[Column 4] Environmental Initiatives of the Minamata City
In order to prevent a repeat occurrence of Minamata Disease, unprecedented disaster caused by pollution, the Minamata Municipal Government issued the Declaration for the Creation of a Model Environment City in 1992 and has been implementing various environmental initiatives, making the best use of its experiences and lessons learned to transform the negative legacy of environmental pollution into a positive asset.
Community development efforts with due consideration of the environment include (i) the promotion of re-use, recycle and waste reduction through a thorough sorted household waste collection scheme where citizens have been required to sort their own waste into 20 different categories (currently 23 categories) since 1994, (ii) creation and implementation of the municipality's own ISO systems (for households, schools and others) and (iii) facilitation of an eco-town project and a project to promote coexistence with the environment in Minamata.
In 2008, the national government selected 13 cities nationwide as "eco-model cities", and Minamata City was one such city. Following this positive assessment and certification of the municipal efforts to achieve a low carbon society, the 5th Master Plan formulated by the Minamata Municipal Government in 2009 adopted the future image of a vibrant model environment city of warmth and energy. This plan aims at promoting local development utilising local resources and creating a city of sustained economic development in the "spirit of Moyai" advocating joint “thinking and actions” on the part of citizens and the administration beyond their own narrow interests.
The concrete development targets are the building of zero waste communities, realisation of a low carbon society through the active utilisation of new renewable energies, promotion of the development and marketing of safe, locally produced agricultural, forestry and fisheries products for local consumption, consolidation of environmental education to foster benevolent human resources, increased awareness of the need for collaboration with citizens and enhancement of "thinking and actions".
With these initiatives, Minamata City has won the Environmental Capital Contest organized by the National Network for Environmental Capital Contest (11 member organizations, including the NPO Citizens' Environmental Foundation) four times in the last 10 years, enjoying the reputation of the nearest local government to the title of "Environmental Capital". This contest aims at promoting pioneering efforts to create sustainable local communities in Japan.
In 2010, the Minamata Municipal Government established the Study Group for Environment-Friendly Minamata City to further advance its efforts to develop itself as a model environment city for the revitalisation of local communities and other purposes.