Noise, Vibration, and Bad Odor…Neighboring Residents Furious at “Chinese-affiliated Tong Demonstration Factory” – Aerial Photography of Unauthorized Operation
From Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, where the government has instructed 16 times, but nothing has changed. ...... The roaring sound echoes from early in the morning and "I can't sleep at night," but when I complain, I can't get a word in edgewise.
The scrap metal yard (outdoor storage facility) is located in a quiet area of Chiba City, surrounded by a steel fence, where houses and farmland are spread out. However, the silence was disturbed by the roar of multiple pieces of heavy machinery as they sorted through the scrap metal. The roar was so loud that the ground shook, and the residents of the neighborhood could not contain their anger.
The roar is so loud that it shakes the ground,” said one resident, “and it’s so noisy that I can’t sleep at night. It’s so loud I can’t sleep at night. Even if I complain, I can’t communicate with the employees because they don’t speak Japanese.”
The yard in the photo, located in Wakaba-ku, Chiba City, is the site of frequent complaints. The Chinese company purchased the land, which stretches approximately 250 meters from east to west, in October 2006. Immediately thereafter, a number of illegal activities came to light.
The Chinese company built the yard without a permit, even though there is a city road running through the site. There is a city road running through the site, but they are using it as part of the factory. They have repeatedly violated the law even though there have been a number of problems with noise, vibration, and foul odors,” said a reporter from the social affairs department of a national newspaper.
City Considers Criminal Charges
There are currently 94 metal scrap yards in Chiba City, many of which are operated by Chinese companies. In November 2009, the city enacted an “Ordinance on Outdoor Storage of Recyclable Resources. The city has required permits for the establishment of yards and has prohibited the construction of new yards within 100 meters of residences. Even so, problems with residents persist.
A resident who lives 30 meters from the yard in question angrily stated, “I measured the noise in my yard and it was very loud.
We measure the noise in our yard, and it is well above the 55 decibel limit for this area, and sometimes it is over 80 decibels (as loud as a busy intersection).
The city has conducted on-site inspections of the yard 16 times since 2008, and has issued a supervisory disposition to the yard operator under the City Planning Law on February 28, but to date, the yard has not made any improvements.
The current scrap metal yard is not an appropriate use for the property. If the subject structure is not cleared by the August 28 deadline, we will consider criminal charges and other measures.
