# 20 Million Tons of Junk Headed For Hawaii-Is Japan Liable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-million-tons-of-junk-headed-for-hawaii-is-japan-liable/600958>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 27, 2011, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-million-tons-of-junk-headed-for-hawaii-is-japan-liable/600958 "2011-10-27T12:35:03Z")\
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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-million-tons-of-junk-headed-for-hawaii-is-japan-liable/600958/1 "2011-10-27T12:35:03Z")

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The enormous debris filed from the March tsunami is now poised to hit Hawaiin beaches in a few months.  
The junk includes appliances, wood fragments from houses, plastic bags, garbage and all manner of junk.  
According to what I read, much of it has been colonized by barnicles and seaweeds, so it will add a distinctive fragrance when it washes ashore.  
California shold start receiving this dreck in about 1.5-2 years.  
My question: is the Japanese Government liable for any of the cleanup/disposal costs? Having Malibu Beach befold by tons of junk isn’t going to sit well with the people who paid \>$10 million for a waterfront view-so who will wind up paying for this?☹

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