E-waste management in Japan

Best Practices
Daniel Ternald – UNEP IETC
November 27th 2019
 Effective since
Basic Environment Law Aug 1994

Fundamental Law for Establishing a Sound

Jan 2001
Material-Cycle Society

<Appropriate treatment of waste> <Promotion of recycling>

Waste Management and Public Law for Promotion of Effective
Cleansing Law Utilization of Resources

(Regulations according to the Characteristics of Respective Items)

Container and Small Home Construction End-of-life

Home Appliances Food Wastes
Packaging Recycling Appliances Recycling Materials Vehicles
Recycling Law Recycling Law
Law Law Recycling Law Recycling Law

Apr 2000 Apr 2013 Apr 2001 May 2002 May 2001 Jan 2005

Law on Promoting Green Purchasing

 - Law for the Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances –
2001

Legally promote ESM of E-waste and efficient use of

Objective
recyclable resources
Introduction of responsibilities to all stakeholders:
Mechanism • End users: payment of recycling fee
• Retailers: collection of used home appliances
• Manufacturers: recycling of collected appliances
Air conditioners
Televisions (CRTs, LCD/PDP TVs)
Targets
Refrigerators and freezers
Washing machines and clothes dryers
 Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment – 2013

Extend the coverage of the home appliance recycling

Objective
law to cover other electronics as well
Introduction of responsibilities to all stakeholders:
• End users: Deliver the electronics to retailer or other collector
Mechanism • Retailers: Ensure consumers' proper processing of the
electronics
• Manufacturers: Reduce costs for recycling, use recycled
materials
All household electronics except the four categories in
Targets
the appliance recycling law.
E-waste recycling rate in Japan
Recycling rate, %
100
90
Recycling targets
80
A/C units: 60%(~2008), 70%(2009~)
70
CRT TVs: 55%
60
LCD/Plasma TVs: 50%(2009~)
50 Fridge/freezer: 50%(~2008), 60%(2009~)
Washer/dryer: 50%(~2008), 65%(2009~)
A/C CRT-TV
LCD/Plasma TV Fridge, freezer
Washing machin, dryer
 E-waste recycling plants in Japan (2016)

Group A: Group B:
Panasonic Hitachi Group A: 28
Toshiba Mitsubishi Group B: 17
Corona Sony Other: 2
JVC Sharp Total: 47
Daikin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Fujitsu General
Funai
Chofu
Flowchart of recycling plant in Japan
E-waste storage
Recycling processes
Tokyo 2020 Medal Project

Silver Gold Bronze

3,500kg 32kg 2,200kg
Thank you

Daniel Ternald – UNEP IETC