Water Environmental Management in Japan 09 Oct. Oct. 2009 Water Environment Division, Environmental Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ)
. History of Water Management Real GDP (Trillion Japanese Yen) Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Second Minamata disease Tokyo Olympic Games Income-doubling Program Water Quality Preservation Law and Factory Effluent Control Law Law concerning Provisional Measures for Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea Establishment of the Environment Agency Minamata disease Water Pollution Control Law, The Japan World Exposition Law concerning Special Measures for Conservation of Lake Water Quality Amendment of WPC Law (for groundwater pollution ) Amendment of WPC Law (for total pollutant load control) Red Tide in Lake Biwa Red Tide in Seto Inland Sea Water Environment Conservation in Enclosed Seas and Lake Establishment of the Ministry of the Environment Amendment of WPC Law (for domestic effluent) Basic Environment Law Global Environment Issues Water Pollution Measures
Polluted effluent directly poured into Polluted water around industrial area, the sea, 1960s Dokai Bay, 1960s, Kyushu (City of Kitakyushu Website) After World War II(1945~) Heavy Industry and Processing Trade Tendency to cause more pollutant Pollution from : Heavy industry >> Light industry, Service industry Production for processing trade >> Domestic demand
1945~ Pollution-related Disease Minamata Disease, Niigata Minamata Disease and Itai-itai itai Disease had damaged the health of many people. Minamata Disease is A neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning First discovered in Minamata city in Kumamoto prefecture; officially identified in 1956. The second outbreak of Minamata disease occurred in Agano River basin in Niigata prefecture in 1965. (National Institute for Minamata Disease Website)
1945~(cont.) Damage to the living environment caused by water pollution Offensive odor Massive fish death Water intake suspension, etc. Polluted water with bubbles, 1972, Tokyo Polluted water with wastes, 1970, Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Website)
1945~(cont.) Challenges by local government Prefectural governments with large industrial areas started to establish ordinances. Local governments (prefectures and cities) pushed national government to develop pollution prevention policies. Pollution Prevention Ordinances Tokyo Metropolitan Government : 1949 Osaka Prefectural Government : 1950 Kanagawa Prefectural Government : 1951 Fukuoka Prefectural Government : 1955 : :
1958 Urayasu Incident Fishermen in Urayasu broke into Honshu Pulp factory located along the Edo River in Tokyo in 1958 after the massive fish death in Tokyo Bay due to polluted wastewater discharge from the factory. (Urayasu City Website) Establishment of Water Quality Laws Law Concerning Preservation of Public Water Areas Law Concerning Control of Factory Effluent
Water Quality Laws of 1958 enough? The public water area had to be designated to be applicable to Law Concerning Control of Factory Effluent. Regulations to meet Water Quality Standards were not stringent enough. What happened? Polluted areas had spread from large cities to throughout nation. Pollution and facilities which discharged polluted water or wastewater were varied. Pollution had worsen rapidly. New Measures for water environment conservation was needed
1967 Establishment of The Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control To resolve fundamental pollution problems, extending beyond direct control of pollution sources, through systematic and total administrative action. 1970 Establishment of Water Pollution Control Law Took over two water quality laws Unified several regulations All public water areas National effluent standard Direct penal system Almost all kind of industry
1971 Establishment of Environment Agency To enforce various pollution control laws and to coordinate environmental policies executed by other administrations. 1972~ Amendments Absolute Liability System(1972) Total Pollutant Load Control System(1978) Restrictions on Specified Percolated Water(1989) Measures to be Taken in Case of an Accident(1989) Promotion of Measures for Domestic Wastewater (1990)
. Administration of Water Management Hydroelectric power (METI) MHLW Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Water resource development (MLIT) Sewage system (MLIT) Fishery Aquaculture (MAFF) Johkasoh (MOE MLIT) Water supply (MHLW) Environment Quality Standards (MOE) River management (MLIT) Effluent restriction (MOE) Forest maintenance (MAFF) Irrigation Agricultural water (MAFF) Industrial water supply (METI) MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries METI Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry MLIT Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport MOE Ministry of the Environment prevention of marine pollution by ships (MOE MLIT) On-Site Treatment System of Domestic Effluent Restrictions on Permeation of Harmful Substances (MOE) Restrictions of groundwater withdrawal (MOE METI)
