Update:February 20, 2012

Report of Ongoing FY2011 JICA Course on “Capacity Development for Local Government in Comprehensive Solid Waste Management in the Republic of Peru”

While attending lectures and visiting facilities in and near Mie Prefecture, where ICETT is located, this course also provided an opportunity for our participants to take part in a study tour of Hyogo, Kagawa, and Hiroshima prefectures. The tour was conducted from February 4 (Sat.) to 7 (Tues.).

(1) Hyogo Prefecture

The Peruvian participants visited the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution in Kobe to learn about Japanese methods to prevent disaster and deal with disaster-related waste, since Peru is an earthquake-ridden country, too. Kobe was devastated by a great earthquake in 1995.

 

At the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution

(2) Kagawa Prefecture

The participants seem to have an impression that the Japanese waste management system is impeccable and perfect. However, Japan has thus far gone through many failures in the field, while making efforts to reach a higher level of waste management. Illegally dumped industrial waste is one of Japan’s serious environmental issues. The participants visited Teshima in Kagawa Prefecture, an island located in the Inland Sea of Japan. Illegal dumping of industrial waste was recognized as a social problem during the 1990s, and the island is well known for its illegal dumping scandal. The participants listened to islanders about the details of the scandal, their struggles of those days, and ongoing restoration work to repair the damage caused by the illegal dumping to learn about the importance of preventative measures in order for Peru not to suffer the same bitter experiences as the island did.

On Teshima

(3) Hiroshima Prefecture

Since Peru, located in the Andes, is a mountainous country, inefficiency in collecting garbage on steep slopes is among the country’s concerns. In some parts of Japan, there are urban areas on slopes that hardly allow garbage trucks to operate. One of these is the City of Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. The participants visited the city to learn about how garbage is collected there using compact waste collection vehicles and carrying poles.

 

In Onomichi

We would very much like to express our gratitude to all the parties who cooperated with us in implementing our lectures and study trip. (Ohashi and Deguchi)