The Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released a plan on March 24, 2008, for reducing waste and improving waste disposal facilities from fiscal years 2008 to 2012. The plan received Cabinet approval on March 25, and will be officially formulated.

In fiscal 2005, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the waste sector were up 29.5 percent compared with fiscal 1990. Emissions from this sector account for 3.5 percent of Japan's total GHG emissions. The target set by the MOE is to reduce total waste from about 52 million tons a year (fiscal 2007) to about 50 million tons in 2012 and to raise the waste recycling rate from 20 to 25 percent. It also aims to reduce the total amount of waste generation by raising awareness and promoting a charging system for waste disposal services.

Thermal recycling (heat recovery) will also be promoted for waste that has to be incinerated by utilizing collected heat from incinerators for power generation as much as possible. The MOE aims to increase thermal recycling's total power generation capacity by 50 percent, from about 1,630 to 2,500 megawatts.

Data from fiscal 2002 to 2005, show that the rate of recycling has increased from 16 to 19 percent, the rate of treated waste has increased from 95 to 97.1 percent, and the remaining lifespan of landfill sites has risen from 13.8 to 14.8 years. Thanks to steady improvements, the MOE expects its targets will be achieved.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/headline/headline.php?serial=731
http://www.env.go.jp/en/recycle/

Posted: 2008/09/21 09:32:58 AM

TAG Energy , Government , Material reduction