other Wastes in 2001, Ministry of the Environment(MOE).Note1: Based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry has a good grasp of the number of import orexport notifications issued regarding wastes regulated by the Law for the Control of Export, Import and Others of Specified Wastes and Other Wastes.Note2: Export items were film with lenses attached, solder waste, lithium ion battery waste, etc., all with the aim of recovery and recycling of metals such as copper,lead, tin, etc.Note3: Import items used were catalytic agents, copper sludge, nickel cadmium batteries, etc., all with the aim of recovery and recycling of metals such as copper,lead, tin, etc.17