Live in Japan 101: How To Deal With Your Waste

Every country has their own way to
manage their waste. In my home country Indonesia, people get used to mixing all
the waste, because that is how the municipality will collect it. In Japan,
turns out, it is not throw-it-all-to-one-bin. Even as someone who works in
waste management industry, back then when I just arrived in Japan I had to
learn how I should manage my waste at home. I had read how the Japanese manage
waste back then in my bachelor time, yet I only understand the detail when I do
it myself. Thus, I decided to share this with fellow foreigners who are going
to live in this country as well as for fellow Indonesian who might curious
about how one developed country handles its waste.

The basic three classifications

Since aged ago, Japanese get used to
burning their waste. This practice results in two most basic classifications of
Japanese waste collection system: combustible and incombustible. As recycling
demand increasing, nowadays, the two basic classifications have developed into
three: combustible, incombustible, and recyclables.

In my apartment in Kyoto, I use
these basic three classifications. The first is combustible, which include food
waste, kitchen waste, as well as leftover materials made from paper. In
Indonesia, we consider these combustibles as biodegradable waste. One might
wonder – if it’s biodegradable, why do Japanese burn it? According to Japan
Global Environment Centre Foundation, biodegradable waste is recovered, not
burned, only in small and medium cities – where the location is close to farm
and agricultural site. As far as my concern, encouragement to the citizen in
large cities to do composting and similar activity is very uncommon to be
found.

The second classification is incombustible
– or in Kyoto case, plastic packaging waste.
The waste may include plastic sachet, plastic sheet, plastic bag,
basically anything made from plastics. There are some exceptional materials
such as toothbrushes, toys, buckets, ballpoint pens, and CD cases that should
be disposed of as combustible waste. According to Japan Ministry of the
Environment, the Japanese have started to segregate packaging waste since 1997
and currently around 75% of Japanese cities participate in this classification.
However, should a city not include plastic packaging waste in their segregation
system, the law stated that the plastics should be disposed of as combustible
waste. And the last classification will be a recyclable waste, which includes
PET bottles, cans, and glass bottles.

The three classifications: combustibles, plastics, recyclables

The collection system

Here in Kyoto, there are three waste
collection systems that I am aware of: regular collection by the
municipalities, regular group collection by the local community, and voluntary
collection at the designated place. The
most basic one is the regular collection by the municipalities, who will
collect three basic waste classifications on different days of the week.

To have my waste collected by the
municipalities, I have to buy specific plastic bags: a yellow one for
combustible waste and the clear one for plastic and recyclables. The price of
the plastic bag vary and so is the price – the yellow bag ranges from 50 yen
for 5L size to 450 yen for 45 L size and the clear bag ranges from 50 yen for
20L size to 110 yen for 45L size. Furthermore, unlike in Indonesia, my waste is
not collected all mixed 2-3 times a week. Instead, there are different days for
different waste throughout the week. In my apartment, combustibles will be
collected on Tuesday and Friday, while recyclables are on Wednesday and
plastics on Thursday. Every city in Japan has different plastic bags for waste
and different policy regarding the collection system. Even within Kyoto, the
collection schedule might be different from one area to another.

What’s more on the Japanese
collection system is that they have a group collection by the local community.
For example, here in my apartment, they collect newspaper, magazines,
cardboard, as well as beverage cartons separately every once in a while (I
unfortunately still not recognized when, it just disappeared every time I put
in the designated location). There is also a voluntary collection, which means
you have to take some specific waste such as batteries and lamps to the
designated place (usually supermarkets) where they have a segregated collection
bin. Do take a note that for bulky waste such as futon (Japanese bed), you will need to call the municipality collection centre, and you need to pay 400 yen for a special pick up.

For me, I do separate all my waste wholeheartedly here because I do
not have such system and infrastructure privilege in Indonesia. It might seem
too much for people who get used to mixing their waste, but really, it is not a
sin to help easier the work of people who clean up our mess, isn’t it?

Segregated plastic packaging waste in the neighbourhood, waiting for pick up

The voluntary collection point at local supermarket

Truck that pick up the combustible waste

Where does all the waste go?

Had experienced visiting almost all
kind of municipalities waste treatment facilities in Japan, I still curious to
follow the waste truck every time I saw it. Anyway, the waste goes to different
places according to the segregation criteria. The combustibles go to an
incineration plant, the one you might have seen in Toy’s Story movie.
Meanwhile, the plastics and the recyclables usually go to a material recovery
facility (MRF) first, before being picked up by the recycling companies. Yap,
they do further separation of the waste in the MRF, even though the citizens
already segregate at source (and they will do it again at the recycling plant).
The remaining from the incinerator (which mainly ashes) will be landfilled.
Some of the landfill in Japan is used for reclamation area, such as the New Sea
Surface Disposal Site in Tokyo, which will be developed into leisure area, one
of them named “Umi no Mori”. Another example of post-landfill utilization is
the beautiful Moerenuma Park in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Municipal waste incinerator in Hirakata city, Osaka

Inside the incinerator: it’s your waste ready to be burned!

Material Recovery Facility, in which plastics are recovered, in Kawasaki city

Landfill as reclamation area – the new Sea Surface Disposal Site for Tokyo’s waste (right).
Courtesy of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Environment | Photo from Japantimes.com

Moerunuma Park, used to be a landfill. Photo from good-hokkaido.info

Closing Remarks
Every city in Japan has their own
policy regarding waste segregation and collection, thus what I have here might
be different from other cities in Japan. For those who are going to live in
Japan, need not to worry, waste management is one of the basic living guidance
that will be informed to you by the landlord of your dorm or apartment once you
arrive. For those who curious – what I have here is only the basic of Japan’s
daily waste management system that I experience. Those who learn about the
economic, the politic, as well as the management of waste management in Japan
maybe understand that it is not always like it seems. As much as the Japanese
system looks good here, it does not necessarily mean their system is better or
they recycle more than other countries. One day, I might share more on the
behind-the-scenes of the recycling system in Japan. As for now, hopefully, this
gives you a useful insight.

Cheers,