Enforcement Status of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law in FY2004

The Ministry of Environment annually surveys local governments on their status of the enforcement of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law. The survey also collects information on cases where local soil contamination was investigated and reported by landowners to local governments based on the law.

The MOE published the survey results for FY 2004. The number of cases where local soil contamination were investigated and reported totaled 130 (66 in FY2003). As for specified harmful substances that exceeded the environmental quality standard (EQS), trichloroethylene was dominant among the volatile organic compounds, and the fluorine and its compounds were major substances among the heavy metals. Areas where contamination levels exceeded the EQS and that became designated areas in FY 2004 totaled 43 (21 in FY2003). The number of areas where designation was lifted in FY2004 due to their efforts in removing the soil contamination was 22. Overall, designated areas at the end of FY 2004 numbered 38 sites.

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