The Iwanuma Mill of Nippon Paper Industries Co., a major Japanese paper manufacturing company, and the Sendai City government launched a joint project in August 2004 to collect and recycle used disposable wooden chopsticks. The mill and Sendai City are both located in Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan. The project is the first large-scale recycling initiative in Japan's 13 largest cities to handle used disposable chopsticks.

Disposable wooden chopsticks are mass-consumed in Japan due to their convenience and low price. After use, most end up incinerated as waste. For years, people have called for a recycling system for the used chopsticks. After extensive discussions, the Iwanuma Mill and Sendai City agreed to initiate a public-private joint project for collecting and recycling these chopsticks.

The city government is mainly responsible for collection by setting up collection boxes. Restaurant operators, event organizers and other users are to deposit their used chopsticks into the boxes, after they have been washed and dried. The Iwanuma Mill periodically collects these chopsticks and recycles them into raw material for paper at its own expense. Through public relations and awareness-raising activities, Sendai City is encouraging its citizens to support this project.



Posted: 2004/11/12 03:23:30 PM
Japanese version

TAG Food/Water , Local government , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , System/Law