Abstract
The current Japanese Recycling Act for Containers and Packaging does not provide sufficient incentives for reducing the amount of waste or shifting product design towards more environmentally sound forms. A mechanism by which business entities fulfill their responsibility regarding the disposal of waste is needed. Disposal cost should be internalized in the prices of products that use containers and packaging, and consumers who want to buy and use these products should pay this internalized price. The mechanism needs to send consumers a clear message of cost for environmental conservation (visualization) and to accentuate the appropriate shared responsibility between producers and consumers. On the national level, discussions have begun on the topic of efficient recycling systems, in which citizens can play active roles for recycling of packaging waste and non-packaging plastics. Collaboration between municipalities and businesses should be promoted, making full use of collection systems at stores and introducing sorting centers. The National Network for the Promotion of the 3Rs for Containers and Packaging has proposed revisions that should be made in the next amendment of the Recycling Act.
