The Cabinet August 26 will take the nation's first step to deal with highly toxic dioxin emissions, which are 10 times higher here than in the U.S. or Europe.
It is scheduled to adopt revised administrative ordinances for enforcing the Air Pollution Law and the Wastes Disposal and Public Cleaning Law, moves intended to curb high emissions of dioxin, an administrative vice ministerial meeting said August 25. It is hoped that the step will cut dioxin emissions by 90 percent within five years.
There is a sense of urgency in Japan since the carcinogen has been detected not only in the air but also in soil near dump sites and even in the food chain, all the way up to mothers' milk. Scientists are currently studying the cause-and-effect relationship, but it is believed that dioxin can cause cancer and deformities.