D Aichi Prefectural Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives (together with Uny Co., Ltd. and Hirate Sangyo Ltd.)

These three entities have established a food recycling loop. Uny Co., Ltd., a food retailer, completely separates all food residues on the basis of category, then grades them and keeps them in cold storage in order to maintain quality until they are delivered to Hirate Sangyo Ltd., a food waste recycler. From these wastes, Hirate then produces fully fermented, good-quality compost that farmers can use. Aichi Prefectural Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives, while serving as a contact point between the various entities in the loop, also provides guidance on controlling the quality of recycled compost and producing and selling agricultural products. All the vegetables grown with recycled compost are purchased by Uny and then sold in its stores.

This is a successful example of a food recycling loop involving steady and continuous high-reliability inputs (Figure4-3-9).

## Effective use of fish of foreign origin

Shiga Prefecture has set up the “Lake Biwa Rules” to assist the restoration of Lake Biwa’s diverse ecosystem. A policy to prevent the release of any fish of foreign origin (bluegill and black bass) caught in the lake is promoted as part of this initiative. Fish of foreign origin collection receptacles and collection boxes are placed around the lake and anglers are requested to cooperate in the no-release policy. All fish of foreign origin that anglers place in the collection receptacles are carried to the Dainaka Aguri no Sato (a business-oriented cooperative work center) for composting. The compost produced is used for eco-friendly vegetable farming and is sold as fertilizer, ensuring its effective use (Figure4-3-10).

## (2) Wide-area resource circulation at the block, national and international levels

The previous section focused on efforts directed towards community-based and regional circulation of biomass CRs. However, there are also wider-area resource cycles formed in accordance with the characteristics and the uses of CRs and the location of the facilities that process and use them.

For example, the destinations (prefectures) of CR shipments from construction-wood crushing facilities in Chiba Prefecture vary widely, depending on the intended use. This is also the case with receiving facilities. For example, a recycling plant for a city located in northern Saitama Prefecture receives rubble, wood waste and waste

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# Rate of food losses

Food losses refer to leftovers and other wasted food. A food loss survey of households and restaurants (conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in FY 2006) shows just how much food Japan wastes in the form of leftovers and garbage (only leftovers were surveyed in the food service industry). When compared with the number of people in each household, the rate of food loss can be seen to be highest (6.4%) in single-member households and only 3.5-4.0% in households with two or more members. In the food service industry, the percentage of food left uneaten in cafeterias and restaurants (3.1%) is greatly exceeded by banquet halls used for wedding receptions (22.5%) and facilities used for other parties (15.2%). When the data are examined on the basis of food type, beverages can be seen to account for over half the amount of the total leftovers. An analysis of leftovers in cafeterias and restaurants, based on the type of dish served, indicates that pickled vegetables are the type of food most often left unfinished, accounting for 11.0% of all leftovers. Based on the type of restaurant, those serving traditional Japanese cuisine account for the largest percentage (4.3%) of uneaten food.

What kinds of measures should be taken to reduce such food losses? When families were asked about those things they took into consideration when purchasing food, the majority (72.5%) of respondents answered that they choose products carrying more recent dates of manufacture or those with longer shelf lives. However, overemphasis on food freshness can lead to an increase in waste at the retail stage. The First Food Consumer Monitor Survey in FY 2005, a survey of Food Consumer Monitors (selected from ordinary consumers living in major cities) conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, shows that what consumers want most is for restaurants to clearly explain on the menu, or by some other means, that customers can choose their preferred serving size, allowing them to finish all their meal (as cited by 45% or respondents). It is hoped that efforts to reduce food losses will expand in homes and restaurants alike.