Japanese Plastic Trash

Getting down to business on the plastic problem

Japan does quite well with recycling but still most plastics are burned in a furnace.

Most plastic bottles which are thrown away in Japan are burned in a furnace.

That can produce energy but it also leads to more greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.

Could there be a better way to deal with Japan’s rubbish, especially its plastic mountain?

In this week’s Japan Story blog we look at the way businesses, national and local government are approaching the problem.


Japan Story’s blog is written by former BBC Tokyo Correspondent Duncan Bartlett. Each week he analyses how Japan’s story is being told to the world through the international media.