## 4 Innovative Examples of Exploring and Effectively Using Terrestrial Resources

Backed by heightened environmental awareness and soaring resource prices in recent years, a new initiative led by business operators and local public authorities has emerged to proactively and vigorously reuse and recycle metal resources. The following describes examples of innovative initiatives taking place in Japan to explore and use terrestrial resources.

## (1) Qualitative Change in Recycling Steel

At present, iron is recycled through the iron scrap produced at various stages: steel production, processing at plants, dismantling civil engineering and construction sites, and disposing of used products such as automobiles. In fact, about 53 million tons of the 140 million tons of steel materials produced in Japan (about 38%) are actually derived from scrap steel (Figure 4-3-8).

Raw materials from steel products made from scrap iron were previously used for construction materials, which demanded less quality. However, a new movement pursues higher quality by reducing the mixture of foreign particles in scrap to increase purity and to carry out plant and equipment investments.

These efforts have triggered a qualitative transformation in recycling: scrap iron now can be used as a raw material for electrical and electronic devices or automotive sheet steel rather than virgin iron ore.

Producing iron from iron ore inevitably involves the emission of a large volume of carbon dioxide, because it is necessary to eliminate (resolve) the oxygen contained in the iron ore using coal. However, producing iron from scrap iron using an electric furnace emits less carbon dioxide than producing iron from iron ore, since the process requires only the energy to make products by melting scrap iron. Using more scrap iron therefore helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions at the same time.

## (2) Recycling Copper Wires

Copper wire is widely used as wiring in electrical cables, communications networks, buildings, appliances, auto parts, and the like due to its outstanding electrical conductivity.

Copper wire used for electrical cables and communications networks is made in a typical shape (wire with a thick conducting unit). Therefore, copper wire and its

covering materials can be easily separated using a special machine. To that end, power companies and telecoms operators are actively working to recycle wire collected during maintenance or inspection work. Since the copper recovered from the wire is highly purified and can be used for various applications such as additional copper wire, almost 100% of it is reused.

On the other hand, copper wire used for wiring in buildings requires labor and cost for it to be removed during dismantling. Because of this, a significant portion of this copper wire is often disposed of together with the building materials. As a result, it is vital to reduce the total disposal cost by accurately recycling plastic parts in the coating materials, which are often disposed of without being recycled. There is an ongoing effort to recycle the coating materials after separating the collected wire by type.

## (3) Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project

Six manufacturers of home printers initiated the Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project in April 2008. Satogaeri means "homecoming," and the project includes collecting spent ink cartridges used in homes to reuse them as a resource. The collected ink cartridges are each sorted according to the printer manufacturer and then delivered to the respective manufacturers. The manufacturers then reuse the ink cartridges if they contain reusable ink or raw materials (known as "material recycling").

To secure a sufficient quantity of spent cartridges for collection, collection boxes have been installed at approximately 3,600 post offices throughout the nation. Local governments also collect cartridges at 151 local government offices and other facilities totaling about 1,900 locations. Through the unique effort to use post offices and local government facilities for collection, the quantity collected has been constantly growing: 700,000 in 2008; 1,300,000 in FY 2009; 1,600,000 in FY 2010; and just under 2,000,000 estimated for FY 2011.

Since April 2010, the six manufacturers have been donating 3 yen per collected cartridge to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and since March 2011, 1 yen per collected cartridge has been donated to the Satoyama Initiative, promoted by the Ministry of the Environment and the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). The Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project makes a contribution to the environment, not only in terms of collecting or recycling ink cartridges, but also forest protection and biodiversity conservation.

## (4) Recycling Rare Metals Contained in Cemented Carbide Tools

Cemented carbide, typically used for the blades of metalworking drills and tools for mine excavation, is generally made from tungsten (a rare metal) due to its high abrasion resistance and hardness at high temperatures.

Source: The Japan Ferrous Raw Materials Association

Figure 4-3-9 Outline of the Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project, Including the "Satogaeri-kun" Mascot and Collection Boxes (illustration) Installed at Post Offices

Reference: Created by the Ministry of the Environment based on the Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project (a joint project promoted by six manufacturers: Brother Industries Ltd., Canon Inc., Dell Inc., Seiko Epson Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, and Lexmark International, Inc.)