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Japan's Waste Recycling: Progress from 2000 to the 2020s --- #### Situation and Challenges in 2000 In 2000, Japan aimed to build a "recycling-oriented society" to address the rapid increase in waste. Annually, 52 million tons of waste were generated, of which 9 million tons were plastic waste. The government set a target to raise the plastic recycling rate to 25% by 2005 and promoted the spread of reuse technologies. Efforts to reuse organic waste also progressed; Sapporo City implemented a program to compost 8,000 tons of food waste annually and supply it to local farmers. Additionally, Tokyo utilized biogas as fuel for city buses, aiming to reduce both waste and CO₂ emissions. Due to a shortage of recycling facilities in rural areas, the government expanded subsidy programs to support efficient waste management. --- #### Current Status and Progress in the 2020s Entering the 2020s, Japan's total waste volume continued to decline, falling to 40.95 million tons in 2021. Per
capita waste generation also decreased to 890 grams per day, reflecting the success of thorough waste separation and government awareness campaigns. However, decarbonization remains a challenge, as 87% of plastic recycling currently involves thermal recovery through incineration. Companies are also developing new technologies. Sekisui Chemical is advancing a project to produce 2,000 liters of ethanol annually from waste. Additionally, Mitsubishi Electric has achieved efficient plastic recycling using electrostatic separation technology at its Chiba Prefecture plant. This reduces sorting labor and streamlines the recycling process. Waste-to-energy systems are also advancing in urban areas. Tokyo's incineration facilities process 171 tons of waste per day, with 38.5% of facilities now equipped with power generation capacity. This initiative simultaneously reduces waste and strengthens renewable energy supply.