The purpose of this Law is to preserve the living environment and public health through reducing waste generation, and ensuring appropriate waste management and the conservation of a clean environment.; Waste materials are classified as industrial and general household or municipal wastes.; The Minister of the Environment shall set forth a basic policy to promote the planned disposal of waste including the promotion of appropriate packaging for goods, packaging reuse, composting and the segregation and separate collection of recyclable waste.; The Law sets out procedures for the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal solid waste according to the municipal solid waste management plan. Municipal solid waste collection and transport contractors, municipal solid waste disposal contractors and municipal solid waste disposal facilities shall perform their activities only after obtaining permission by the prefectural governor and in accordance to technical standards. Procedures for obtaining the permission are outlined in the Law.; In addition, the Law provides for the management of industrial waste and specially controlled industrial waste. Businesses generating industrial waste and not disposing of it on their own shall issue a control manifest of industrial waste to the party commissioned to transport the waste indicating the kind of waste, the quantity, etc. An industrial waste or specially controlled industrial waste management collection and transportation business, and industrial waste disposal facilities shall perform their activities only after obtaining permission as specified in the Law.; The Law further provides for: recycling of industrial and municipal waste; export and import of municipal and industrial waste; designation of waste management centres; restrictions on the disposal of waste; offences and penalties; etc.
Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (Law No. 137 of 1970).