Yokohama Declaration
As adopted at the 6th 3R Conference for Asian Local Governments
We, the members of local governments and supporting institutions, having
participated in the 6th 3R Conference for Asian Local Governments held in
Yokohama, the most renowned port city of Japan which is open to Asiancountries, highly evaluate the successful achievement we have made throughserious yet friendly discussion to meet the objective, and confirm the reachedconclusion as follows.
(Background)
The Asian Region is now in the middle of rapid economic development witheach country's GDP per capita growing further, making people's living
standards higher with unprecedented level of consumption. As a result, thesolid wastes generation is increasing at an extraordinary level in volume andin speed. This has posed a daunting challenge to all the concerned parties in
how to treat and depose of them appropriately.
(Progress)
In order to find solutions to such a challenge, Japan Environmental
Sanitation Center has taken the initiatives to organize this conference as aforum for Asian local governments to exchange information and discuss on
the 3R issues, and it has been counted as the 6th conference this year. The
number of the participating parties in this conference this year has been 21
local governments from overseas and 17 from Japan, as well as 12
supporting institutions. Every year the conference has adopted a declaration,and made a relevant appeal to Japan and to each country in Asia. The
results we have concluded up to the last conference are as follows.
1. We have shared the recognition that we should cope with serious
problems as to how to treat and dispose of solid wastes as well as to how tomanage hazardous wastes appropriately in Asian countries where they arechanging their lifestyle to more mass-production, mass-consumption, andmass-disposal oriented manner, just as once Japan experienced, reflecting
the economic development.
2. Each local government has selected a different method of treatment ofsolid wastes depending on its size and local characteristics.

3. 3R activities (such as a waste bank) on their own initiatives with local
people's participation are gaining momentum and spreading.
4. Successful practices have been disseminated to Asian cities aspartnerships and cooperation among Asian local governments, including
those of Japan, are expanding.
We, the member local governments and supporting institutions, havehighly appreciated the above result of this conference.
(The Result of the Conference This Year)In promoting the 3R Initiatives, it is important to engage in acomprehensive way including such diverse elements as promotion ofmaterial recycling and as achievement of low-carbon society, while ensuring
appropriate treatment and disposal of solid wastes. Therefore, it is necessary
to conduct comparative evaluations on that as objectively as possible. Inorder to do this, it is required to obtain appropriate evaluations with due
consideration on record compilation of accurate actual data and other diverse
elements. It should be noted that the need for the establishment of indicators
to appropriately evaluate 3R activities was discussed also in the 4th AsianRegional 3R Forum (hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Vietnam,co-hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan) held in Hanoi in
March 2013.
We have highly evaluated 3R activities on their own initiatives of each
local government of each country while we discussed effectiveness andchallenges of partnerships and cooperation among the cities based on thepresentations of the member countries in "Solid Waste and 3R Policy" in
Session 1 and "Partnerships and Cooperation among Local Governments" inSession 2 at the 6th 3R Conference for Asian Local Governments.
As a result of this Conference, we have reached the agreement for further
progress of 3R activities as the following:1) It is necessary to implement comprehensive 3R policies reflecting localand historical conditions.
2) Partnerships and Cooperation among local governments transcendingnational boundaries are viable in effective promotion and expansion of 3R
initiatives.
3) We need to have appropriate evaluation indicators with due
consideration of recording and compiling of accurate real data and diverse

elements to conduct proper comparative evaluation on a 3R policy.
The member local governments have agreed, as targets for effort, to takethe measures as follows:
1. Grasp of Actual Data
Mutual comparison and evaluation between different 3R policies should be
conducted based on objective and actual data.
2. Clues to Total Grasp of Reality
While increasing number of automated weighing systems anddata-collection-and-reporting systems is being installed in large cities, many
cities still lack waste weighing systems. It is necessary to make efforts tograsp the reality as a whole in such process as collection, transportation,treatment, disposal and recycling of solid wastes even if the accuracy of data
is not ensured.
3. Standardization of Indicators for Evaluation
In order to conduct evaluation and analysis of actual data, it is desirable topromote standardization in the definition of evaluation indicators (such as
resources productivity, recycling ratio, 3R cost), as there are much variety inthe process of collection, transportation, treatment and disposal in different
local governments.
（Future action）
We, the member local governments and supporting institutions, haveexpressed an expectation that this conference would be held continually to
expand the network, and the above result would be implemented in concretemanners toward a next year Conference. The member local governments also
express a strong expectation that the supporting institutions would continue
making efforts by providing various resources and opportunities.
We, the member local governments and supporting institutions, haveagreed with the expectation that the result of this conference for local
governments would be reported in Asia Pacific Regional Forum for 3R(Surabaya, February 24 - 27, 2014), which is an inter-governmental
conference to be held soon, to further deepen cooperative relationships
among the participating countries.
February 20, 2014
At Yokohama City
All participants of the5th

3R Conference for Asian Local Governments