SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND
WASTE MANAGEMENT

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Reduction of Resource Loss02of waste have to act responsibly in their day-to-day routines choosing products that help to reduce waste, whilebusinesses are required to proactively reduce waste.

SUSTAINABLE USE OFRESOURCES

Reduction of food waste
In developed countries, enormous quantities of food are wasted. Foodwaste in Japan is estimated at approx. 6.43 million tonnes (2016), whichis equivalent to the amount of food consumed by Tokyo’s residents in one

The consumption of resources is expected to increase along with the economic development of emerging
countries. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in September 2015 set
forth Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
In FY 2016 Japan consumed 1.32 billion tonnes of natural resources, almost half of which were imported. To
compound the situation, these resources were not effectively recycled, with only 240 million tonnes of them
being recycled.

year.
Food waste in Tokyo is estimated as approx. 270,000 tonnes (2012). InTokyo, most of this food waste is generated by the food service industry
and households.
In order to establish the Tokyo Style Reducing Food Waste Program so as tohalve food waste by 2030, TMG will conduct a survey on the current statusof food waste, hold stakeholder meetings in which we discuss ways toavoid food waste, and encourage consumers to take action.

Tokyo Has Great Influence on the Use ofResources in JapanAs Tokyo is host to approximately 40% of the head offices of corporations in Japan consuming a significant
amount of resources, it has to fulfill its responsibility for reducing environmental load on a global scale.

Disposing of the disposable lifestyle

TMG is working on a variety of initiatives to accomplish two missions by 2030, which are shown in theTokyo will make efforts to reduce the amount of containers/packaging waste

Sustainable Materials and Waste Management Plan (March 2016): conversion to the sustainable use of resourcesin liaison with surrounding local governments and decrease the use of single-

that promotes reduction of resource loss, use of eco materials, and further cyclic use of waste, and handing overuse products in cooperation with municipalities and businesses, by promoting

a better city environment to future generations.

the use of reusable containers at large-sized events held in Tokyo.
Reusable cups test-marketed at a game of
the Japan Rugby Top League 2017-2018

Environmental impacts in the upstream and downstream sides of resource use
Use of resources in Japan (FY 2016)

Water
contamination

Emissionof CO2

Mineral mining

Fossil fuelminingPromotion of Further Cyclic Use of Waste
Total material input: 1.56 billion tonnes

Overconsumptionof water

Production offood/wood

Emission of CO2

TMG will deal with a more sophisticated cyclic use of waste that contains recyclable resources.

Recycling of Consumer Electronics
Accumulation to buildings, etc.
ExportFood consumption, etc.
Marine litter(Marine pollution caused by plastic debris)

Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee conducted the Medal Project to manufacture the medals awarded at theGames from small WEEEs. The collection finished in March 2019 as sufficient metal for manufacturing the medals
had been gathered.
In line with its aim for a more sustainable society, TMG was keen toIllegal dumping/illegal export

cooperate with this project, and placed a collection box in its office

Final disposalbuilding.
TMG will leave the small WEEEs’ collection system as a legacy, andfurther promote the recycling of them.

Recycled resources

19Downstream

240to milnn lioes nDeforestation /illegal logging

Natural resources, etc.:
1.32 billion tonnes

Upstream

In Japan, households, businesses, and local
governments are encouraged to stock longlife food, such as crackers and packaged
cooked rice so as to be prepared fordisasters such as big earthquakes. Oneof the food waste habits specific to Japanis the disposal of such food stock when itneeds to be replaced. TMG continues topromote disaster preparedness and foodwaste avoidance by utilizing disaster foodthat needs to be replaced before it reaches
its best-by date.

Data: National Environment
White Paper (2019).

Medal Project

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SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

In order to promote sustainable resource use through waste reduction and recycling, citizens as the generators

Promoting the Use of Eco Materials

Measures for Plastics

Recycling of incinerator ash

With their excellent properties, such as lightness and non-corrosiveness,

Eco-Cement, etc.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

In Tokyo, almost all unrecyclable waste is incinerated and some of the ash then recycled as raw material for02

plastics are widely used in our lives. However, CO2 is emitted at all stages
in the handling of plastic products, from manufacturing to disposal. Thereare concerns that plastic products flow into the ocean and adversely affect© Tokyo Tama Regional Association for Waste Management and Resource Recycling

the marine ecosystem.
Reviewing how we deal with plastics has become a global challenge.