. Outline of Measures concerning Water Environment Conservation Goals of the water environment conservation policy Environmental Quality Standard for Water Pollution (health items, living environment items and DXNs) Measures concerning water environment conservation Wastewater regulation for factories & establishments (uniform regulation) System to notify specified facilities Water quality monitoring (continuous monitoring, voluntary measurement by enterprises) Measures for domestic effluent Measures for closed water areas
Structure Goals Water Quality Standard Measures for closed water areas Measures for domestic wastewater Measures for factories and establishments Effluent Standard Notification of facility installation Monitoring of waste water Monitoring of public water On-site quality Inspection Order Report Pollution Control Johkaso Sewerage Construction Seto Inland Sea Lakes Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea Specific areas/basic Plan & Control
Legal System concerning Water Environment Conservation Environment Basic Law Establishment of Environmental Quality Standard [Implementation of concrete measures] - Measures Common to the Whole Country Water Pollution Control Law System to notify specified facilities, wastewater regulation common mon to the whole country, continuous monitoring of water quality,, total pollutant load control for closed sea areas, measures for domestic effluent such as the designation of priority areas for domestic effluent measures Law concerning Special Measures against Dioxins (only the part relevant r to water quality) Establishment of environmental quality standards for water pollution (sediment), effluent control, system to notify specified facilities, formulation of emission reduction plan, continuous monitoring of water quality (sediment) - Special Measures for Specified Water Areas Law concerning Special Measures for the Conservation of Lake Water Quality Basic Policy for the Conservation of Lake Water Quality, designation of certain lakes (10 lakes such as Lake Biwa), regulation based on the Plan for the Conservation of Lake Water Quality, implementation of projects, etc. Law concerning Special Measures for the Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea Basic Plan for the Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea, license system for the installation of specified facilities, Natural Seashore Conservation Area System (notification of action and recommendation), consideration for environmental conservation in reclamation Law concerning Special Measures for the Rejuvenation of the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea Basic Policy for the Rejuvenation of the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea, Prefectural Plan for the Rejuvenation of the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea, establishment of comprehensive survey assessment committee Law concerning Special Measures for Water Quality Conservation at Water Resources Area in Order to Prevent the Specified Difficulties in Water Utilization This is to regulate the precursors (bio-refractory organic substances) of disinfection by-products in limited areas in order to prevent difficulties arising from disinfection by-products (chloroform, etc.) that are generated in the unavoidable e process of chlorine disinfection for water service. Basic policy: continuous monitoring (generative capacity for disinfection by-products (trihalomethane( generative capacity)) Designation of specific water areas, land areas and the formulation of a water quality conservation plan (with no designation record).
. Environmental Quality Standard for Water Pollution Water pollution Toxic substance Mercury, arsenic, chlorinated organic compound, etc. Organic pollution, etc. The so called dirtiness and muddiness of water BOD/COD, DO, SS, etc. Environmental Quality Standard for Water Pollution Effects on people Health items (Drinking and seafood intake) Effects on aquatic life Living environment items Nutrient salts Causative substances of eutrophication Nitrogen, phosphorus Living Environment Defined to include animals and plants with a close relation to human life, and their native habitat. BOD/COD One of the most fundamental forms of water pollution is oxygen depletion in water areas. A decrease in water oxygen generates malodor and other difficulties such as aquatic life being unable to survive. For this reason, besides the directly dissolved oxygen (DO), the oxygen demand (OD) that measures the oxygen consuming substance as an amount of oxygen is used. The oxygen demand includes the BOD, measured by means of microorganisms and the COD, measured by means of chemical substances. The Environmental Quality Standard adopts the former for rivers and the latter for lakes and sea areas.
