2015 Volume 26 Issue 2 Pages 97-104
Based on the Basic Law for Establishing the Recycling-based Society, energy recovery from waste has been found to be an appropriate means for tackling burnable waste that cannot be put into the material recycling stream. While on one hand, the number of municipal solid waste disposal facilities has been decreasing, along with the total amount of waste nationally. On the other hand, the ratio of waste recovery facilities and the number of waste-generating facilities is on the increase. The Great East Japan Earthquake made it clear that municipal solid waste disposal facilities are vital regional energy centers due to the fact that they can contribute to preservation of the living environment and to sanitation improvements. Moreover, there is a need to take the appropriate measures for dealing with deterioration of municipal solid waste disposal facilities and reforms in electric power systems, as well as other systems.
With these movements of waste energy recovery in mind, the Ministry of the Environment is taking steps to support waste energy recovery, including waste power generation, through its Grant for Establishing a Sound Material-cycle Society and the Special Account for Energy-related Activities.
