Abstract
The Containers and Packaging Recycling Law in Japan requires municipalities to deliver post-consumer PET bottles to a body designated by the law (the institutional route). In recent years, however, the number of municipalities that provide PET bottles to independent recyclers and recycling brokers is on the rise (the independent disposal route). We conducted a questionnaire on prices and conditions in the independent disposal route of post-consumer PET bottles. The average price (yen/kg) had declined from 15.2 in 1997 to -21.3 in 2001 and risen steadily to 36.2 in 2008. When considering characteristics of target municipalities, the price was relatively higher in municipalities that regarded the economic aspect as more important. On the other hand, the price was relatively lower in municipalities that took account of other aspects, such as the shortage of their own compression bailing facilities. The latter municipalities will be likely to continue to provide PET bottles via the independent disposal route even if the price via the institutional route becomes higher than the independent disposal route.
