New Concept of Resource Recycling: Japan Implements Waste Zero Program

The “zero waste project” refers to industrial waste generated during production activities and can be used as raw materials for other industries. By “zero processing” the waste, all waste on the earth is turned into “zero”. The plan promoted by environmental scholars has been actively promoted by the United Nations Environment Program Agency since the 1990s. It is becoming a new business model for Japanese companies, and it has also become a new concept for the revitalization of local economies and the implementation of the “Economy City”.

The "Economy City" is a new construction plan that has been implemented in various parts of Japan under the "Economy City" system formulated by the government. During the interview in Toyama, the reporter visited the "Economy City" in the construction of Toyama Prefecture.

"Toyama Eco City" is located in the "Economic Industry Park" in Shinsakura-cho and covers an area of ​​18 hectares. According to the goal of building a “circular town that is in harmony with the environment,” Toyama County proposes to change the social structure of mass production, mass consumption, and abandonment, and build a recycling-oriented society that conserves resources, energy, and regeneration. The "Economy City" of Toyama Prefecture is characterized by the joint investment of companies, government support, and emphasis on the recycling of resources in the region, and the recycling of used products through the recycling of resources. As the first phase of the project, the “Fujiyama Economic City” currently constructs four types of recycled materials recycling facilities, namely, plastic recycling facilities, wood waste recycling facilities, household garbage and waste branches recycling, and waste automobile processing facilities. Toyama Prefecture is the first city to classify and recycle plastic containers and paper containers. In particular, the classification and recycling of paper containers such as paper bags is a unique approach to papermaking materials. People call it the “Fujiyama Way”.

Pititech is Japan's first hybrid plastics recycling company. Currently processing 20 tons per day, with the ability to handle 8,000 tons of waste plastics, the processing site basically achieved automation. Due to the variety of plastics recovered, in order to prevent the mixing of different materials, Primica has introduced two German-made infrared screening devices. In order to promote the recycling of resources, Japanese law stipulates that products sold on the market, manufacturers, sales stores, and users must bear the corresponding costs. According to the person in charge of the company, as it was still in its early stages, part of the company’s operating funds was provided by the “Container Packaging Recycling Association” and it was striving to turn a profit in the next three to five years.

"Automated Japan Recycling Co., Ltd." is a company that handles used cars. It covers an area of ​​30,000 square meters and currently handles 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles a month. The reporter saw that there were many old cars in the factory, but the environment was clean and orderly, and mechanized operations were also achieved. Most of the hundreds of cars stacked here are unloaded and face the fate of being broken down. In the scrapped cars, there are quite a few components that can “play waste heat.” They can be disassembled and sold to a car repair center, and the unusable parts can be disassembled and classified. The person in charge of the factory said: “Japan has very strict environmental requirements and stipulates that waste liquid cannot flow out of the factory. It also pays an environmental protection fee of 20 yen per ton, and the company has not yet made a profit.”

Among the wastes produced in Toyama Prefecture, there are 400,000 tons of garbage every year. The garbage disposal facilities in various places not only take time and effort, but also cause pollution. Realizing the recycling of resources is an integrated project. It cannot do without the cooperation of the family society. It needs to be promoted by the government, mindful of the enterprises, and cooperate with the family for comprehensive utilization. For example, from the time the product is designed, the company pays attention to products with little or no post-manufacture waste, and reduces excessive packaging in circulation. In addition, families try to reduce leftovers and foods do not do much; items can be repaired; shopping bags are used; plastic bags are used less frequently; : As long as you pay attention, you can recycle resources. As the second phase of the project, the “Fushan Economic City” will also implement recycling programs for waste resources such as energy, home appliances, and fiber in the future.

The United Nations Environment Program has advocated that there is no useless thing in nature. "The only creature that produces waste is human." To make the best use of it, to find its added value, the key is to update the concept and truly establish a new concept of “trash is also a resource, but also a precious renewable resource”. As the citizens of Toyama County said, waste reduction, waste recycling, the implementation of a “zero waste plan”, and the establishment of a recycling-oriented society that is in harmony with the environment must start from everyone.