Why to people in Japan recycle so many things?

Question

In Japan almost every piece of plastic is recyclable, which is certainly not the case in the United States. Milk cartons and other objects that are not recyclable in the United States are recyclable in the Japan. In Japan there are many recyclable only 'trash' cans through all major cities--even at stores like 7-11, which in the United States most all 7-11s do not have recyclable only 'trash cans'. Even in JR trains there are some advertisements saying to recycle. I read that Japan recycles more glass than any other country. Why is this? Are there pro-recycle laws or do corporation and people just care more about the environment?

Answer 1

What do you think about the news below...http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2006/061030_environmentalists_fears.html
If it does tell something, then they should be responsible and find ways to recycle.
So much to explain but this news was one of the reason why they did become concerned and find solutions.and everyone is responsible, Japanese or not...if they can do it in Japan, why can't we start doing the same and help save our environment.
Also, here is the website where in Osaka, they also recycled milk box http://www.hyperthesis.com/blog/?cat=23carton
if you go to Tokyo private and public schools, you can see many recycled projects of students like pet bottles, milk carton boxes, plastic cups etc.

hope this helps...

Answer 2

The density of population decrees that strong leadership on recycling is needed. Every inch of land in Japan is planned and designed and used by people, and the average person in Japan truly cares about their long term future and likely their children's future more than most people in Western culture with our me-first mindset.

In general despite some negative attitudes towards change in the past, Japanese are very good about not pissing in their OWN sandbox.

... but when its businesses off their own shore and in what they feel is 'foreign' territory its all bets off, slash burn discount style, toss away and cut just like the rest of us. They have to compete for the lowest dollar just like you.

If only the rest of us were as admirable environmental stewards for our own areas. And if only the Japanese business establishment would have the self-discipline to show the same standards they set for themselves when they are outside their own country.

Answer 3

It's got as much to do with post-war destitution as it does the environment. Even if Japan is a prosperous country now, it wasn't always so. Scavenging was the only way a lot of people could survive after the war. That's why the "waste not, want not" mentality is so ingrained, it's just that it's been directed towards the environment in this age of plenty.

Answer 4

I live in Japan.
I recycle because it is the law.
In Tokyo, If I didn't seperate my garbage, the garbage men wouldn't take my garbage, and may actually go through it and figure out who I am and bring it to my door and tell me to sort it.
Little old ladies will cuss you out if they see you putting out unsorted garbage, not because they care about the environment, but because they are nosy, evil little old ladies who like to stick their noses in other peoples' business.

Another factor, lots of Japanese homes are still run by a housewife who has no other employment. They actually have the time to seperate garbage and bring styrofoam trays back to the supermarket. The rest of us people who WORK (and Japanese peole probably work more overtime than most countries) don't have time to be strict about seperating garbage. So we don't. We just learn how to conceal it amongst the rest of our garbage.

In Osaka, nobody cares, and even when I sort my garbage, it still gets thrown in the same truck. Trash cans for PET-bottles are usually filled with a mix of bottles and regular garbage. Mainly because there are more cans for PET-bottles than there are for regular garbage, and chucking a candy bar wrapper in the PET-bin is better than just littering, right?

Aluminum cans are recycled by legions of homeless people who rummage through garbage in the middle of the night and pile heaps of empties on their bicycles to make just enough money to live, not because they love the environment.

I've never seen milk carton recycling. Where did you get your info?

Disposal of appliances comes with an expensive recycling fee. (Around $50 US for a mini-fridge.)So, poorer people,students, and part-time workers are really hit hard. Vacant lots and street corners often become mini-dumping grounds for dead refrigerators and computer monitors.

Japanese people don't really worry about politics and causes as much as Westerners seem to. It's just because those are the rules.

Answer 5

think about it. Japan's size realtive to the US. Land is a valuable and scarce resource. No room for growing landfills therefore they are required to recycle plastics, glass, and paper.

Answer 6

i think people there are just care about the environment.
well, i'm not japanese & also not living in Japan, but don't you think that is a great thing ?
you can safe your environment, your money, your natural resources... you safe many things by recycling one thing! it sounds really smart for me, man...

Answer 7

Because they can be recycled, and because it makes sense. Switzerland is another country with high recycling rates (I was always told Switzerland had the highest return rate for glass) and again, it's a combination of lack of space, thrift, governmental guidelines, and brainwashing.

Answer 8

Surely this is the wrong question???

You SHOULD be asking "WHY do so many countries not bother to recycle properly? Surely if Japan can do it, so can we?"

The simple fact is that in this respect Japan's government has been putting it's money where it's mouth is for donkey's years! It's not much use making like Tony Blair and mouthing off all the time about how people SHOULD recycle more, and about how BAD it is for the country and the environment to waste valuable recyclable resources and treat them as trash! You've got to MAKE it happen - and you know how bone-idle people are! Especially about something like recycling - where there's no immediate benefit to the person when he/she puts that PET bottle to be recycled...!

So yes - Japanese people, and the government MUST care more about the environment, otherwise they'd just burn or bury those valuable recyclable resources just like so many OTHER countries!!!

Answer 9

as previously stated about the post-war and the enviroment. also land is at a premium do to the size vs population - land used as a dump is a waste of space and they don't dump alot in the ocean due to hurting the fishing industry(fish being one of their main staples).