2016 Volume 12 Issue 4 Pages 243-251
Objective. The ratio of the population aged 65 years and above in 2015 is 26.7% in Japan. A society in which the ratio of the population aged 65 years and above exceeds 21.0% is called a super-ageing society. A super-ageing society affects not only medical services and social security but also town management and municipal solid waste（MSW）management of local municipalities. This study reviewed the health and cognitive abilities of aged persons and their ability to perform activities such as taking out the garbage and garbage segregation. This paper also discusses concepts of an MSW management system taking into account the future super-ageing society in Japan.
Results and Discussion. Firstly, we indicated that the characteristics of aged person are not a uniform state even if population aged 65 years and above is classified as the aged people. Based on a review of the literature, many people aged 64–74 years retain good health, and are able to live their daily lives unaided. This age group is also concerned about environmental issues, which serve as a motivation in their lives. Their environmental consciousness is higher than that of people aged below 64 years. On the other hand, persons aged 75 years and above tend to experience a deterioration in their health and cognitive ability. They experience difficulty performing activities such as taking out the garbage and garbage segregation. Local municipalities have provided support to such persons with regard to taking out the garbage and/or garbage segregation. However, a further increase in the number of such aged persons will result in a change in the amount and quality garbage generated. These phenomena may increase the environmental and economic impacts of the MSW management system. When new MSW management systems are designed based on the precautionary principle, it is necessary to discuss the influence of the amount and quality of the garbage on the systems, and how the system can minimize the environmental and economic impact of these influences. It is also important to take into account the self-help capacity of the aged persons by development of their abilities and assistance from volunteers and residents.
Conclusions. This paper showed the necessity to take into account the characteristics of aged persons when local municipalities and/or researchers design new MSW management systems for future super-ageing societies. It is also imperative not to conceptualize the new MSW management systems, including methods of garbage segregation, solely based on existing MSW management systems. It is also important to collaborate with researchers in other research fields, such as gerontology. In conclusion, cooperation amongst researchers of multiple interdisciplinary fields may be able to create new business chances and innovations in the MSW management system.
