City-Level Decoupling-Case Studies

17. The Eco-Town Project in Kitakyushu, Japan 124

By Mari Tomita (Ministry of the Environment, Kyushu)

The Kitakyushu Eco-Town Project is a 2000 ha industrial park built on a landfill site facing the Hibiki Sea on the northern outskirts of Kitakyushu City. Started in 1997, its aim is to achieve zero emissions and zero waste by utilizing all waste as materials in other industries, thus closing resource loops within the park. Kitakyushu Eco-Town came about in response to the city’s history as a leading industrial hub throughout Japan’s pre-war industrialization, followed by economic growth in the 1960s. Since its first steel plant opened in 1901, Kitakyushu has been home to many heavy industries such as chemicals, steel, glass, cement, bricks, and power generation. With the growth of such industries, pollution became a serious problem. Skies were filled with ’seven colours of smoke' due to red iron oxide particles and dust from coal. The nearby sea was dubbed the ’sea of death' after a study revealed that not even bacteria could survive in its toxic waters.

Birds' eye view of the Kitakyushu Eco-Town (Source: Kitakyushu City 2011)

In the wake of a movement to clean up the environment driven by housewives and women’s committees, the city and local companies started taking action to reduce pollution in the 1960s. Actions included the signing of voluntary pollution prevention agreements between the city and companies that stipulated targets more stringent than regulatory standards; the dredging of sludge from the ’sea of death'; the creation of a pollution surveillance centre to check air quality; and the passing of a Pollution Prevention Ordinance in 1971. By the 1980s, the situation had greatly improved, and Kitakyushu’s air and water achieved the required national environment standards. The city’s success in improving its environment was highly regarded both domestically and internationally, receiving awards such as the 'Global 500 Award' from UNEP in 1990, and the ‘United Nations Local Government Honours' at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.

52