Efforts to Reduce Single-Use Plastics
In April 2019, the Tokyo Waste
Eco-Cement

Zero-waste handling of plastics as a long-term goal (image)

Management Council proposed the longterm goals for sustainable use of plastics
and short-term policies which should be

CO2×CO2

taken by TMG, including reducing singleuse plastics, increasing the use of recycled

Used as construction materials

Landﬁll
Flow into ocean

EE + Renewables = 100%

Short-term measures taken by TMG

1 Signiﬁcant Reduction of single-use (disposable) plastics:

In particular, it is important to reduce

2 Promotion of the use of recycled plastics and biomass
3 Enhancing high-grade circularity

shopping bags, straws, and plastic bottles.
Therefore, we will raise public awarenessin cooperation with universities, office

Promotion of construction byproducts recycling

Recycling××

resin and enhancing high-grade recycling.
single-use plastics, such as plastic
Eco·Cement plant, which produces cement from incinerator ash

Heat recovery

Use of plastics
Fossil fuel

EnergyCO2

Biomassbuildings, etc.

We have to eliminate CO2
emissions associated withthe production of fossil
plastic and the combustion
after using them.
To virtually eliminate CO2,
it is important to reducefossil fuel input and ensure
thorough reuse andclosed-loop-recycling.

Changing consumer lifestyles, patterns of production and distribution(1) Recycling based on the Containers/Packaging Recycling Act (2) Support of the creation of an efﬁcient collection
mechanism by businesses (3) Recycling of plastic waste from businesses (4) Optimal combination of reuse, material
recycling, chemical recycling, heat recovery, etc.

4 Eliminating marine litter through antilittering and cleaning activities
5 International collaboration:
Exchange opinions with cities and strengthen partnerships between companies, NGOs, and municipalities

6 Creating a lasting legacy of sustainable use of resources with Tokyo 2020 GamesThe Construction Recycling Law obligates construction companies to separate materials when demolishingbuildings and recycle special construction materials (concrete, asphalt concrete, wood). To give an example,

Recycling Plastic Waste in Japan

concrete is recycled not only for roadbed materials but also for making new concrete aggregates.

Plastic waste has been exported from developed countries including
Japan to Asian countries such as China. In some export destinations,To Companies Discharging
Plastic Waste:(Proper recycling and disposal of industrial waste
is mandatory for waste-discharging businesses.)

Super Eco Town Project

however, problematic situations have developed, including

TMG has implemented a Tokyo

plastic waste is now more strictly regulated in China and other

Super Eco Town Project withcountries. In the future, the export of plastic waste will be restrictedcompanies who have advanced

on a global basis with the revision of the Basel Convention.

and reliable technologies such as

As a result, the disposal costs of plastic waste have increased in Japan as has the amount stored.

making animal feed from foodTo prevent improper disposal at home and abroad and promote appropriate recycling in Japan, TMG has begun a survey

waste, recycling construction

on the latest trends in the plastic waste market and encourages information sharing among related businesses andmixed waste, and so on. The

ensures information dissemination to waste-discharging businesses.

project will help extend theuseful lifespan of landfill areas.
The Super Eco Town is located in
the waterfront area.

environmental pollution caused by improper disposal. Import ofConstruction mixed waste
recycling facility (2 plants)

Waste carpet tile recycling facility(1 plant)

E-waste recycling facility(2 plants)

Debris/construction sludge
recycling facility (1 plant)

Facility converting foodwaste to feed (2 plants)

PCB waste treatment facility(1 plant)

Facility generating biogas powerfrom food waste (1 plant)

Gasification and melting power
plant (1 plant)

Buried waste recycling facility(2 plants)

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It is costly to properly recycle dirty plastics inJapan instead of exporting them overseas.

Bearing reasonable costs is alegal obligation.

Marine litter: Plastic waste on the streets is carried
into the Pacific Ocean, to end up as marine litter
It is said that each year 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastics wash into the ocean
from rivers etc. around the world and the weight of plastics in the ocean will exceedthat of fish by 2050.
TMG works to raise public awareness on curbing the generation of marine litter, using
leaflets and a short educational film created with children in Tokyo and New York.
URL: https://tokyodouga.jp/en/10000001425.html

You can watch
the film here

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