Deposit System for Collecting Used Fluorescent Light Tubes Tested in Osaka

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Promotion Council Osaka in Osaka Prefecture in Japan tested recovery of used fluorescent light tubes, which contain the harmful element mercury, by a deposit system during the two months from December 1, 2005 through January 31, 2006 in Toyonaka City, Osaka. The council, consisting of citizens' and business groups, academic experts and municipalities in the prefecture, carried out research studies since fiscal 2002 on how to collect and treat household wastes, including hazardous ones.

In the recovery test, people were given a recovery ticket when they bought a fluorescent tube in a shop participating in the test project. Later they received a refund of 20 yen (about U.S.$0.17) each when they brought a used tube and the ticket to the shop. Toyonaka citizens were invited to join the test conducted at eight electric appliance shops in the city. The council will examine what effects the economic merit of 20 yen has had on waste recovery, as well as analyze the results of the questionnaire conducted when people brought used tubes to the shops for collection.

According to the results of a residents' opinion survey carried out by the council in 2003, over 80 percent of the respondents said they would join the recovery efforts if they would receive a refund of 100 yen (about U.S.$0.85) per tube. With a refund of 20 yen, it was assumed that 20 to 30 percent of the residents would cooperate with the collection.

It has been the responsibility of each municipality to collect and treat household wastes, including hazardous or harmful ones. New measures are required, however, as the amount of wastes generated is exceeding the treatment capacity of municipalities. Estimating that the handling of harmful wastes costs Osaka Prefecture as much as 3.7 billion yen (about U.S.$32 million) a year, the council has been considering introduction of a deposit system as a means for sorted collection of harmful wastes. The test was part of the council's research for this purpose.



Posted: 2006/03/26 09:18:58 AM
Japanese version