2014.6.17
OECD Global Forum EPR
Tokyo

Insights fromAsia Pacific Region- the example of JapanNational Institute for Environmental Studies(NIES), Japan

Tomohiro TASAKI

Contents
 Packaging Recycling Act
 Home Appliance Recycling Act(Large WEEE) Summary of lessons from Japan References

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum2

Japanese Packaging Recycling Act
 Achievements

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Participation of many municipalities and citizens in recycling
Increased recycling capacity
Development of recycling technologies
Increased recycling
Promoted waste prevention and DfE

 Issues

1.
2.

3.
4.
5.

High cost
Shared responsibility encourages partial optimization (?)
No collection target (A lack of shared vision)Competition between EPR schemes and the market
Insufficient waste prevention (?)

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum

3

Japanese Packaging Recycling Act(PRO scheme)
Downstream
Collection

Recycling/proper treatment

DfE

2 3

Physicalresponsibility Consumer(role)
SourceRecycler4

separation

Municipality
Financialresponsibility

Upstream

1n Achievement

Paymentthrough the PRO

Producer

Producer

5n IssueSource: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum4

Achievement 1
Increased participation of municipalities
in recycling of packaging waste
Factors for success:1) Municipalities’ awarenessof necessity for recycling2) Citizens’ cooperation

Factor of failure:
Improper scope ofwaste targeted

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum5

Achievements 2 and 42: Increased capacity of recycling facilities
Total of the four items
PET bottles
Plastic packaging(103 ton)
FY 1997 FY 2003 FY 2014
548
1,826
2,528
18292
419
591
1,346

Factor for
Glass bottles
success:PET bottles
A clear sign
Plastictopackaging
the market
Paper packaging

4: Increased recycling of packaging wastes
Total of all packaging
Plastic packaging(103 ton)
FY 1997 FY 2003 FY 2011
732
2,150
2,783385686

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum6

Achievement 5
Waste
prevention
byproducers(103 tonnes)

Voluntary target
for 2015(relative to 2004)

Reduction Cumulativerate
reductionin 2011 from 2006

2.8% reduction
Glass bottles
PET bottles

for average weight per abottle

10% reduction
for designated PET bottles

2.0%

117

10.5%

239

6.9%504

Paper packaging

8% reduction

Factor for success:
Plastic packaging
1) CSR (voluntary)?
Steel cans
2) Financial responsibility?

13% reduction
4% reduction

10.4%

52.5

for average weight per abottle

4.7%

95

3.0%

42.5

0.3%

41ton

2.5%

675

in total

3% reduction
Aluminum cans
Paper cartons
Cardboard

for average weight per abottle

3% reduction
for 500mL paper cartons

1.5% reduction
for weight per 1m2

1st joint meeting of Industrial Structure Council and Central Environment Council for Packaging
Source: TheRecycling Act (2013.9.13) A distributed document.

7

Japanese Packaging Recycling Act(PRO scheme)
Downstream

Recycling/proper treatment

Collection

DfE

2 3

Physicalresponsibility Consumer(role)
SourceRecycler

4

Partialseparationoptimization

Payment
through the PRO

Municipality
Financialresponsibility

Upstream112

n Achievement

1
ProducerHigh cost
Unit contract priceforProducer
recycling ofplastic packaging
57.3 5yen/kg(FY 2010)

n Issue

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum

8

The contributory commission systemfor cost reduction
12Contribution

Distributed to municipalities
9-10 B yen (FY 2008-10)
1.9-2.4 B yen (FY 2011-12)

Difference
Estimatedrecyclingcost

Who cancontribute?

Actualrecycling

Paid by producers

cost(2014); The figures of the contribution are from a website of theSource: Yamakawa
Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Association (accessed 2014.2.9)9

Quality of waste plastic packaging from municipalities after
the introduction of the contributory commission system
EstablishedFY 2006
FY 2007

Implementation

FY 2008

FY 2009

1st payment
FY 2010
2nd payment
FY 2011
3rd payment
FY 2012

Packagingcontent

A rankB rankD rank

>90%

85%
-90%

<85%

1st joint meeting of Industrial Structure Council and Central Environment Council for Packaging
Source: The
Recycling Act (2013.9.13) A distributed document; Photos are from Tasaki (2008)10

Japanese Packaging Recycling Act(PRO scheme)
Downstream

Competition between
EPR schemes
Collection
and the market

4

Upstream

Recycling/proper treatment

DfE

Sale in market -> Export

2 3

Physicalresponsibility Consumer(role)
SourceRecycler

4

3

separation

Payment
through the PRO

1

Municipality

No collection
Financialtargetresponsibility(A sharedvision)

11

Insufficientwaste prevention?
Producer

52n Achievement

ProducerPrevention

5?

n Issue

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum

11Specified Home Appliance Recycling ActJapanese Large WEEE Recycling Act
 Achievements

1.
2.
3.
4.

