The Mainichi answers common questions readers may have in connection with the government’s proposed introduction of a new system for recycling compact electronic appliances.
Question: Is a recycling system for compact appliances going to be set up?
Answer: Under Japanese recycling laws, television sets, air conditioners, freezers, refrigerators, washing machines and dryers must be recycled. The current system requires consumers to pay collection and recycling fees when discarding these kinds of appliances. In addition to this system, the Ministry of the Environment is preparing a new program that doesn’t require consumers to pay additional fees, and which local bodies can take part in of their own accord. Forty-five types of compact appliances such as electronic dictionaries and mobile phones are likely to be covered by this new system, which officials plan to have up and running in 2014.
Q: Why is it necessary to recycle compact appliances?
A: Small electrical goods contain rare metals that are essential in the production of vehicles and in information technology and other industries. Some 761,000 metric tons of electrical goods besides the main appliances covered by recycling laws are being thrown away each year. They contain some 284,000 tons of useful metals valued at around 87.4 billion yen, leading some to refer to them as an “urban mine.” However, most of these appliances are now disposed of and buried.
Q: Isn’t that a waste?
A: It is. Precious metals like the ones used in these goods are produced only in some countries, such as China, and Japan mostly relies on imports of these metals. These countries’ export policies can greatly affect Japan, just like when China one-sidedly halted Japan-bound exports of rare earth metals, which are vital for some types of high-tech equipment, after a collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japan Coast Guard vessels off the Senkaku islands last year.
Q: Then ideally, recycling should start soon. But is this possible?
A: There is currently no system to retrieve and sort compact electrical appliances from discarded waste, so there are few businesses that can remove useful metals from compact appliances. However, the businesses that do possess such expertise are said to have the world’s highest technical capability in metal refinery. If a collection system is set up it’s possible that recycling could advance greatly.
Q: Will it be possible to introduce a collection system?
A: The system announced by the Ministry of the Environment on Sept. 27, envisages a collection system. Local bodies would collect items by type, and the goods would be passed on to businesses designated by the government, generally at no charge. These businesses would send the goods to interim processing facilities and metal refineries. To begin with, the ministry aims to set up a collection system in the Tohoku region as a measure to spur employment in areas damaged by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and spread the system nationwide.
Answers by Motofumi Fujino, Science and Environment Writer
