Japan's Waste Recycling: A History from 2000 to the 2020s

Japan's Waste Recycling: A History from 2000 to the 2020s

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#### Situation and Challenges in 2000

In 2000, Japan aimed to build a "recycling-oriented society" to address the rapid increase in waste. The total waste generated that year amounted to 52 million tons, of which 9 million tons were plastic waste. The government set a target to increase the plastic recycling rate to 25% by 2005 and promoted the adoption of recycling technologies.

Efforts to reuse organic waste were also advanced. In Sapporo, 8,000 tons of food waste were composted annually and supplied to local farmers. Additionally, in Tokyo, biogas generated from waste was used as fuel for city buses, reducing waste and CO₂ emissions. To address the shortage of recycling facilities in rural areas, the government expanded its subsidy program to support effective waste management.

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#### Current State and Progress in the 2020s

Entering the 2020s, Japan continued to reduce waste. In 2021, total waste generation decreased to 40.95 million tons. The amount of waste generated per person per day also fell to 890 grams, thanks to increased public awareness and government efforts promoting waste separation. However, 87% of plastic recycling was achieved through energy recovery, raising concerns about decarbonization efforts.

Companies have been developing new technologies to enhance recycling. Sekisui Chemical is advancing a project to produce 2,000 liters of ethanol annually from waste. Mitsubishi Electric has introduced efficient plastic recycling through electrostatic separation technology at its Chiba plant, streamlining the recycling process by eliminating the need for manual sorting.

Urban areas are also adopting waste-to-energy technologies. In Tokyo, incineration facilities process 171 tons of waste per day, and 38.5% of these facilities have power generation capabilities. This initiative strengthens the city's waste reduction efforts while contributing to renewable energy supply.