Not sure how to dispose garbage in Japan? In this article, we introduce Japan's waste management system and guide you on how to properly separate trash in Japan, how to dispose of it, and how to dispose of large items called soudai gomi in Japan.
Table of Contents
- Development of Japan’s Waste Management System
- Guide on Dealing with Trash in Japan - Trash Separation
- Guide on Dealing with Trash in Japan - Taking Out the Trash
- Takeaway
Development of Japan’s Waste Management System
Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law
Before the 20th century, Japan had no fixed system for their waste management. With the institution of the Meiji Government, public health became a major concern for the whole country. Therefore in 1900, the Waste Cleaning Act was implemented. Different government organizations were administered to oversee municipalities and their waste dumping.
After the Second World War, garbage waste around Japan piled up partly due to the damage and debris from the war’s aftermath and the sudden economic development. This led to the reformation of the old act and the introduction of the 1954 Public Cleansing Act where the National and Local Governments worked together to finance the necessary technology for each municipality to process their waste as well as compelling citizens' self-responsibility to deal with their own wastes.
Japan's Waste Disposal System and Recycling Technology
In 1963, the government scaled up their actions towards waste management and public health by embarking on a five-year plan for the Development of Living Environment Facilities called the Act on Emergency Measures. It concerned building waste management facilities all across Japan.
With the boom of Japan's economy, mass production and mass consumption rose and with it the rate of harmful garbage wastes. To counter this problem, the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act was introduce in the 1970 "Pollution Session", an aptly named Diet session called to address the growing issue. Following this revision, factories and its operators became responsible for their own industrial wastes while municipalities would remain responsible for their municipal wastes.
The Fundamental Recycling Plan was also introduced. The aim being the creation of proper landfills and starting waste management awareness programs and community waste projects.
※ Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan, "History and Current State of Waste Management in Japan," p.3-6
Writer's Pick
Guide on Dealing with Trash in Japan - Trash Separation
Bunbetsu 分別, meaning separation, is to separate trash into 3 categories of recyclables, burnable, and non-burnable. It is a must for every household and business. Let's start off with recycling in Japan.
Recyclables 資源ゴミ
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Aluminium Cans 缶: Beverage cans, food cans, containers, spray cans
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Paper 古紙: Newspapers, magazines, books
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Paper cartons 紙パック: Milk carton, juice carton
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Cardboard 段ボール
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(Glass) Bottle ビン: Drink bottles, jars
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Plastic プラスチック: Styrofoam, containers & packaging
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PET bottle ペットボトル
Rules of Disposal
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Cans, bottles, plastics and PET bottles must be thoroughly cleaned. If it is dirty, it should be treated as burnable.
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Cardboard and paper cartons need to be disassembled until flat. Cardboard can be easily pulled apart but milk cartons need to be cut open.
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The cap part and bottle part of PET Bottles should be separated. Cap is usually plastic, whilst the bottle is under PET Bottle. In public trash cans or certain apartments, you do not need to separate it as someone will do so for you - check with your apartment.
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Papers, paper cartons, cardboards need to be tied up with string in separate piles.
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Similar to PET Bottle, if an item is made up of multiple components, you’ll need to separate each part.
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Plastic forks, spoons, straws etc. utensils are NOT recyclable.
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Aerosol spray cans eg. hairspray needs to be poked through to release the trapped air first. There are also special tools for this.
Important Things to Know
Get acquainted with the recycling symbols used in Japan.
Burnable 燃えるゴミ
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Kitchen waste 生ゴミ: Food scraps, raw products (meat, fish, vege), egg shells
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Dirty recyclables: Oily / unwashed / unwashable containers
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Sanitary items: Band aid, bandages, sanitary napkins, toothbrush, floss, tissue paper
and more.
Non-Burnable 燃えないゴミ
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Small metals 金属: Scissors, frying pan, hanger, knife, blades
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Batteries
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Lightbulbs
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Small electronics: Kettle, toaster
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Earthenware: Bowls, cups, plates
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Glass: Mirrors, glasses, cups
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Lighter
Basically things that cannot be recycled and cannot be broken down by fire - including explosive materials or release toxins when exposed to heat.
