Plastic waste management in theCity of Kitakyushu

January 23, 2020
Director, Resource Circulation Division,
Resource Circulation Department
Environment Bureau,Kitakyushu CityNakamura Eiji

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1. Beach litter（１）Plastic containers washed onto the beach（２）Litter collected during beach cleanup22. Characteristics of plastic
１ Early history
During the second half of the 19th century inthe USA, the material used for producing wasivory such as billiard balls, piano keys, etc.,.
The concern for wildlife brought about theneed to invent a substitute material.
２ Advantages
It is light, easily produced, cheap, anddurable.
It is used in a wide range of industries, suchas medical ware, daily necessities,automobiles, aircraft, etc.
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３ Disadvantages of plastic
１ It takes too long to decompose in anatural environment.
In the cities, light plastic that was thrown away
can get blown into the rivers and the sea → across border problem
Although it becomes smaller with deterioration,
it never fully degrades and absorbs harmful
materials very easily.
２ It releases carbon dioxide into the airwhen being burned, due to oil content.
To avoid global warming, it is needed to reduce
dependence on products made of fossil fuel.

4４ Previous measures towards plastic waste in
Kitakhushu
Starting
Date

Key measures towards plastic volume reduction andrecycling

Nov 1997

Introduction of PET bottles sorting

Jul 2000

Introduction of plastic tray collection sites （Supermarkets,City Centers, etc.）※White trays（Starting year 2000）, colored trays（Startingyear 2002）

Jul 2006

Introduction of plastic packages sortingJun 2018

Canceling of free distribution of plastic bags incollaboration with supermarkets and city organizations.

2019

Kitakyushu Plastic Smart Campaign Project launch5５‐１ Present condition of plastic treatment in
Kitakyushu●Total volume of plastic used in past years

Type2016

2017

2018

Collecting
methods

Plasticpackages

7,154 ton

7,062 ton

7,059 ton

Collecting
stations

PET bottles

2,315 ton

2,337 ton

2,421 ton

Collecting
stations

Trays(estimated)

98 ton96 ton81 tonCollection
points※Partly includes irrelevant items due toestimations concluded before sorting6

５‐２ Present condition of plastic treatment in
Kitakyushu●Current topic: raising the percentage of properly
sorted plastic packagespercentage
of sorted
packages

Collection ofwaste sorted in
specified bags

40%aroundPlastic packages

Still, a lot ofplastic waste
comes fromhousehold7５‐３ Present condition of plastic treatment inKitakyushu●Examples of plastic packages in household throwaway waste（taken from the results of research on household solid waste
composition）

Non-PET plastic
bottlesCups, containers
Soft plasticand bags
（food packages,etc.）8６ Supermarket bags measures in Kitakyushu●Taking joint efforts towards reducing plastic bags quantityand food waste in the city of Kitakyushu《 Participants 》（１）Retail stores：AEON CO., LTD., FCO-OP, SUNLIVE, Nishitetsu Store
Inc., HALLODAY CO.,Ltd., MaxValu, MARUKYOU co.,Ltd（２）City organizations：Kitakyushu Environmental Hygiene Confederation,
Kitakyushu Women’s Conference on Consumption Problems（３）City administration：City of Kitakyushu《 Development 》
June 1st, 2018：Cancelling the free distribution of plastic bags （totalstore participants number: ８１）《 Result 》
Within a year reduced: plastic bags by 21,43 million/ CO2 amount byapprox. 1,286 ton.
Plastic bags rejection ratio has risen rapidly from 38％ ⇒ 75％9７‐１ Future measures
Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics (outline)
BackgroundMay 31, 2019

1. The low rate of recycled plastic utilization and pollution of the marine environment with materials such as plastic are global problems.
2. Japan implements reasonable measures and 3R philosophy within its borders, as well as contributes cross-nationally. On the other hand, the volume of waste produced in Japan is secondin the world per person, and import regulations in Asian countries etc. remain topics for discussion.

Strategy keypointsReduceRecycle

General principle: [3R+Renewable]Reduce single-use of plastic (for ex., place a fee on plasticbags)
Promote the use and development of substitutematerials for oil-based plastic
Easy to understand and effective sorting and recycling of plastic
resources
Thoroughly collect fishing gear and other in the shore area
Cost minimization through cooperation and full optimization &maximization of resources' paid use ratio
Build a system of in-border resource circulation following
the embargo measures in Asia
Fairness in forms of innovation promotion & stable recycling system