Items, Etc. of Environmental Quality Standard for Water Pollution Health items Living environment items Item Cadmium Total cyanide Lead Hexavalent chromium Arsenic Total mercury Alkylmercury PCB Dichloromethane Carbon tetrachloride 1,2-dichloroethane 1,1-dichloroethylene Cis-1,2 1,2-dichloroethylene Standard Value 0.01 mg/l or less Undetected 0.01 mg/l or less 0.05 mg/l or less 0.01 mg/l or less 0.0005 mg/l or less Undetected Undetected 0.02 mg/l or less 0.002 mg/l or less 0.004 mg/l or less 0.02 mg/l or less 0.04 mg/l or less Item 1,1,1-trichloroethane 1,1,2-trichloroethane Trichloroethylene Tetrachloroethylene 1,3-dichloropropene Thiuram Simazine Thiobencarb Benzene Selenium Nitrate nitrogen & Nitrite nitrogen Fluoride Boron Standard Value 1 mg/l or less 0.006 mg/l or less 0.03 mg/l or less 0.01 mg/l or less 0.002 mg/l or less 0.006 mg/l or less 0.003 mg/l or less 0.02 mg/l or less 0.01 mg/l or less 0.01 mg/l or less 10 mg/l or less 0.8 mg/l or less 1 mg/l or less Item River Lake Sea Area BOD 1-10 mg/l - - COD-Mn - 1-8 mg/l 2-8 mg/l ph 6.0-8.5 6.0-8.5 7.0-8.3 SS 25-100 mg/l etc. 1-15 mg/l etc. - DO 2-7.5 mg/l 2-7.5 mg/l 2-7.5 mg/l Coliform bacteria count 50-5,000 MPN/100 ml 50-1,000 MPN/100 ml 1,000 MPN/100 ml N-hexane extracts - - Undetected. Total nitrogen - 0.1-1 mg/l 0.2-1 mg/l Total phosphorous - 0.005-0.1 mg/l 0.02-0.09 mg/l All zinc 0.03 mg/l 0.03 mg/l 0.01-0.02 mg/l
Regular Water Quality Monitoring Public waters (river, lake, sea) about 9,000 spots throughout the country (environmental standards points, etc.) and the water quality in ground water is monitored. Government ordinance city (Water quality measurement in the government ordinance city) Water quality measurement Results of water quality measurements Sending results Adjustment Prefecture Understanding of the water quality characteristics of water area Understanding of long term changes & water quality trends Early detection of water pollution (Water quality measurement of river, lake, sea and underground water) Formulation of water quality measurement plan Formulated in order to coordinate with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and government ordinance city and to effectively conduct continuous monitoring of water quality. Water quality measurement Health items (cadmium, all cyanogen, etc.) Living environment items (BOD, COD, all zinc, etc. of aquatic life item,) Obtaining water Sampling Analysis Achievement & maintenance of environmental standard for water quality Implementation of environmental protection measures Response to water pollution incidents Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Water quality measurement of the main parts of first grade rivers) Water quality measurement Consultation Results of water quality measurements Sending results Information disclosure White paper Homepage Results of water quality measurement Water environmental synthesis information site http//www.env.go.jp/water/mizu.site/index.html Distribution of water quality measuring points in public waters throughout the country Number of measuring points (FY2005) Health items: 5,600 Living environment items: 8,545 DXNs water quality: 1,912 Sediment: 1,623 Summarizing the results of water quality measurement Response to a water pollution incident Response to the excess of environmental quality standards or the water areas that fails to achieve environmental quality standards Direction, notice, technical advice required for the continuous monitoring of water quality Decision of Environmental Conservation Measure Formulation of a Basic Environment Plan Environmental Quality Standards, effluent control Analytical method, research method Transaction standards for continuous monitoring, etc. Response to water pollution incident Ministry of Environment Reporting the results Collection & analysis of water quality data of the country and database creation Official announcement Official announcement Achievement Rate (%) Transition of the status of achievement of environmental quality standards (BOD or COD) 100 90 River 87.2% Total 83.4 80 Sea area 70 76.0 60 Lake 53.4 50 40 30 Total River 20 Lake 10 Sea area 0 FY 1975 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03 05
. Measures for Water Environment Conservation Uniform National Effluent Standards (Concentration Regulation) The effluent control of the Water Pollution Control Law establishes effluent standards,that is uniformly applied to all factories and establishment that have specified facilities throughout the country. The control is carried out using the so-called direct penalty system. It means that penalties can be applied simply because of effluent standard violation.. Factories & Establishments (Not possessing specified facilities) Public waters Effluent Non-applicable Specified establishments (Possessing specified facilities) The factories or establishments which possess specified facilities are called specified establishments. Specified establishments discharge sewage (effluent) to public waters. Effluent Underground osmosis Effluent standards of the Water Pollution Control Law are applied to the effluent.
