As environmental initiatives accelerate in various places, the stage of environmental business is expanding from some specific industries to all industries (primary, secondary, and tertiary), from cities (urban and lifestyle pollution) to regions (regional resource recycling), and from public demand to private demand in a variety of ways. As one example of such expansion, the Eco-Business Network would like to focus on "remote island regions" (islands with human habitation but no bridges, excluding Okinawa, Amami, and Hachijo Islands).

As environmental initiatives accelerate in various places, the stage of environmental business is expanding from some specific industries to all industries (primary, secondary, and tertiary), from cities (urban and lifestyle pollution) to regions (regional resource recycling), and from public demand to private demand in a variety of ways. As one example of such expansion, the Eco-Business Network would like to focus on "remote island regions" (islands with human habitation but no bridges, excluding Okinawa, Amami, and Hachijo Islands).

Surrounded by the sea on all sides and blessed with a rich natural environment, the islanders have been taking the initiative in using, maintaining, and preserving the natural environment as a space for living and production. At the same time, however, the islanders have been slow to develop on-island facilities for the disposal of waste generated by tourists and other visitors, as well as various types of waste from island life and industry, and the cost of transporting such waste off the island has been a stumbling block to adequate management.

In recent years, however, with the revision of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law and the development of various recycling laws such as the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, Home Appliance Recycling Law, Food Recycling Law, and Construction Recycling Law, more concrete measures are urgently needed in remote island regions. The issue of waste disposal has now become a significant issue for island administrations.

In some remote island areas, efforts toward the formation of a recycling-oriented society are already heating up. On Yakushima Island, 80% of the island's electricity is supplied by hydroelectric power, taking advantage of the island's steep terrain and abundant water, and in Yaku Town, human waste, feces and urine, and raw garbage are being composted. Okinoerabu Island also produces compost from organic waste, including food waste, generated on the island, and uses compost on about 25% of its total farmland. Hachijojima's deposit system has also produced significant results, including PR effects. However, these efforts are still only a small part of the picture.

The "Remote Islands Promotion Law" was enacted in 1953 to eliminate the disparities caused by the special circumstances of remote islands (maritime encirclement, narrowness, and isolation). The law also provides for the securing of a budget for the implementation of the project plan and an increase in the government's share of subsidies for the implementation of the project plan. The law was enacted as a time-limited law for a period of 10 years, and has been extended four times, with the current effective period being from FY1993 to FY2002.

The current law specifies the roles of remote islands (e.g., preservation of national land, use of marine resources, and preservation of the natural environment), expands the contents of remote island development plans (e.g., welfare of the elderly, tourism development) and provisions for consideration (e.g., municipal bonds, comprehensive transportation), and further enhances the contents by creating tax measures and other measures. And it is very likely that the next extension will incorporate the theme of "the formation of a recycling-oriented society in remote island regions," given the recent social situation. In line with this theme, it is expected that measures for the formation of a recycling-oriented society in remote island regions, as well as budgetary measures for the development of recycling infrastructure and systems, will be implemented.

There are many issues to be addressed in realizing the development of a recycling system in remote island regions. In terms of waste treatment and recycling, while it would be ideal to have on-island treatment facilities for various types of waste, there are many difficulties in securing waste materials and in the market situation for the waste products. On the other hand, off-island disposal also entails transportation costs. Taking the Home Appliance Recycling Law as an example, the collection and transportation fee for a large refrigerator on Amami Oshima Island is over 8,000 yen. Even if the islands work together to dispose of these items, there is likely to be a dispute over which island to build the facilities on.

However, in order to ensure the sustainability of local communities, it is becoming an unavoidable theme for remote island regions to review their lifestyles and industries in the direction of less environmental impact, not only in terms of recycling, but also in terms of waste reduction and natural energy development. This is becoming an unavoidable theme for remote island regions in order to secure the sustainability of local communities and to attract new local attractions. There is no doubt that infrastructure development and the creation of systems will be promoted as soon as possible.

The "Formation of a Recycling-Oriented Society in Remote Island Regions" can be seen as a model case for the formation of regional recycling systems. The stage for environmental business will be further broadened by uncovering the needs of each remote island region, which are different from each other.