Comparative study on residents conflicts and agreement formation concerning waste management facilities

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12610181
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: TODA Kiyosi Nagasaki University, Faculty of Environment Studies, Associate Professor, 環境科学部, 助教授 (50301362)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HOTTA Kyoko Nagasaki University, Faculty of Environment Studies, Associate Professor, 環境科学部, 助教授 (20325674) ; IKUNO Masakata Nagasaki University, Faculty of Environment Studies, Professor, 環境科学部, 教授 (80128149)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2001
• Keywords: residents conflict / agreement formation / accountability / information disclosure / waste management facility / broading of areas used as unit in municipal waste management system / environment / necessity

Research Abstract

For waste management facilities both existing and under planning, that is, intermediate treatment equipment especially incinerators and final disposal facilities, comparative research was carried out on the conflicts between residents and the local government or private companies in deciding their locations, and how they reached agreements.
Friction occurred between residents and a local government including a broader-based local government in the case of municipal waste disposal, and private companies became opponents in the case of industrial waste.
The following conflict concerning "broadening of areas used as unit in municipal waste management system" since administrative guidance of Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1997 was investigated in this research :
1) Cases of block of southern and Central Region of Nagasaki Prefecture (Isahaya city) ;
2) Nagasaki and Seihi block of Nagasaki Prefecture (Seihi town) ;
3) Amagi and Asakura block of Fukuoka Prefecture (Miwa town) ;
4) Western part of Koga and Munakata block of Fukuoka Prefecture (Koga city) ;
5) Eastern part of Koga and Munakata block of Fukuoka Prefecture (Munakata city) ;
6) Eastern block of Saga Prefecture (nakabaru town) ;
7) Kumage block of Kagoshima Prefecture (Yakushima) ;
8) Nishiiburi block of Hokkaido Prefecture (Muroran city)
Other conflicts studied are :
1) Cases of municipal waste disposal facility plan of Kurume city of Fukuoka Prefecturte ;
2) Municipal waste incinerator plan of Setouchi town of Kagoshima Prefecture ;
3) Municipal waste disposal facility of HInode town of Tokyo Prefecture ;
4) Industrial waste disposal facility in Sanpouzan area of Nagasaki City ;
5) Industrial waste disposal facility plan in Mie area of Nagasaki city ;
6) Industrial waste disposal facility plan in Kanoya city of Kagoshima Prefecture ;
7) PCB waste chemical treatment facility plan in Kitakyushu city
The sequence of events in each case were chronologically clarified, and poiints of issues were described according to social and economic necessity, technical and environmental validity, and legitimacy of democratic decision making procedures.
As a result, it was found that shortness of operation experience in so called "pyrolysis and high temperature combustion system" is one of controversial points in technical validity area. Emission of dioxins and heavy metals, impacts on endangered wildlife, and other points are discussed in the environmental area. Opening the selection process from several proposed sites to the public, and how to confirm the intention of residents concerned are among points argued concerning decision making procedures.
Several hundreds of conflicts have already happened around waste management facilities in Japan, and not a few are on civil trials at present. Therefore, it is concluded that information disclosure, accountability, citizens participation in decision making procedures, discussion on alternative plans, environmental impact assessment are among points to be improved.