Abstract
We conducted a survey of M town, which is one of the municipalities that reported abolishing its variable rate program because of an increase in illegal dumping. We analyzed the phenomenon of illegal dumping based on mainly residents' perceptions and behavior. Results of the survey revealed: 1) illegal dumping into rivers, which was recognized to be the most serious problem, existed prior to the introduction of the variable rate program and did not increase significantly due to variable rates; 2) other illegal dumping problems also existed prior to variable rates but grew worse following implementation of the program; 3) the problem most frequently cited by respondents was deterioration of the scenery and living environment, but the number of respondents who cited this problem was smaller than the number who indicated backyard burning was a nuisance.
