Opinions and Responses

Regarding the Open Burning in the Sakahama Area

From the Wakabadai area, across the Keio Sagamihara Line (Tsurukawa Kaido), just before Inagi Fureai Forest, the fields of the Sakahama area spread out. There are farmers here who regularly conduct open burning. The smoke drifts into the surrounding residential areas, causing significant inconvenience. Laundry smells of smoke, and family members with asthma cough, resulting in damage to the living environment and health. The Keio Line also runs nearby, and the large bridge from the Wakabadai entrance intersection to Hirao has been built, making this a key traffic hub.
We have been contacting the city fire department each time, but they said that according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance, burning is permitted if a Notification is submitted when making fertilizer from ash. On another day, open burning was also conducted, and the smoke spread over a wide area. When we contacted the fire department, they said no Notification had been submitted. They went to the site to provide guidance, but since there are no penalty provisions, the smoke lingered for over an hour. I asked the fire department if it would be possible to specify burning times, such as early morning before daily activities begin, but they said the rules do not allow time restrictions. I have not investigated the applicable ordinance myself, but considering how much residential land development has progressed around the Wakabadai area, it seems extremely anachronistic that the vested rights of longstanding farmers are still being upheld as is. When I asked the city fire department, they said it is something that farmers who have been here for a long time have always done, and they say the same thing every time. As Inagi City develops into a city with a population of around 100,000, isn’t it urgent to ensure coexistence between longtime residents and new residents? I sincerely hope you will consider improvements in this direction. As proposals, I would like to request proactive measures such as providing subsidies and encouraging the installation of smoke-free incineration facilities, and independently strengthening regulations on burning times by the city.

Response

Open burning is generally prohibited under the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law; however, exceptions are made for burning necessary for agricultural operations.
Regarding regulations on the timing of burning, it is legally not possible for the city to establish independent regulations, making it difficult to implement such measures at present.
Since fiscal 2020, the city has exempted fees for farmers within the city who bring pruning branches and other waste generated from agricultural work to the Tama River Clean Center. However, there are no plans to provide subsidies for the installation of smokeless incineration facilities, as requested.
We fully recognize the necessity of agricultural activities that take into consideration the local living environment, and we will continue to request farmers to be considerate of their neighbors as well as to promote awareness of the exemption from disposal fees for pruned branches and the like.

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