2023 Volume 34 Issue 4 Pages 258-265
Rocks and soils may contain small amounts of heavy metals in their natural state. Rocks and soils excavated in large quantities in construction projects, such as tunnels and cut slopes, have long been used as effective resources for embankments and landfills. On the other hand, with the enactment of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act in 2003, there has been a social demand for environmental safety assessments and necessary countermeasures for rocks and soils containing naturally occurring heavy metals. In this paper, we discuss issues related to the handling of rocks and soils containing naturally occurring heavy metals in public construction works in Japan. In addition, we introduce the contents of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourismʼs “Manual for Countermeasures against Rocks and Soils Containing Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals in Construction Work (2023 edition)” and touch up on future prospects.
