SUSTAINABILITY

Kamikatsu residents
separate their own trash
into over 45 different
categories. In doing so,they can envision justwhat can be reused andhow, thus becoming
aware of the bigger
picture after things havebeen thrown away.

A SMALL TOWN ASKS “WHY?”: TOWARD A

ZERO -WASTE
WORLDKamikatsu

In 2020, a waste-recycling facility complex with hotel was opened in Kamikatsu Town,
Tokushima Prefecture, a community that has been working for years on
progressive solutions to reduce waste. What is the significance of this?
And what future is this town aiming for?
Looking down from above, an intriguing pairof buildings appears in the shape of a question
mark. The complex, opened last year in the townof Kamikatsu in Tokushima Prefecture, is the oneof-a-kind Zero Waste Center, comprising a garbage
collection facility, a learning center and public hall, acollaborative laboratory, and a hotel.
Kamikatsu, in the mountains of the Shikoku
region, is home to nearby 1,500 people. Back in 2003,
the small community was the first municipality inJapan to set itself a target of zero waste, subsequently
drawing attention both domestically andinternationally. Since their declaration to eliminate

landfill and incinerated waste by 2020, the residents
have worked together to fulfill the principles of the“3Rs” of reduce, reuse, and recycle. As the town does
not operate its trash collection service, the residents
take their garbage themselves to the town’s single
waste-collection center, where they then separate it
into more than 45 different categories. Meanwhile,
they compost kitchen waste and food scraps at home.
With the town having devised such a waste system,
the residents have gained a keen awareness of the needto reduce waste completely. Through their collectiveefforts, the residents of Kamikatsu now recycle morethan 80% of their overall waste.

However, some categories of the waste, such as
diapers and disposable heat packs, are exceedingly
difficult and expensive to recycle. Disposing of the
final 20% is a big problem indeed—something that
the Zero Waste Center was conceived precisely toaddress. By broadly promoting the town’s zero-waste
initiative and effecting changes in people’s mindsets,
its aim is to enlighten society about the need for zerowaste. Not only does the Zero Waste Center offer
people from Kamikatsu and elsewhere a venue tocome together, but it also confronts them with theproblem of waste by giving visitors and hotel guests
the first-hand experience of sorting trash.
In charge of the Center is OTSUKA Momona,
who describes the significance of the facility andits unusual shape, saying “Why do we buy things?
Why do we throw them away? Why do we makethings? Why do we sell them? This place gives us theopportunity to think about the many different ‘why’questions stemming from waste.” On their arrival at
the hotel within the complex, guests are first briefed
about the Center. Overwhelmed by the detail of
trash separation and aware that anything they might
buy would contribute to the problem, some guests
even reported choosing to refrain from making any
purchases during their stay.
Besides welcoming hotel guests and other visitors,

Top: The hotel is named“WHY.” Especially impressive is
how the windows have been
built with 700 discarded
fittings—collected fromresidents’ old sliding doors,etc.—that have been piecedtogether like a puzzle.
Bottom: The shop inside theCenter lets people exchange
unwanted items for free.
Residents bring in their reusable
tableware, clothes, accessories,
and other items, which anyone
can then take home.

The Zero Waste Center is shaped like a question mark. Its architectural design encourages
visitors to think about the relationship between production and consumption.

OTSUKA Momona decided to move to Kamikatsu Town, having been attracted
by the town’s initiatives. “It would be great if this town of ours could lay thefoundations to create a world of zero waste and achieve a circular economy.”

the Center is expected to become a leading place
for research on zero waste. Working in tandem withbusinesses and universities to conduct research anddevelopment on 100% recyclable products, it willtake important steps toward solving the problem of
how to deal with the last 20% of the waste.
The Japanese government has pledged to reducecarbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. By displaying
such firm intent to tackle environmental issues,
it has made people nationwide more aware of theneed to achieve a sustainable society. Of course, abig part of achieving that goal is overcoming theproblem of waste. As Otsuka explains, “It is notjust the 3Rs that are paramount to achieving zerowaste: we must also consider the fourth R, which
stands for ‘responsibility.’ Businesses need to produce
and manufacture with the idea of disposal in mind,
and consumers need to choose products that canbe recycled and reused as resources in the end.
That is the key to society’s future.” In its new zerowaste declaration announced in 2020, Kamikatsu
Town has also placed considerable importance on
environmental education for the next generation.
Taking on those challenges, the small town continues
to lead the way toward Japan’s future circulareconomy.