Decrease in final disposal of industrial waste - the embryo of a recycling society Late 1990s

Decrease in final disposal of industrial waste - the embryo of a recycling society Late 1990s

In the mid-1990s, Japan was facing a serious "waste disposal site shortage" crisis. The trend of mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal since the period of high economic growth continued, and final disposal sites were strained, especially in urban areas, where the number of remaining years of landfill space was reported to be in the single digits. Against this backdrop, the 1996 industrial waste statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare drew attention as a hopeful sign of progress in recycling.

According to the survey, the total volume of industrial waste was approximately 405 million tons. Of that total, 150 million tons, or 37%, were recycled, bringing the final disposal volume down to 68 million tons. This is a year-on-year decrease from 91 million tons in FY1991, and the effects of the policy and the efforts of businesses are reflected in the figures. A breakdown of waste shows that sludge accounted for 47.7%, animal feces and urine 17.8%, and construction waste 15.2%, together accounting for about 80% of the total. At the time, the disposal of sludge from construction waste and sewage treatment, which had ballooned due to the construction rush, was a major social issue.

In the background were the 1991 revision of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law and the development of recycling legislation: in 1991, the Law for the Promotion of Utilization of Recyclable Resources was enacted, and in 1995, the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law was passed, with full enforcement in 1997. These systems imposed recycling obligations and strict separation and collection on businesses, further promoting waste reduction and recycling. In addition, local governments have developed intermediate treatment facilities and introduced recycling technologies, such as the use of sludge as a raw material for cement and the conversion of construction waste into aggregate.

Nevertheless, recycling at this time was still focused on quantity rather than quality, and the expansion of the market for recycled products was not keeping pace. The lack of demand caused the price of recycled products to fall, and it was not a simple "just recycle and you're good to go," but a balance between market formation and institutional design was required.

The decrease in the final disposal of industrial waste in the late 1990s can be regarded as the "first solid step" toward the transition to a recycling-oriented society. The figures indicate not just a reduction in waste disposal, but the result of a combination of changes in legal systems, technology, and social awareness, and represent an important trend that later led to the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Oriented Society in 2000.