Japanese garbage management: debunking American myths

Abstract

Domestic media reports and other information communicated to the American public have lead to widespread perception that extensive recycling is being carried out in large Japanese cities, far in excess of recycling rates achieved in large cities in the United States. This erroneous perception by the American public concerning how the japanese manage their solid waste has contributed to an expectation that very high municipal recycling rates in large American cities can and should be readily realized and that incineration of solid waste can and should be avoided. This report indicates that in fact, high recycling rates are not achieved in large Japanese cities. To the contrary, integrated solid waste management is carried out in large Japanese cities with considerable emphasis upon incineration of combustible solid waste.