Waste & Recycling

Standards for Verification

Law No. 81 of 1997

Waste treatment in Japan is governed by the "Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law". The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for establishing standards for landfill waste, landfill site structure, and landfill site operation and maintenance.

Standards for Verification (hazardous substances containing wastes)

Disposal methodLandfillDumping at sea
Hazardous substancesCinder dust, sludge and slag
(mg/l)
Organic sludge
(mg/kg)
Waste acid waste alkali
(mg/l)
Inorganic sludge
(mg/l)
alkyl mercury compounds ND ND ND ND
mercury and its compounds 0.005 0.025 0.025 0.0005
cadmium and its compounds 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.01
lead and its compounds 0.3 1 1 0.01
organic phosphorous compounds 1 1 1 ND
chromium (VI) compounds 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.05
arsenic and its compounds 0.3 0.15 0.15 0.01
cyanides 1 1 1 ND
PCBs 0.003 0.003 0.003 ND
trichloroethylene 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.03
tetrachloroethylene 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.01
dichloromethane 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.02
carbon tetrachloride 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.002
1,2-dichloromethane 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.004
1,1-dichloroethylene 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.02
cis-1,2-dichloroethylene 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.04
1,1,1-trichloroethane 3 3 3 1
1,1,2-trichloroethane 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.006
1,3-dichloropropene 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.002
thiuram 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.006
simazine 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.003
thiobencarb 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.02
benzene 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.01
selenium and its compounds 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.01
organochlorine compounds - 4 4 1
copper and its compounds - 10 10 0.14
zinc and its compounds - 20 20 0.8
fluorides - 15 15 3
beryllium and its compounds - 2.5 2.5 0.25
chromium and its compounds - 2 2 0.2
nickel and its compounds - 1.2 1.2 0.12
vanadium and its compounds - 1.5 1.5 0.15
phenol - 20 20 0.2