Effluent Control Applied Subject: All the companies listed up in a law as Specified factories, which is supposed to emit a large amount of water, including chemical plant, metal refinement plant, sewage, hotel, and a cattle breeder. National Uniform effluent control enforced by the national government (minimum nationwide uniform control) Health Items Applicable to all Specified factories Living Environment Items Applicable to Specified factories with an effluent volume of 50 m 3 or more per day Local Stricter effluent control is possible in prefectures according to regional situations. Method of tightening control More stringent prefectural effluent control Setting lower standard values for effluent by ordinance in cases where uniform effluent control does not work satisfactorily such as failure to achieve environmental quality standards Broader prefectural control Applicable to small business establishments with living environment items of less than 50 m 3 per day Discretionary prefectural control Effluent control for items not included in uniform effluent control
Wastewater standards Health item Kinds of harmful substances Cadmium and its compounds Cyanide compounds Organic compound (limited to parathion, methyl parathion, methyl demeton and EPN (ethyl p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphorothioate)) Lead and its compounds Hexavalent chromium compounds Arsenics and its compounds Mercury and alkyl mercury, and other mercury compounds Alkyl mercury compounds Polychlorinated biphenyl Trichloroethylene Tetrachloroethylene Dichloromethane Carbon tetrachloride 1,2-dicholoroethane 1,1-dichloroethylene cis-1,2 1,2-dichloroethylene 1,1,1-trichloroethane 1,1,2-trichloroethane 1,3-dichloropropene Thiram Simazine Thiobencarb Benzene Selenium and its compounds Boron and its compounds Fluorine and its compounds Ammonia, ammonium compounds, nitrite compounds and nitrate compounds Tolerable limit 0.1 mg/l 1 mg/l 1 mg/l 0.1 mg/l 0.5 mg/l 0.1 mg/l 0.005 mg/l Not detected 0.003 mg/l 0.3 mg/l 0.1 mg/l 0.2 mg/l 0.02 mg/l 0.04 mg/l 0.2 mg/l 0.4 mg/l 3 mg/l 0.06 mg/l 0.02 mg/l 0.06 mg/l 0.03 mg/l 0.2 mg/l 0.1 mg/l 0.1 mg/l Other than sea area: 10 mg/l Sea area: 230 mg/l Other than sea area: 8 mg/l Sea area: 1 mg/l (*) 100 mg/l Living environment item Kinds of harmful substances Hydrogen ion concentration (ph) Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) Chemical oxygen demand (COD) Suspended solids (SS) Normal-hexane extracts content (mineral oils content) Normal-hexane extracts content (animal and plant fats content) Phenols content Copper content Zinc content Soluble iron content Soluble manganese content Chromium content Coliform group number Nitrogen content Phosphorus content Tolerable limit Other than sea area: 5.8 8.6 Sea area: 5.0 9.0. 160 mg/l (Daily mean value: 120 mg/l) 160 mg/l (Daily mean value: 120 mg/l) 200 mg/l (Daily mean value: 150 mg/l) 5 mg/l 30 mg/l 5 mg/l 3 mg/l 2 mg/l 10 mg/l 10 mg/l 2 mg/l Daily mean value: 3,000/cm 3 120 mg/l (Daily mean value: 60 mg/l) 16 mg/l (Daily mean value: 8 mg/l) Note The effluent standard shown in this table is applicable to the effluent water discharged by a plant, factory, or business establishment which discharges 50m3/day or more of effluent water on daily average. (*) 0.4 times the ammonia nitrogen compound, and the total of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen
Object Facility of Effluent Control Any facility that discharges polluted water or wastewater is defined as a specified facility by the Water Pollution Control Law, and all factories or establishments in which specified facilities are installed are stipulated as the control subjects of Water Pollution Control Law. Example : Facilities to be used for mining, etc. Facilities devoted to stock raising, agriculture, etc. Facilities to be used for various types of food manufacturing, etc. Facilities to be used for forestry, etc. Facilities to be used for pulp manufacturing, etc. Facilities to be used for medical goods manufacturing, etc. Facilities to be used for cement products manufacturing, etc. Facilities to be used for steel or nonferrous metals manufacturing and facilities to be used for other types of manufacturing Hotel businesses, restaurants, laundry businesses, photograph development businesses, hospitals, scientific and technological research facilities Waste disposal sites Final sewage treatment facilities, joint waste water treatment plants, And so on
