City in Tochigi Wants Disaster Debris, So It Can Upgrade Disposal Site on the Government Money

Kanuma City, located just west of Utsunomiya City (prefectural capital of Tochigi), wants to help people in the disaster-affected Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures by accepting the ashes resulting from the burning of the disaster debris elsewhere.

If you read the news by Shimotsuke Shinbun (local Tochigi newspaper), it seems the city is correctly seeing the wide-area disposal of the small amount of disaster debris (less than 20% of total) as an excellent opportunity to have the national government foot the bill for upgrading the waste management facilities and doing the badly needed deferred maintenance.

By no means Kanuma is unique among the cities who have expressed eagerness to accept disaster debris over the concerns of the local residents and residents downwind/downstream.

To the city's request for financial support, the Ministry of the Environment said "yes".

From Shimotsuke Shinbun (4/12/2012):

東日本大震災で発生した岩手、宮城両県のがれきの広域処理で、焼却灰の受け入れを表明している佐藤信鹿沼市長らは11日、環境省を訪れ、がれきの放射性物質検査や最終処分場の施設修繕に対する財政支援を国に要望した。高山智司環境政務官が応対。同市によると、検査強化で新たに生じる費用については国が負担するとの回答があったという。

Kanuma City has expressed interest in accepting the ashes from burning the disaster debris in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures that was generated by the March 11, 2011 earthquake/tsunami. The mayor of the city Shin Sato and his men visited the Ministry of the Environment on April 11 and requested the financial assistance from the national government for testing radioactive materials on the debris and repair the facilities at its final disposal site [where the ashes will be buried]. They were met by Satoshi Takayama, Parliamentary Secretary of the Environment [No.3 position]. According to the city, [Takayama] answered that the national government would pay for the additional cost incurred by more rigorous testing.

　焼却灰を受け入れる予定の一般廃棄物最終処分場「鹿沼フェニックス」（鹿沼市磯町）は１９９３年に埋め立てを始め、約19年が経過。施設が老朽化し、機器類の故障が出ているという。

"Kanuma Phoenix" (Iso-machi, Kanuma City), the city's final disposal landfill for regular [non-industrial] waste where the ashes are to be buried, started operation 19 years ago in 1993. The facilities have deteriorated, and equipments break down often.

　同市は、同処分場で現在行っている放射性物質検査の回数や対象個所を増やす方針で、約３５００万円の費用が掛かると試算。埋め立て地の擁壁やポンプ類の修繕などで計約２２００万円の負担を見込んでいる。

The city plans to increase the number of testing for radioactive materials and the number of locations to be tested on the landfill, and it estimates the cost to be 35 million yen [US$433K]. It also estimates the repair cost for the retaining walls and pumps at the landfill at 22 million yen [US$272K].

The total budget of Kanuma City for the fiscal 2011 was 39.7 billion yen (US$490 million). As with many cities in Japan, Kanuma City's tax revenue covers less than 40% of the city's spending. Upgrading and repairing the disposal site is part of the discretionary spending.

By the way, this is the same city that fed elementary school children with local beef last October as a PR stunt to prove how safe their beef was.

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