＜英語版＞2001年【平成13年度】　環境の状況並びに豊かな環境の保全及び創造に関して講じた施策に関する報告（概要）

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The problem of heavy environmental pollution caused by industries has been reduced.

　The problem of sulfur dioxide (So2) in the air and cyanide and cadmium in the rivers and the Osaka-Bay have been greatly reduced by decreasing the concentration of such chemical materials to meet environmental quality standards.

There still remain problems with environmental pollution caused by daily life and business activities in urban areas.

　The amount of nitrogen dioxide (No2) and suspended particulate matter (Spm) in the air are caused mainly by car exhaust. The amount of biochemical oxygen demand (Bod) and chemical oxygen demand (Cod) in rivers and the Osaka Bay are caused mainly by domestic wastewater and therefore, environmental quality standards have not yet been met in some areas.

There still remain several other environmental problems that need to be resolved in the Osaka region.

　There remain several problems that need to be resolved such as the unsuitable disposal of wastes or illegal dumping, global warming, and the heat-island phenomenon in urban areas. Furthermore, there is also the influence of dioxins and environmental hormones on humans and on ecology. 

To Improve the Environment in Osaka

　To improve the environment in Osaka and to make Osaka a more comfortable place to live, several environmental issues need to be improved one at a time.

　Osaka Prefecture established
"The Comprehensive Plan for the Environment in Osaka for the 21st Century "
　A new comprehensive environmental plan introduced in March, 2002.

The Comprehensive Plan for the Environment in Osaka for the 21st Century

The keyword of the plan:

Construction of an Environmentally Advanced City, Aiming to Establish a Recycling-based Society

Directions for the future

• Solving pendent problems which remain in the 21st century (we call them a "Negative heritage on the environment")
• Aiming to "Establishing a recycling-based society"
• Promoting partnerships among residents, corporations, Environmental NGOs & NPOs and the Osaka Prefectural Government

Main Subjects

• Recycling of Resources: reduction of wastes, recycling, proper disposal of wastes, etc.
• Water Recycle: the quality and the quantity of water in rivers and the Osaka Bay, providing an area for people to come in contact with water, etc.
• Global Environment: global warming caused by greenhouse gases, etc.
• Traffic Environment: air pollution caused by vehicles, etc.
• Hazardous Chemical Substances: emission and self-management of dioxins, etc.
• Preservation, Restoration and the Creation of a Natural Environment: creation of attractive areas where cities and nature can co-exist, etc

Information on Environmental Policy and Technology | State of Environment

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2. Recycling of Resources

Industrial Waste

　The amount of discharged industrial waste is decreasing every year and the rate of recycling appears to be increasing.
However, 17.7 million tons of industrial waste was discharged in the Osaka region in 2001, among which 1.47 million tons of industrial waste was reclaimed and disposed of in the final waste disposal site, and therefore further decreasing the capacity of the site by this amount.

Change in the amount of discharged industrial waste and the rate of recycling

Number of illegal disposal of industrial waste (Number of complaints)

　Furthermore, unsuitable disposal of industrial waste, such as illegal dumping or leaving appears to be increasing. The way the crimes are being committing are becoming worse and are being exercised in extremely short periods of time. They especially occur during the night, early in the morning or on holidays, when supervision by the administration is not as strict.

Domestic Waste

　The amount of discharged domestic waste (all waste except industrial waste, e.g. home, office, etc.) is decreasing year by year. However, the average amount of discharged waste per person for a day is 1.3 kg in the Osaka Region, which is more than that of Japan, 1.1 kg. The amount of recycling tends to be increasing and is 8.3% in the Osaka region, but the rate is still much lower than that of Japan's average percentage of (13.1%).

