Figure3-2 Changes to Total Waste Generation and Daily Waste per Person

Note: Total volume of waste generated = Designed collection volume + Volume of waste directly brought in + Volume of group collection of recyclable waste

dioxide equivalent) of Japan.

The reduction amount of Greenhouse Gas emission by recycling of waste to reused fuel and by electric power generation using waste was about 15 million tons (carbon dioxide equivalent) in FY2005, therefore it is reasonable to assume that the amount of emissions derived from wastes is starting to decrease when those Greenhouse Gas emissions mentioned above are deducted.

## (3) Number of Illegally Dumping Activities and Amount of Illegally Dumped Wastes

The number of cases of illegally dumping industrial wastes reported in FY2007 is 382 (554 in the previous year) and the amount of illegally dumped wastes is 102 thousand tons (131 thousand tons in the previous year). The number and the amount decreased from the previous year (Figure3-4).

## (4) National Countermeasures for Establishment of a Sound Material-Cycle Society

In order to steadily implement the Sound Material-Cycle Society Fundamental Plan, the Central Environment Council is required to check how the policies based on the Sound Material-Cycle Society Fundamental Plan have been implemented every year and as necessary report the direction of future policies to the national government. In FY2008, for the first time, the council checked how the second Sound Material-Cycle Society Fundamental Plan had been implemented.

In July 2008, the Ministry of the Environment set up the “Study Committee for the Further Transparency in the Container and Package Recycling Flow” in order to discuss issues and measures for the improvement of transparency in the flow of recycling containers and packages including plastic ones and to draw a certain conclusion. Furthermore, “Container and Package 3Rs Promotion National Convention – Efforts for the Reduction of Plastic Grocery Bags across the Country –” was held in Tokyo in January 2009 and the convention transmitted information on various activities with regional characteristics for reduction used throughout the country.

About Home Appliance Recycling, “Report on the Evaluation and Examination of the Implementation Status of the Home Appliance Recycling System” was compiled.

In order to prescribe the addition of home appliances subject to the law (liquid crystal and plasma televisions and laundry driers) and the raising of the recycling ratio of the existing home appliances subject to the law, the enforcement ordinance of the Home Appliance Recycling Law was revised in December 2008 of the same year (enforced in April 1, 2009).

In November 1, 2008, the recycling charges of air-conditioners, CRT-based televisions (15-inch or smaller types), and refrigerators and freezers (170-liter or less types) were lowered for waste home appliances to be collected appropriately and for burdens borne by consumers to be eased before TV analog broadcasting is stopped in 2011.

Because distribution by retailers for reuse of specified home appliances is expected to improve

convenience for consumers who dispose of waste