Ministry Applauds Containers and Packaging Recycling Measures

On January 18, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications issued an evaluation on policies to promote recycling of packages and containers in Japan, proceeding under the Law for Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packages (Containers and Packaging Recycling Law).

Efforts for reducing the amount of containers and packaging were judged to be successful, owing to the stricter sorting requirements of garbage collection outlined in the law, which recently entered into force. The volume of container and packaging waste was trimmed down to 1.08 million tonnes from 1.5 million tonnes, over the period between 1996 and 2000. On the other hand, improvements are needed in the area of reusing, in order to promote the use of returnable bottles, which are on the decline as plastic bottles are taking over the market.

In regard to recycling efforts, the ratio of local governments committed to sorted collection increased from 65 percent to 98 percent in the same period, and the ratio of recycling increased from 45 percent to 59 percent after the law entered into force.

Judging from the results, the ministry evaluated the policies to promote recycling of containers and packaging materials in Japan as having been fairly effective. Nevertheless, the ministry indicated the need for further efforts in municipalities where categories of sorted collection are limited, or where sorted collection of waste has not yet been introduced. Initiatives to encourage the use of returnable bottles were also indicated as a future task.

Japan's Containers and Packaging Recycling Law was enacted in 1995 and has been phased-in since 1997, with the purpose of reducing the amount of containers and packaging waste, accounting for about 25 percent in weight and about 60 percent in volume of household and general commercial waste.



Posted: 2003/05/15 08:40:50 AM
Japanese version