Change in the amount of discharged domestic waste

Change in the rate of recycling

Measures taken by Osaka prefecture during fiscal 2001 

• Established the"Waste Management Plan in Osaka Prefecture."
• Promoted recycling based on the "Recycling Law" for containers and packaging, foods, electric appliances and constructions."
• Made efforts to recycle and made effective use of sludge from sewage treatment plants, sludge from drinking water treatment plants, by-products from construction and pruned brunches.
• "Eco-Shop" (promotion of the reduction of wastes and recycling) increased their number of shops and their awareness.
  
• Promoted an intensive supervising patrol for illegal disposal of wastes.
• Made efforts to decrease illegal disposals by means of arresting corporations exercising illegal leaving or burning waste, and ordering them to remove of such wastes.

　Eco Shop" is the nickname for the shops that work to reduce wastes and promote recycling.
The number of shops registered at the end of March, 2002 was 1,747

A supervising patrol car departs to prevent illegal disposals of industrial waste

Countermeasures to manage industrial and domestic waste

　Based on the "Waste Management Plan in Osaka Pref," the "Reduction," "Reuse" and "Recycle" (3R in all) are to be promoted to reduce the amount of the final waste disposal by half.
　The "Osaka Eco-Area Plan" is to be established, which will utilize the former final waste disposal site, arrange recycling facilities by mainly private enterprises and create a "Symbiotic Forest" where people can come in contact with nature.

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3. Water Recycle

Environment of Rivers

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4. Global Environment

Amount of CO2 Emissions

　The amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in 1999 has decreased in the industrial section, because the operation of power stations and steel industries have decreased. The amount has decreased by 0.8% since 1990, the basis year of the Kyoto Protocol. However, the amount of emission of CO₂ in the transportation and welfare section has been increasing and the focus is on how to reduce the amount of CO₂ emissions in these sections in order to keep in line with the regulation of the Kyoto Protocol.

The amount of emission of carbo dioxide

Measures taken by Osaka prefecture during fiscal 2001

• Promoted energy saving by ESCO business ( at the Osaka medical center and the research institute for maternal and child health ).
• Established photovoltaic power systems at the Murano water treatment and Ai-river central sewerage treatment plant and at the Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science Research Center of Osaka prefecture.
• Practiced the "Purchase of Green Products; No!! Package Campaign" which encourages people to purchase green products and to bring purchasing bags for oneself. Obtained cooperation from 2,584 supermarkets and department stores in Osaka prefecture.

Facilities for generating photovoltaic power at the Murano filtration plant

Countermeasures for global warming

　Continually making efforts to introduce new energies, to save energy and to promote various voluntary activities in order to reduce greenhouse gases by 9% (1990 to 2010).

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5. Traffic Environment

Concentration of No2

　The annual average concentration of No₂ (Nitrogen Dioxide) has remained at a stable level, but the rate of achievement of environmental quality standards has had a tendency to improve in the last several years.

Ambient air pollution monitoring station: 96%
Road-side air pollution monitoring station: 68%

Change of the annual average concentration of No2

Concentration of Spm

　The annual average concentration of Spm (Suspend Particulate Matter) tends to be improving, but the rate of achievement of environmental quality standard was unfavorable, because the high concentrated condition continued for 2days.

Change of the annual average concentration of Spm

Measures taken by Osaka prefecture during fiscal 2001

　Made efforts to popularize low-pollution vehicles and low-emission vehicles (Lev-6), by reducing the tax on purchases of those vehicles and arranging fuel supplying facilities and subsidizing freight companies when they changed their vehicles to low-pollution vehicles. And furthermore, took the lead in introducing and using them as business cars at the Osaka Prefectural Government.

Introduced one of the Traffic Demand Management (TDM) systems criteria where buses are given priority on Route 170 and began a "Park and Ride" system whereby, fifteen parking lots of large marketing facilities can be used for public parking.

Countermeasures for exhaust gases

　We would like to formulate the "Total volume of Automobile emitted nitrogen oxides and particulate matters Reduction Plan in Osaka Prefecture" to satisfy environmental quality standards of No2 and Spm by the end of fiscal 2010 and to promote the popularization of low-pollution vehicles and Lev-6 and countermeasures of diesel vehicles.