Sodai Gomi 粗大ごみ
Everyday trash is easily sorted and typically small enough to fit in plastic bags or break up into smaller parts, but what about huge items you wish to get rid of? These large huge trash are called Sodai Gomi 粗大ごみand require a specific mode of disposal.
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Large electronic appliances: TV, washing machine, refrigerator, aircon
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Large furniture: Sofa, bed, table, chair
Rules of Disposal
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Cannot simply dump in the garbage bin, or place beside it as it takes up too much space and is a nuisance by blocking the street or preventing others from throwing their trash.
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Reusing is great and all, but a Sodai Gomi waiting for collection is not free for anybody to take. Taking it for yourself is considered stealing.
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You will need to arrange with the municipality to collect and dispose of it for a fee subject to the size of trash. For electronics (big or small), a handy resource is the Home Appliance Recycling Center portal where you can check who to contact.
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Alternative methods of disposal include:
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Contacting the original seller;
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Donating to someone that needs it;
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Selling online on second-hand websites;
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If you are replacing it, the seller of your new furniture/appliance may provide disposal-of-old service;
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If you are moving house, the moving company may provide disposal service.
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※ Tokyo Intercultural Portal Site, "Trash collection"
Guide on Dealing with Trash in Japan - Throwing Out the Trash
Now that you know how to separate your trash, let’s jump right into how to get rid of them.
Preparation for Disposal
Depending on your municipality, the rules for garbage bags will differ. Some areas have local government designated bags with specific coloured bags to represent the trash categories, some allow any type or colour of garbage bag as long as it's transparent, some only allow white transparent bags. The best way to make sure you don’t get it wrong is to get the trash disposal manual/guide when you register your residency with the ward office.
Sodai Gomi
For sodai gomi, you will need to schedule pickup online or by phone call. Thereafter, you will need to purchase a Sodai Gomi sticker from the convenience store and stick it on your trash. Wait for the collection date to arrive, and take out the item-for-disposal to the collection spot before collection time.
When to Dispose
Every municipality has a schedule for trash collection. This information will be in the trash disposal guide or available online. If not, you can always confirm via phone call. Take note of the days in a week when each trash type needs to be taken out.
Note that for recyclables, chances are they will not all be on the same day. For example, cardboard is every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, whilst plastics are every Tuesday, and glass and cans every Thursday.
For higher end apartments, a garbage room may be present allowing for 24 hour trash disposal. A kanrinin 管理人(caretaker) will sort through the trash and bring them out for collection on the scheduled days. How nice!
Where to Dispose
Your house or apartment will have a designated garbage collection area. Throw your trash here and nowhere else. If there is a blue net or door, make sure to cover/close it back properly, this is to avoid pests from getting into the trash.
Note that depending on municipality/apartments, some trash you will need to bring to specific disposal areas. For example, paper cartons need to be brought to the ward office / supermarket.
Consequences of Improper Garbage Disposal
In a country who is big on having consideration for others, improper dealing of your trash is a big no-no. Bringing out your trash late or even too early will take up place in the typically small trash collection area. It upsets your neighbours and makes you a bad neighbour.
For cardboard and the like recyclable trash taken out on the wrong day, the trash collector will refuse to collect it and may even leave a sticker or note reminding you that “this is wrong”.
For businesses, illegal dumping of trash or disposal of industrial waste can lead to imprisonment up to 5 years or a fine of up to 100 million yen.
※ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "FAOLEX Database - Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (No. 137 of 1970)"
Takeaway
As a resident in Japan or even a tourist visiting someone else’s country, the basic courtesy is to adhere to the rules here. This includes the proper way of throwing trash. Japan is renowned for its cleanliness, beautiful nature, and preservation of tradition and culture. It would be a shame and utmost embarrassment to contribute to ruining that. So let’s do our part in keeping Japan beautiful!
