amount of directly reclaimed wastes plus recycled wastes generated from processed wastes produced by intermediate processing. The amount of final disposal refers to the total amount of wastes directly sent for final disposal plus wastes sent to final disposal after intermediate processing (Figure 2-14).

When examining generated amounts of industrial wastes by business type, the major categories are in descending order, electric power generation, gas supply, heat supply, water supply, agriculture, and construction business. The top three businesses account for about 60% of the total generated amount (Figure 2-15).

When examining the generated amounts of industrial wastes by waste type, the largest category is polluted sludge with 40% of the total, followed by livestock excrement and debris; together they account for about 80% of the total generated amount. (Figure 2-16)

## (3) Status of circulative use of wastes

### A. Container and packaging (glass bottles, PET bottles, plastics containers and packaging, paper containers and packaging)

The results of the sorted collection of wastes and material recycling into saleable products, based on the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law are shown in the Figure 2-17. When examining the state of implementation in fiscal 2008, concerning the wastes targeted by the law, more than 90% percent of the municipalities are carrying out sorted collection, except for paper and plastics. The number of municipalities that have started the sorted collection of plastic containers and packaging, paper containers and packaging, and cardboard boxes added in the Law in fiscal 2000, is increasing steadily.

## (a) Glass bottles

The amount of glass bottle production in fiscal 2008 was 1.387 million tons; generally there is a decreasing manufacturing trend. It is reasonable to assume consumer preference shifted from glass bottles which are mostly heavy and breakable, to other containers such as PET bottles which come in a wide variety of shapes and designs, and are light and easy to carry.

Please note, a target has been set to increase the utilization ratio of cullet in the manufacturing of glass containers to 91% before fiscal 2010, based on the “Law on Promotion of the Effective Utilization of Resources” (abbreviated: The Resources Effective Utilization Promotion Law.)

Glass bottles are categorized as one-way bottles for single use, and returnable bottles for repeated use after cleaning. The wasted one-way bottles are crushed to make cullet, which is recycled and used as materials for new bottles. Cullet is fragmented glass and the utilization ratio of cullet indicates the ratio of the amount of cullet compared with the amount of new materials in the manufacture of glass (Figure 2-18).

In terms of the environment, returnable bottles are worthy of a mention, as when the entire life-cycle from manufacturing to collection and disposal is considered, and with the possibility of repeated use, they demonstrate a definite energy-saving effect, and are containers effectively contributing to measures to counter global warming.

## (b) PET bottles

The growth rate of PET bottle sales was increasing until fiscal 2007, but took a downward turn in fiscal 2008.

The practice of recycling of PET bottles started with the beginning of sorted collection by municipalities in accord with the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law enforced in April 1997, and the collection ratio (the amount of the sorted collection compared with the amount of manufacturing of plastics used for PET bottles) in fiscal 1997 was only 9.8%; it had risen to 49.6%, in fiscal 2008. When the amount of PET bottles collected chiefly by business units other than the municipal entities are included, the collection ratio accounts for 77.9%, according to the research conducted by the PET Bottles Recycling Promotion Association, a group of manufacturers of soft drink and PET bottles.

The number of municipalities that have adopted sorted collection systems increased from 631 in fiscal 1997 to 1,765 in fiscal 2008, about 98.1% of the total of municipalities.

Moreover, the recycling of bottles used for food (chiefly for beverages) which are then used again as a bottle containing food is commonly called “bottle to bottle,” and this technology (chemical recycling) was put to practical use in fiscal 2003. (Figure 2-19 and 2-20)

## (c) Plastic containers and packaging

Plastic containers and packaging were newly targeted by the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law in fiscal 2000, and the beginning of segregated collection by the municipalities.

Sorted collection in fiscal 2008 was 672,000 tons, and it is expected this figure will increase as recycling systems become more common. The number of municipalities making the sorted collections in fiscal 2008 was 1,308, about 72.7% of the total of municipalities.

## (d) Paper containers and packaging

Paper containers and packaging were newly targeted by the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law in fiscal 2000, along with plastic containers and packaging, and sorted collection by the municipalities began.

Sorted collection in fiscal 2008 was 84,000 tons, and the number of municipalities carrying out sorted collection is limited to only 644. The reason is this figure contains those municipalities that handle independent sorted collection of paper containers and packaging. This number does not include the collection of paper containers and packaging, even if sorted collection is actually taking place by making use of the collection routes of newspaper and magazines of the municipalities, which had already been implemented prior to the enforcement of the law.

## (e) Steel cans

In recent years, the consumption weight of steel cans has dropped; 772,000 tons in fiscal 2008. The recycling rate (ratio of the amount of recycling, the amount collected and recycled as iron scrap, to the consumption weight) is 88.5% in fiscal 2008, according to the Steel Can Recycling Society (Figure 2-21).

The background to this high figure is possibly the accept-ance framework of steel cans has been firmly established.

## (f) Aluminum cans

The consumption weight of aluminum cans has remained stable in recent years; 299,000 tons in fiscal 2008. The recycling rate (ratio of the weight of reclamation to the con-