Japan to Collect All Types of Plastic Waste for Recycling

Tokyo, July 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Tuesday unveiled a plan for municipalities to collect all types of plastic waste from households for recycling.

The plan, designed to make it easier for residents to sort plastic waste and increase amounts of such waste to be recycled, was broadly approved at a joint meeting of expert groups of the environment and economic ministries.

The government will consider drawing new legislation to implement the plan. It will request the municipalities to collect all plastic waste together, aiming to launch the system in 2022 or later.

Currently, over 70 pct of the municipalities collect plastic containers and packaging, including plastic bags, food trays and shampoo bottles, as recyclable waste from households and hand them over to recycling businesses.

But other plastic products, including toothbrushes, stationery goods and washbowls, are categorized as combustible or noncombustible waste and incinerated or buried.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]