Basic Guidelines of Japan for the Promotion of Measures against Dioxins

(Revised Draft)

(Decided on March 30, 1999. Revised on September 28, 1999.)

Section 1. Basic Approaches

I. The issue of dioxins requires the entire Cabinet to strengthen efforts in order to protect human health and conserve the environment now and into the future.

II. The total national release of dioxins is to be reduced to approximately 90% below 1997 levels within four years from now.

III. Research on dioxins conducted by the Government has confirmed the safety of vegetables and tea, particularly in the area of Tokorozawa City in Saitama Prefecture. However, it is necessary to alleviate citizen concern, through close cooperation between related Ministries and Agencies, improved and strengthened measures, and the release of accurate information about dioxins, from the perspective of making stronger preventative efforts to avoid impacts on health and the environment.

IV. With this awareness, the Government established concrete Guidelines for comprehensive and systematic measures to deal with dioxins. Based on these Guidelines, in addition to smoothly executing the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins which was enacted in July 1999, the Government will strongly promote the following activities in collaboration with local governments, businesses and citizens.

1. Establishing various standards, including the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI)

2. Promoting measures to reduce the release of dioxins

3. Improving inspection systems relating to dioxins

4. Executing fact-finding studies into the impacts of dioxins on human health and environment

5. Promoting research and development

6. Promoting waste prevention and recycling

7. Providing the public with accurate information and promoting information disclosure

8. Contributing to the international community

V. Progress in implementing measures based on these Guidelines will be reviewed within one year, and revisions will be made if necessary.

VI. Japan will contribute to the international community by making available overseas the experiences and technologies acquired through the efforts noted above, relating to measures in Japan to combat dioxin and deal with waste.

VII. Furthermore, besides all-out efforts to deal with waste, the entire Government will work together for the realization of a society based on sound material cycles.

Section 2. Urgent Measures Needed against Dioxins

1. Establishing Various Standards, Including the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI)

(1) Establish the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI), which will be the basis for measures by the national and local governments, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins, with reference to the results of the June 1999 revision of the TDI. In addition, the conclusions shall be released in a way that is easy for the public to understand.

(2) Strive to improve the level of scientific knowledge relating to intake routes of dioxin to humans, and biological concentration through the food chain, etc. For these purposes, in FY1999, precise exposure assessments relating to areas near emissions sources, and actual measurements relating to behavior in the environment, etc., will be conducted, as well as systematic research on an annual basis.

In addition, in order to estimate the amount of dioxins taken into the body, expand studies about dioxins in food, and as results are compiled release them in a way understandable to the public. Furthermore, assess human health impacts comprehensively based on exposure from the air, soil, etc.

(3) Based on the above, while striving to improve scientific knowledge, establish environmental quality standards for air, water (including bottom sediment) and soil, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins. In addition, while striving for substantial improvements in scientific knowledge, conduct verification of appropriate environmental quality standards as needed.

2. Promoting measures to reduce the release of dioxins

(1) Prepare a dioxin emissions inventory by June 1999, classified by each source of emissions, such as waste incineration facilities.

(2) Strengthen regulatory measures targeting waste incineration facilities, currently the main sources of dioxins in Japan. Achieve dioxin emission reductions each year, and report the results annually, with achievement of regulations by 2003.

(3) For non-regulated sources, promote measures to achieve emissions reductions based on the latest information about emissions and on the results of actual studies about emissions.

(4) Tighten controls over unlawful waste incineration, through stringent monitoring measures based on the Waste Disposal and Pubic Cleansing Law, the Air Pollution Control Law, and the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

(5) Clarify criteria for selecting sites for waste incineration facilities in areas where there is already a concentration of such facilities.

(6) Promote measures relating to handling of soot and dust, etc., relating to waste incinerators, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

(7) Promote measures to deal with dioxins in effluent, with reference to fact-finding studies of effluent and on the accumulation of the latest scientific knowledge, and based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

(8) Promote measures relating to the maintenance and management of final waste disposal sites, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

(9) Improve financial and technical support for waste incineration plants being built by local governments, and promote improved facilities on an area-wide basis. In addition, strive for the active implementation of local strategic plans which are now being prepared.

In addition, strive to upgrade industrial waste incineration facilities through the utilization of financing programs of governmental financial institutions, etc.

(10) Continue to build on financial and tax system-related assistance mechanisms for the needed investments in facilities, for parties which conduct measures to reduce emissions, in order to smoothly implement emissions reductions measures.

(11) Promote measures relating to soil contaminated by dioxins, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

(12) Promote measures to prevent the exposure of workers, including improvements in worker health management, monitoring of work environments, improvements in work environments, and utilization of proper protective equipment, etc.

(13) Establish plans to reduce the amount of dioxin emitted due to business activities, based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins.

3. Improving inspection systems relating to dioxins

(1) Strive to improve inspection systems essential for the implementation of proper measures. In order to ensure the reliability of dioxin inspections, establish and disseminate JIS standards before September 1999 for the standard methods for measurement and analysis of gaseous emissions and effluent, based on international trends. In addition, supply environmental standard samples which can be referred to. Furthermore, promptly consider how to guarantee the reliability of external organizations or overseas facilities in the case that they are commissioned to conduct inspections, and obtain a conclusion during FY2000.

(2) Promote greater improvements in arrangements for systems to measure and analyze dioxins by inspection institutions of local governments, using the FY1999 budget. In addition, while improving and strengthening precision management initiatives, build capacity and expand public and private inspection institutions to be able to conduct measurement and analysis of dioxins by creating guidelines to realize proper precision management for dioxin analysis.

