Tons of toxins released in Tokyo

[John Visher <visherjc@crisscross.com>]

http://www.asahi.com/english/enews/enews.html#enews_19800

August 5, 1999
Tons of toxins released in Tokyo

Asahi Shimbun

About 34,000 tons of cancer-causing and other toxic chemicals are
discharged in the form of exhaust and waste water in Tokyo every year,
according to a survey
by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Ninety-one different toxic chemicals are released by factories, business
offices and diesel cars in the nation's capital, the survey showed.

The survey covered 1,700 factories and business offices in Tokyo that
have a work force of at least 50 and deal with chemical substances, and
1,600 smaller
factories and offices.

Factories and business offices discharge about 31,000 tons, while 2,900
tons come from vehicle exhaust.

About 5,700 tons of toulene, a chemical often used for dyes and
cosmetics, are discharged into rivers and the sea. About 4,000 tons of
trichloroethane are released
every year. The chemical is used to wash metal.

About 3,600 tons of lylene, used to make painting solution, are
released, while 1,300 tons of dichloromethane, which is believed to
cause cancer, are discharged
annually, according to the survey.

The survey showed that the area covering Kita and Itabashi wards was the
most polluted, with 9,300 tons of toxic chemX-Mozilla-Status: 0009a
year.

The second-worst area was the Tama district, which covers the city of
Ome.

Concerning exhaust gas from diesel cars, formaldehyde, which is strongly
believed to caused cancer, was the most discharged chemical, totaling
about 1,000 tons.

The Tokyo survey was conducted to collect data on unregulated but toxic
chemicals to prepare countermeasures, officials said.