Improve usage potential (support of technologicalinnovation and infrastructural development)
Recycled Aim for demand increase (governmental procurement (Greenprocurement)), measures for use stimulation, and more.
materials Using information about chemical substances for resources
usage&Use bioplastic in bags for combustible waste
bioplastic Roadmap for bioplastic implementation; introduce together
with its system management[Milestones]<Reduce><Reuse, Recycle>②
have a credible overall design for reusing and recycling③ By 2030 recycle and reuseof packages④
effectively use 100% of all plastic by reuse/recycle/etc.
<Recycled materials, Bioplastic>⑤ By 2030

the recycling industry

Aiming for not generating the pollution in marine waters with plastic (Marine Plastic Zero Emission)of illegal dumping and littering & conscious disposal
Treatment -- eradication
coastline litter collection and disposalof marine - get a full understanding of marine litter situation (higher level of monitoring techniques)
plastic - measures for minimization of microplastic pollution in the sea (by 2020 achieve a complete reduction of things such as microbeads from scrub products)- support development of innovations in alternative resources

Support effective measures in developing countries (international cooperation and business development through on-demand package export of Japanese technologies, software andInternational hardware infrastructure)
expansion Construction of global-scale monitoring and research network (research on marine plastic allocation routes, influence on wildlife, etc.; standardization of monitoring techniques and more)
Social system establishment (supply chains construction & software and hardware recycle infrastructure maintenance)
Technological development (renewable resources as an alternative for plastic, progressive recycling technologies, innovations in consumers' lifestyle)
Survey & Research (situation with microplastic, influence, a situation with waste disposal, waste treatment)
BasicCooperation ("Plastic Smart" development, continued and coordinated handling under the same flag)
maintenance Encouragement of allied industries with resource circulation
Information basis (ESG investment, ethical consumerism)
Overseas expansion basis● Not only resolving the environmental and resource problems of Asia-Pacific region and the whole world, but also job creation and economical
growth => contribution to sustainable progress● Encouragement of highly needed investment and innovation (technology, consumers' lifestyle) in pursuit of milestones through national
cooperation in every area and on every level10com

７‐２ Future measures● Kitakyushu Plastic Smart Campaign ProjectCity’s 4 goals

Measures

Emission reduction

・Production of bioplastic waste bags
・Public education in emission reduction,etc.

Reuse・Recycle

・Support of technological development inplastics
・Carrying out Plastic Recycle Bus ToursThorough Collection

・Carrying out big-scale beach clean-ups
and city beautification projects.

Setting an Example ・Work through municipal personnels
Implementation of plastic-related measures on every level
11Production of bioplastic waste bags
 By bringing bioplastic(※) in 10% of all raw materials suchas household waste bags, we will not only lower
environmental burden caused by incineration, but also
reduce the amount of petroleum-based plastics.

※Bioplastic

・Made of biomass material
from plants and other sources
・When introduced, it will
reduce CO2 emission caused byburning.
■Implementation period：Volunteering bags ⇒ 2019（estimate）
City waste bags ⇒ 2021（estimate）■CO2reduction:approx. 460t/year（expect.）12

Public education in emission reduction, etc.
 We plan on creating films, posters, leaflets and othercontent that will explain about small changes each person
can make such as using personal water bottles, consistent
plastic package sorting, as well as explain the plastic
problem in the modern world, and promote those via
various meetings.

City homepage

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Support of technological development in plastics
 Within framework of the city’s “Environmental future technology
development assistance”, we plan to newly grant subsidies toresearch institutions, city’s enterprises, etc., that work in the key
fields of “plastic-related” problems and work on technology
development in such branches as its Reuse and Recycle, the useof bioplastic and others.
“Key fields” means next 5 key fields:
1) Rare metals; resource recycling.
2) New energy sources, energy conservation, introduction and spreadingof misused energy such as factories’ waste heat.
3) Introduction and spread of hydrogen energy.
4) Application of biomass.
5) Plastic-related spheres※Theme(5) is the most important, so it will be more prioritized during
the judgment and selection process.
Selected plastic-related themes (as of 2019), total of 5
計５件（新規４件・継続１件）のプラ関連テーマを採択【R1年度】
points (4 new themes,1 continued theme)
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Carrying out Plastic Recycle Bus Tours
 Carrying out bus tours with facilities excursions forelementary school pupils to show them the production
chain of recycling plastic packages from the sorting process
to recycled goods will fuel their interest and provide
awareness of waste reduction.

Sorting process

After sorting is finished15

Carrying out big-scale beach clean-ups and city
beautification projects.
 Carrying out big-scale beach clean-ups with participatorsfrom citizens forming volunteer groups, and prevent plasticbeing washed onto the beach. Clean landscape andgathered waste presented via panel exhibition will help toraise awareness of the plastic waste problem.

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Initiative by municipal personnel
 Promote using personal water bottles, control usage of PET
bottles in meetings, develop habits of sorting used plastic
in everyday life – with all these measures municipal
personnel should set the example of moving towards thefuture with no plastic waste.

Measures◎ Encouraging the use of bags, personal water bottles &cups◎ Refrain from using disposable PET bottles in meetings, etc.

◎ Call for a reasonable treatment of garbage and reconsider
throwing away garbage after events, etc.
◎ Develop consistent waste sorting habits and reject
disposal of used household plastic.

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