(3) To improve analysis techniques, conduct systematic training of technicians in public inspection institutions of local governments starting in FY1999.

4. Ascertaining the facts about the impacts of dioxins on human health and the environment

(1) Ascertain the actual situation regarding dioxins annually and continuously, under the coordination of related Ministries and Agencies, from various perspectives, including the environment, living organisms, the human body, work environments, waste incineration facilities, and industrial sectors, etc. At the same time, provide the information to the public in an easy to understand way, by using standard units and explaining the significance of the units,

? The Environment Agency will assess the situation relating to environmental media and sources which include atmosphere, fallen ash, soil, water quality, sludge and living organisms.

? The Ministry of Health and Welfare will assess the situation relating to the health impacts relative to human exposure, including the volume of emissions from waste incineration facilities, food, blood, and mother's milk.

? The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will assess the situation relating to agricultural products, fish and shellfish, etc.

? The Ministry of Labor will assess the situation relating to the state of worker health, and work environments.

? The Ministry of International Trade and Industry will assess the situation relating to sources from industrial sectors.

? The Ministry of Construction will assess the situation relating to river water quality, river bottom quality, etc.

(2) Related Ministries and Agencies will cooperate and allocate work to ascertain the situation relating to areas close to waste incineration facilities.

(3) Provide financial and technical assistance for monitoring and surveillance based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins and for other fact-finding studies conducted by local governments.

5. Promoting research and technological development

(1) Related Ministries and Agencies will cooperate to promote the technological development and research necessary for dioxin countermeasures. In order to apply and disseminate the outcomes, within one year make a comprehensive plan involving the related Ministries and Agencies,

(2) Included in the above, during FY1999 place priority especially on technological developments relating to proper waste incineration, cleaning of contaminated soil, detoxification and decomposition of dioxin, precision management, and simple methods for measurement and analysis; and research relating to toxicity assessment, behavior of dioxins in the environment, assessing human exposure, and impacts on living organisms.

6. Promoting waste prevention and recycling

(1) Regarding improvements of industrial waste disposal facilities, smoothly promote improvements of safe and proper disposal facilities by having the national and local governments get involved in those improvements, while firmly maintaining the principle of responsibility of the businesses which discharge the waste. In order to accomplish this, new systems are to be quickly built. In this regard, the PFI methodology will also be utilized.

(2) In order to reduce the emissions of dioxin from waste incineration facilities, which are the main source, steadily promote the countermeasures that are already in place for dealing with waste. At the same time commence consideration of the ways of waste disposal that will cause less public concern. In addition, promote unified and systematic waste countermeasures by the entire government, including the establishment of target volumes for waste reduction within half a year.

(3) In addition, strive to minimize the creation of waste, by encouraging consideration at the product development, production and distribution stages, self-restraint relating to production and selling of throwaway products and over-packaging, efforts to lengthen the life of products, and reconsidering the lifestyles of citizens. In addition, promote the re-use of used products, the restoration and reuse of waste, the recovery and use of recycled resources, and recycling. As one such initiative, promote policies based on the Container and Packaging Recycling Law.

(4) Furthermore, in order to promote the proper separation and recycling of construction demolition waste, consider the necessary legal systems at the next regular session of Diet if possible. In addition strongly promote the "Construction Recycling Promotion Plan '97", and quickly achieve the target of 80% recycled. In particular, in public construction works promote the full implementation of recycling, and the separation and recycling of waste arising from demolition of buildings. Furthermore, promote the development and utilization of technologies for recycling relating to construction activities.

(5) Fully implement appropriate disposal of industrial waste based on the responsibility of businesses discharging waste, such as the 'industrial waste control manifest system' which allows businesses discharging waste to clearly assess by themselves the flow of industrial waste.

(6) Fully implement the minimization and proper disposal of waste emerging from governmental facilities.

(7) Improve and strengthen broad environmental education and environmental learning, including topics relating to waste recycling problems, for all ages from children to seniors.

(8) In schools, it is important to promote proper waste disposal and waste reduction since in principle incinerators have been banned. To support this, reference materials are to be produced and distributed this month to schools nationwide.

7. Providing the public with proper information and promoting information disclosure

(1) Provide the public with accurate and timely information in an easy-to-understand manner, including facts on health and environmental impacts, results of technological development and research, trends overseas, and the meaning of varies numerical indicators.

(2) In order to obtain the understanding and cooperation of the public regarding the dioxin issue, expand unified and systematic public relations activities, including publication of pamphlets and official papers jointly produced by related Ministries and Agencies. These publications should comprehensively explain the situation and topics relating to the waste problem. In addition, hold lectures, etc.

(3) In addition, each Ministry and Agency is to strive to provide accurate information relating to dioxins, by providing information to citizens' information centers, and consumer information centers around the country, as well as through publications, the Internet, and the mass media, etc. Through these activities, seek to eradicate concern about dioxin pollution in food and mother's milk, etc.

(4) In addition to these items, using various opportunities to communicate, encourage a shift to lifestyle patterns which produce little waste, by encouraging citizens to reconsider their own values and lifestyles.

8. Contributing to the international community

(1) In the area of international cooperation, Japan will play its proper role in the international community through transferring overseas our experiences and technologies with dioxin and waste countermeasures, based on requests from developing countries,

(2) Japan will also actively contribute to inter-governmental negotiations now underway through the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to establish a convention to address issues at the international level, relating to Persistent Organic Pollutants, including dioxins.

Distributed by

Section 1. Basic Approaches

Section 2. Urgent Measures Needed against Dioxins