Difficult-to-treat waste ended up in the hands of producers
Increased amount of recycling
Development of recycling technologies
Promoted dissemination of Information for DfE and personnel
exchange Issues

1.
2.

Inconvenient systems for consumers
Improper treatment in non-producer routes and insufficient
coverage
Applying ADF has been discussed, ….
Setting a collection target is being discussed

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum

12

Japanese Large WEEE Recycling Act
Downstream

Recycling/proper treatment

Collection

Retailer1
Collection fee

Promoted
recycling
Collection
pointsReduced WEEE in thehands of municipalities
Physicalresponsibility

Upstream
DfE

Promoted
R&D

Producer

2 3
Recycling fee

Producer(charged through retailers)

Financialresponsibility

Consumern Achievementn Issue

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum13

Achievement 2

Increased recycling rate(2014) Environmentally Conscious Design for Electric HomeSource: AEHA
Appliances in Japan14

Achievement 3:
R&D for separation of plastics

Electric Corporation HP (Accessed 2014.6.9) Green Cycle Systems
Source: Mitsubishi（http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/company/environment/ecotopics/plastic_sp/greencycle/index.html）

15

Achievement 3: R&D for closed-loop recyclingof plastics used for large WEEE

(2014) Environmentally Conscious Design for Electric Home
Source: AEHA
Appliances in Japan16

Japanese Large WEEE Recycling Act
Downstream
Collection

Upstream

Factors for Recycling/success:proper treatment
Physical responsibility

DfE

4Retailer

1
Collection fee

Collectionpoints

Physicalresponsibility

Information

Producer

2 3
Recycling fee

Productdesigners
R&D(charged through retailers)

Financialresponsibility

Consumern Achievementn Issue

Producer

Factors forsuccessPart of thefee can beused for R&D

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum17

Achievement 4:
Promoted DfE of large WEEE

(2014) Environmentally Conscious Design for Electric Home
Source: AEHA
Appliances in Japan18

Japanese Large WEEE Recycling Act
Downstream

Recycling/proper treatment

Collection
Non-producer routes

Physicalresponsibility

Retailer1
Collection fee1Financialresponsibility

DfE

24
Information

Collectionpoints

Limited responsibility

Upstream

Producer

2 3
Recycling fee

Productdesigners
R&D

Producer(charged through retailers)

At the time of disposal

Consumern Achievementn Issue

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum19

Lessons learned from Japan (1) Needs to fill the gap between different perceptions on EPRTerminology in Japanese: “seki-nin” = responsibility, liability

Be cautious when talking in other languages

To make distinction between ideal mechanisms and realmechanisms of EPR policies

 Financial responsibility may drive stakeholders to cost

reduction only

To have multiple options available and/or to have incentives for theother actions should come with financial responsibility.

 Physical responsibility is useful to gain information inwaste (downstream) management.
 To reconsider all stakeholder’s capabilities

Who has higher capability in collection?
Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum20

Lessons learned from Japan (2) A shared goal is necessary for shared responsibility …

Shared responsibility ≠ allocation of responsibilities
 to avoid partial optimization and stakeholders’ indifference to theoverall system so that stakeholders can collaborate in a proper way
 To identify priority aims in a country

EPR-based recycling policy = EPR + waste management policy +industrial policy ・・・ Guiding principles on EPR need to be adjusted with other principles.
 Competition between EPR schemes and the market


EPR policies for waste ≠ EPR policies for recyclables

Source: Tasaki (2014.6.17) Presentation at the OECD Global Forum21

References for EPR policies in Japan Three case studies (2014)
 Packaging (Yamakawa) Large WEEE (Hotta, Santo, and Tasaki) Battery (compact rechargeable) (Tasaki)(http://www.oecd.org/environment/waste/gfenvextendedproducerresponsibility-june2014.htm)

 Hosoda (2004) in Economic Aspects of Extended

Producer Responsibility, OECD publication.
 METI (2010) Towards a 3R-Oriented, Sustainable

Society: Legislation and Trends 2010. 96p.
(http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/recycle/main/english/pamphlets/index.html)
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