The area around Sasazuka Station in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, has a particularly high number of abandoned bicycles.

The area around Sasazuka Station in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, has a particularly high number of abandoned bicycles. As a result, designated bicycle parking areas and no-parking zones have been strictly established. Even within these no-parking zones, bicycles are sometimes parked in a way that blocks the sidewalk. The Shibuya Ward Office removes bicycles from no-parking zones twice a week. Bicycles that have been tagged with a warning notice in the morning are removed if they remain there by noon; on average, about 80 bicycles are removed per operation. Bicycles left unattended in designated parking areas are also removed. If a bicycle remains after a survey notice has been posted for one week, a warning notice is posted, and the situation is monitored for another week. If it is still left unattended after that, it is removed. Removed bicycles are temporarily stored under the elevated highway near Sasazuka Station. While in storage, the owners are identified using the anti-theft registration numbers, and notifications are mailed to them (10 days after removal). If the owner does not come forward within two months, all such bicycles are sent to scrap metal dealers and recycled. Last fiscal year, 3,913 abandoned bicycles were removed and recycled in the area around Sasazuka Station. According to a survey conducted two years ago by the Japan Bicycle Industry Promotion Association, there are 75.03 million bicycles in Japan. On the other hand, the total number of bicycles discarded by owners is estimated at approximately 6.6 million per year. Of these, the largest category—4.81 million bicycles—consists of bicycles discarded by owners as bulky waste and handed over to local municipalities, while 1.08 million bicycles are taken in by bicycle retailers. In principle, local governments are responsible for processing discarded bicycles, and pilot collection programs are already up and running in the Kanagawa region (including Yokohama, Sagamihara, and Kamakura) and in the Tokyo suburbs (such as Ome and Hachioji). Starting in June 1995, a new initiative is scheduled to begin in the Tokyo metropolitan area—where securing storage space is difficult—involving mobile collection using press-hacker trucks equipped for collection and transport. The Council for the Promotion of Bicycle Environmental Improvement also provides refurbished bicycles free of charge to countries in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. The goal is to repair and refurbish abandoned bicycles with no owners domestically and utilize them to support healthcare activities in these countries. In villages in Zambia, health committee members and midwives are utilizing these refurbished bicycles. The Council also provides subsidies to local governments that refurbish bicycles for overseas donation, covering expenses such as the purchase of repair equipment and ocean freight. To date, a total of 8,000 bicycles have been donated. Shibuya Ward has also begun a program this fiscal year to donate 175 bicycles annually overseas. While the ward covers the cost of transporting the bicycles to Yokohama Port, they are shipped overseas by hitching a ride on vessels operated by volunteer organizations. Currently, 5.28 million bicycles—accounting for 80% of all discarded bicycles—are recycled as scrap metal. In addition, 460,000 bicycles are reused. The recycling rate stands at 87%. This figure includes abandoned bicycles and those classified as bulky waste. Ultimately, 860,000 bicycles (13%) are disposed of in landfills. Since over 80% of a bicycle’s materials are iron, recycling is relatively straightforward. Troublesome plastics are rarely used. However, bicycle manufacturers themselves are continuing to explore structural designs, material compositions, and assembly methods that facilitate recycling, and are planning to introduce product assessments. Additionally, the Council for the Promotion of Bicycle Environment Improvement is launching efforts to develop bicycle parking facilities to address the persistent problem of abandoned bicycles around train stations. The council, comprising railway operators, local governments, and nearby businesses, plans to formulate a comprehensive plan. The intention is to expand this initiative nationwide.