Abstract
Treatment of high concentration PCB waste has greatly progressed at the five regional JESCO facilities. In order to observe the fixed limit and to complete the treatment of high concentration-PCB waste at the soonest, institutional measures have been introduced in an amendment to the PCB Special Measures Law in 2016. The main tenets of this amendment include :
・Development of a basic plan through cabinet vote to be enforced by the Minister of the Environment in order to promote and deepen government efforts on this issue ;
・An obligation to handle before the Deadline for Completion of Scheduled Treatment any high concentration-PCB waste that have been abandoned/disposed of, along with products currently in use ;
・Strengthening of systems for reporting collection and for those overseeing on-site inspections for prefectural governments ;
・Disposal of high concentration-PCB waste by proxy in cases where the waste holder responsible for disposal is not known.
Henceforward, it will be necessary to ensure progress through questionnaire surveys that calculate total amounts for PCB waste and products among prefectural governments, operators dealing with electricity services, and other concerned parties. Timely and proper management of this progress will be crucial to moving forward promptly.