What is the Traffic Demand Management (TDM) system ?

　TDM is a system designed to decrease traffic congestion at urban and regional levels by changing traffic movements such as time, route, the selection of traffic means and the way we think about using our cars. Establishing smooth traffic promotes the revitalization of the region and improves the environment.

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6. Hazardous Chemical Substance

Measures taken by Osaka prefecture during fiscal 2001

• Promoted environmental adjustments to clean polluted soil caused by dioxins in Nose town.
• Gave thorough instructions to maintain emission standards of dioxins which have been tightened in December, 2002.
• Made efforts to promote self-management by corporations while recognizing the actual amount of their use of chemical substances. This was based on the standards of proper management of chemical substances in Osaka prefecture, before the Prtr Law was taken into effect.

What is Prtr ?

　Pollutant Relea Register (Prtr) is a method for accurately assessing, aggregating, and disseminating data on the sources from where diverse hazardous chemicals are released, amounts released to the environment, and amounts transferred off-site from industrial establishments via waste products.

7. Preservation, Restoration & Creation of a Natural Environment

It is said that there is little greenery in Osaka, however the Osaka region is blessed with rich nature, history and culture, since the region is surrounded by three ranges of mountains, called the "Green-Belt bestowed by heaven." Examples include the Hokusetsu, Kongou-Ikoma and Izumi-Katsuragi mountain ranges. Precious Creatures living in the Osaka region 　More than ten thousand kinds of creatures are thought to live and grow in the Osaka region. The giant salamanders, are known as a "special monument" living in the Hokusetsu mountain range and the "Itasenpara," a fresh-water fish, also known as a "natural monument" live in the "Wando" pools of the Yodo river. "Itasenpara", a fresh-water fish in the Yodo River 　The Yodo River has "Wando" pools where various kinds of water creatures live and grow. However, the number of "Wando" pools have decreased to roughly 50 pools, from about 500. Therefore, activities to protect the creatures, such as patrolling for illegal fishing, are exercised regularly. "Wando" pools in the Yodo River Space for greenery in urban areas 　Because there is little space for greenery in urban areas, adjustment of urban parks are promoted, but the area of parks per resident in Osaka prefecture is only 4.8m2, which is about half that of the national average. In addition, the area of urban parks has increased by 860ha in the last ten years, while the area of the forests have decreased by 840ha and agricultural land has decreased by 2,800ha. Measures taken by Osaka prefecture during fiscal 2001 Established Hokusetsu Nature Park according to the Osaka Prefectural Natural Park Regulations. Worked to make improvement in the Makio River and Kinyuuji River that take into consideration ecology. Took to preservation measures, such as dredging earth and sand and eliminating dry area plants in the Shinodayama wetlands. Arranged water conformed facilities and etc. for irrigation canals and ponds. Donated 70,000 trees and promoted tree-planting at private and public facilities. Preserving project in Shinodayama wetlands We all act to protect and create nature in Osaka 　We carried out preservation activities for rice terraces, which play important roles such as preserving various kinds of ecologies and helps in the adjustment of floods by making use of the "Fund for Preserving rice terraces and the countryside." In order to create a pleasant waterside atmosphere where people can come in contact with water, the Nagese Waterway (used for irrigation purposes), as well as other waterways are being reconstructed to serve as promenades and new water establishments. Tree planting and other preparatory tasks are being carried out. We held the "Nagisa No Gakkou" an activity program to observe living creatures and to clean the beach at the Nagamatsu natural beach preservation area. Resident council groups, corporations and other groups worked in cooperation with the prefectural government and city, town and village municipalities on the "Adopt Program" for tree planting and the beautification of the region, not only for the roads but for rivers also. 　　　　　 Nagase Irrigation Canal　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nagisa No Gakkou 　　　　　 　Adopt a Road "Yokoyama"　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Adopt a River "Saho river"

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