7. MEASURES FOR CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
　 OF THE SETO INLAND SEA

7.1 MEASURES FOR CONSERVATION OF THE ENCLOSED
　　 COASTAL SEAS

(1) Control of Total Loading of Organic Substances (COD)

1) The total pollutant load control system was established at the amendment of the Water Pollution Control Law in 1978. The purpose of this system is the total amount reduction of pollutant loaded to clear the water quality standard in the designated seas, which have the polluted watershed with concentrated population and industries. 3 enclosed coastal seas; Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and the Seto Inland Sea are designated in this system. The indicator of pollutant is COD.

2) Different measures for reduction of pollutant loading from household, industries and the other pollutant sources have been comprehensively implemented after the enforcement of the total pollutant load control system of in 1979. The 4th control enforcement of total pollutant load with the target fiscal year of 1999 has now been implemented. This is based on both the Fundamental Policy For Reduction of Area Wide Total Pollutant Load established by Prime Minister in April, 1996 and Plan For Reduction of Total Pollutant Load established by each Governor of the prefectures concerned in June, 1996.

3) The local governments concerned steadily promote this enforcement to achieve the target of the plan. They also plan to implement the "investigation on the management of pollutant load" and "wide area survey on water quality".

(2) Promotion of Comprehensive Measures for Conservation of Water Quality

1) The enclosed coastal seas such as Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and the Seto Inland Sea have also suffered from Eutrophication problems. In order to reduce the load of nitrogen and phosphorus, Different enforcement has been steadily implemented backing the establishment of environmental standard, the application of its each category to each sea districts, and the restriction of effluent concentrations and so on.

2) The achievement ratio of the environmental COD standard has been low in these enclosed seas. Also, these seas are suffering from several problems caused by eutrophication such as red tide and depletion of dissolved oxygen. Under these conditions, Special Committee on Control Total Pollutant load in the Section of Water Quality of the Central Environment Conservation Council has reported that it is important to reduce not only COD but also nitrogen and phosphorus in order to improve the water quality in the enclosed coastal seas. And Special Committee also has required the promotion of the comprehensive measures for water quality.

3) To start a new enforcement from 2000, Water Quality Conservation Bureau in Environment Agency of Japan has set up the investigation meeting in which discuss on the framework to promote the comprehensive measures for water quality conservation. This framework will be required the corporation with the associated ministry and agency and the associated local governments to reduce not only the COD concentration produced by nitrogen and phosphorus also the exogenous COD concentration, and to prevent the eutrophication problems such as red tide and depletion of dissolved oxygen.

　　(Reference 1) Subjects

1. To elucidate the mechanisms of water pollution in the enclosed coastal seas

2. To develop the numerical model and predict the water quality in the enclosed seas

3. To investigate the comprehensive measures for conservation of water quality indicated with COD, nitrogen and phosphorus

4. To control the pollutant load from each source including household, industries and the others

5. To investigate the measures for improvement of water quality including improvement of sediment quality, conservation and recovery of coastal ecosystem and so on

6. To develop the monitoring systems for water quality including red tide and blue tide and for wastewater discharged from industries and the other businesses in the designated districts

7. To discuss the other subjects

　　(Reference 2) Budget

1. Investigation on comprehensive water quality management technologies in the enclosed coastal seas

Contents: Discussion on the effects on water quality improvement with simulation model Continuous monitoring of water quality in Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and the Seto Inland Sea Investigation on conservation of environment of seashore side

2. Preparation of technological guideline for nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater

Contents: Survey on the state-of-the arts of treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus in the wastewater discharged from industries and the other businesses in the designated districts Estimation of wastewater treatment technologies of nitrogen and phosphorus in different industries and facilities Preparation of technological guideline for nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater

(3) Smooth Sift of Special and Tentative Effluent Standards Relating to Nitrogen and Phosphorus to the General Ones

　　Until now, the effluent standards relating to nitrogen and phosphorus have been applied in the 88 enclosed coastal seas including Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and the Seto Inland Sea. Tentative looser effluent standards have been applied to the industry that is recognized to be difficult to cope with the general effluent standards.

　　The Tentative effluent standards relating to nitrogen and phosphorus integrated into the general ones on October 1 in 1998. Environmental Agency of Japan and the local governments concerned have coordinated for the smooth shifts.