In the early 2000s, a recycling system was established in Japan under the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society. Although the concept spread, in actual operation, priority was given to processing volume and economic efficiency, and in many cases, reduction of environmental burden was not sufficiently achieved. Landfills and offshore transfers made it difficult to see the burden, and a structure was created in which the environmental burden was transferred to other places in the name of circulation. This period was a turning point when people began to be aware of the limitations of the system.

In the early 2000s, a recycling system was established in Japan under the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society. Although the concept spread, in actual operation, priority was given to processing volume and economic efficiency, and in many cases, reduction of environmental burden was not sufficiently achieved. Landfills and offshore transfers made it difficult to see the burden, and a structure was created in which the environmental burden was transferred to other places in the name of circulation. This period was a turning point when people began to be aware of the limitations of the system.