Common Measures (Water Pollution Control Law) Uniform regulation for factories & establishments throughout the country Ex-ante regulation Normal time regulation Emergency Response Notification of installation or modification of specified facilities Measurement & record of effluent On-site inspection & report collection Effluent regulation Prohibition of the underground osmosis of toxic substance Water pollution from abnormal drought, etc. Emergency measure & notification at the time of the accident Plan modification order Improvement order Suspension order Penal provision Cleanup measure order Emergency measure order Urgent measure order Penal provision Penal provision Penal provision Water quality monitoring of public water areas, etc. Prefectural monitoring plans Continuous monitoring, public announcement, etc.
Penalties ~Examples~ Intentional violation of Effluent Standards (Article 31) Penal servitude not exceeding 6 months or fine not exceeding 500,000 yen Non-observance observance of order for corrective action (Article 32) Penal servitude not exceeding 1 year or fine not exceeding 1 million yen
On-site Inspection If necessary for the enforcement of the Water Pollution Control Law, Prefecture can ask factories and establishment to submit data about the status of specified facilities, the sewage treatment situation, etc., or check situation of factories and establishments by on-site inspection. Specified Specified facility, facility, etc. etc. Specified facility Other facility Check for abnormalities & defects in the facility Check the operational situation Check the storage of toxic substances Check oil storage facility, etc. Check of the situation of wastewater route Wastewater Wastewater treatment treatment facility facility Check for abnormalities & defects in the treatment facility Check the operational situation of the treatment facility Check the sewage treatment situation Check the usage of chemicals Check the control equipment of the treatment facility Check the management of the water quality measuring devices, etc. Drain Drain outlet outlet Check the drain outlet situation and its vicinity Take water samples etc. Check between the actual condition and contents of notifications Feedback of inspection & measurement results Installation notifications, structure change, etc. notifications, etc. Structure & operational method of specified facilities Installation location, number, structure, material quality & capacity Material (raw material, auxiliary material, etc.) Usage situation of toxic substances Situation of the discharge of sewage, etc. Methods to treat sewage, etc. Installation location, number, structure, material quality, capacity, the volume of the water to be treated & treatment tank volume Treatment methods Etc. Drainage system Drainage outlet Contamination condition and the amount of drainage water Drainage volume for every drainage outlet Number & location of drainage outlets, existence or non-existence of the change of a drainage destination, etc.
.. Conservation in Enclosed Water Bodies Specified sources of pollution Unspecified sources of pollution Lifestyle-related (sewers and other developments) Business-related (effluent regulations) Stockbreeding and fishery-related (effluent regulations, structural and usage regulations Pollutant load from specified sources of pollution <External inflow> Enclosed water bodies Agricultural, urban and natural (appropriate fertilization, rainwater seepage, etc.) Pollutant load from unspecified sources of pollution Water quality Damage Damage to to drinking drinking water water supply supply Blessings Blessings of of lakes lakes and and reservoirs reservoirs <Lakes and reservoirs> Internal industrial pollutant load Accumulated pollutant load Natural purification through conservation and recovery activities around lakes Dredging, aeration, water conveyance and other projects Natural factors Societal factors Promotion of inspection and research activities 25
Total Pollution Load Control Total pollution load control should be in place to reduce the pollution load in enclosed water bodies.