Home Appliances Recycling Law Sees Steady Progress

Japan's Ministry of the Environment (MOE) published a report on February 14, 2003, about current levels of enforcement of the "Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances," which went into force on April 1, 2001.

The law governs recycling of four kinds of household appliances: television sets, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. These account for about 80 percent of the approximately 600,000 tonnes of household appliances discarded annually. Under the law, minimum recovery rates for each item (in terms of weight) are specified as follows: 60 percent for air conditioners, 55 percent for TV sets and 50 percent for refrigerators and washing machines.

According to the MOE, the number of specified appliances collected at designated sites between April 2002 and January 2003 totaled 8.82 million, an increase of 20 percent or 1.45 million units, compared to the same period during 2001-2002. Meanwhile, end-of-life appliances brought to recycling facilities totaled 8.84 million, up 22 percent or 1.62 million units, compared with the previous year.

"On the whole, enforcement is satisfactory" reports the MOE. A recycling tag system, introduced to facilitate the recycling procedure, is also functioning well. This system enables consumers to trace data of their discarded appliances on the web site of Association for Electric Home Appliances.

The MOE will continue to monitor future trends in discarded household appliances. At the same time, it plans to promote various other activities, such as inviting visitors to tour household appliance recycling plants, organizing regional briefings across the country, and conducting research on illegal dumping.


- Fluorocarbons in Fridge Insulation To Be Recovered and Destroyed (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/192-e

Posted: 2003/04/11 09:26:01 AM
Japanese version