Abstract
Our study, based on the bottom-up approach, was conducted on the material flow of plastics that are used and discharged from households and industries in Japan. Based on this approach, a detailed study was done on the volumes and shapes of plastic waste containers and packaging discharged from households. The theoretical estimation using the bottom-up approach shows a good approximation of the actual waste being discarded from households. We believe the results of this study provide a basic foundation for further discussions on establishing an appropriate recycling system for plastics.
