pet bottle collection and recycling in japan - ccfei · 80 8th china international recycled...

PET Bottle Collection and Recycling in Japan

Sun Ziqiang

President

ASEI (Taicang) Renewable Resources Development Co., Ltd.

79

8th China International Recycled Polyester Conference

PET Bottle Collection and Recycling in Japan

ASEI (Taicang) Renewable Resources Development Co., Ltd.

President Sun Ziqiang

Sep 13, 2012

With the concept of “sustainable development”, PET bottle collection & recycling is becoming a global environmental protection issue. Japan establishes an almost perfect collection system, achieving world’s highest PET bottle collection rate. However, recycling in Japan is not viewed as “smooth sailing”.

PET bottle collection rate in Japan in 1997-2010

Japan achieves world’s highest PET bottle collection rate

Resin production volumeCollecting volume by companies

Earlier collection rate

Collecting volume by prefectures

Collection rate

Sales volume of specified PET bottles

Recycled bottles by companies

Earlier collection rate

403

Collection rate

Collection rate

year

Sales (production) volum

e/collection volume

(kt)

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Licensing system for waste collection and treatment. PET bottle collection and recycling facilities are also covered by this law

【Basic Law】

【Specific Law】

Legal regulation for PET bottle collection in Japan

Basic Law for Establishing a material-cycle Society

Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources

Packaging Recycling

Law

Home Appliance Recycling

LawFood Recycling

Law

Construction

Recycling Law

Vehicle

Recycling Law

Law on Promoting Green Procurement

Clearly designated responsibility among government, manufacturers, and residents. Stress responsibilities of manufacturers. PET bottles were

added to the list of labeled products to promote sorted collection

To clarify the responsibility in PET bottle collection and recycling as well as expense obligation. To formulate the framework of collecting system and operation security.

R-PET is viewed as a key environmental protection material. Residents, enterprises and governments are required to have priority to purchase.State administrative organizations are required to announce public purchasing plan and implementation result.

Waste Management Law

★ Self-discipline norms of PET bottle industry in Japan

< Bottle>1. Standardized materials

2. Colored bottle is abolished3. Handle only used in big bottles< Label, print >1. Unified standard2. Easy-to-delabel tear lines < Cap >Plastic material only

★ Lightweighting of PET bottle in JapanJapan succeeded to lightweight 13 types of PET bottles by 3%in 2010, accounting for 70% of total PET bottles.

Basic principles of environmental protection

legislation in recent years:

Manufacturers instead of local governments

and general taxpayers pay collection and

recycling fees after their products are

consumed, aiming to reduce waste

generation and to promote recycling.

① to reduce raw material consumption

(lightweight PET bottle)

② environmental-friendly design

(design product suitable for recycling)

③ Material signs

(in favor of sorted collection)

④ pay for collection and recycling

(defining PET bottle producers and

beverage companies as main party of

responsibility, namely specified business

party）

Producer responsibility is the only explicit

concept in sustainable developing economics

Responsibilities of manufacturers

Modified

Lightweight by 9g

81


1.

Professional recycling companies collect and sort post-consumer PET bottles in the areas designated by beverage companies. Besides sales income, the recyclers also receive subsidy from the beverage companies to keep business stable.

2.

Three PET bottle collection modes in Japan

Beverage maker( vending machine)

Professional colleting company

(sorting)

PET bottle recycler

collecting selling

Residents(sorting)

Collectors(term collection)

Sanitation Center（sorting, storing）

PET bottle recycling

commission Hand over selling

Guided by government, Japanese residents dispose post-consumer PET bottles regularly after they decap, delable, wash and drain the bottles.

The best -quality baled PET bottles from these sanitation centres may hardly be found at any other areas in the world.

3.JCPRA – Designated Incorporated Organization

ResidentsResidentsResidentsResidents((((sorting)sorting)sorting)sorting)

CollectorsCollectorsCollectorsCollectors((((Government Government Government Government

designates them to designates them to designates them to designates them to collect regularly)collect regularly)collect regularly)collect regularly)

Sanitation centersSanitation centersSanitation centersSanitation centers（（（（sorting, storingsorting, storingsorting, storingsorting, storing））））

JCPRA JCPRA JCPRA JCPRA certificated PET certificated PET certificated PET certificated PET

recyclersrecyclersrecyclersrecyclers

Specified producersSpecified producersSpecified producersSpecified producers（（（（bottle/beverage makersbottle/beverage makersbottle/beverage makersbottle/beverage makers））））

Designated incorporated Designated incorporated Designated incorporated Designated incorporated organization organization organization organization --------

JCPRAJCPRAJCPRAJCPRA

Pay for collecting & recycling

Agreement

Hand over the bottles to

Pay for recycling (invitation for bidding)

Japan Containers and Packaging

Recycling Associations (JCPRA) was

established in 1996 in an aim to

implement the Containers and

Packaging Recycling Law. JCPRA is

responsible for collecting fees from

bottle & beverage makers. Amid

weakness in PET bottle market,

recycling companies can receive

subsidy, on the other hand, the

recyclers can bid for obtaining paid

PET bottles when market is bullish, to

subsidy local government’s collection

expanse. The advantage of this mode

is that PET collection and recycling

system would not be totally affected by

market sentiment.

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① Ensure the implementing of “producer responsibility”② Ensure the operation of PET bottle collection system in market economic environment.

③ Create a large number of world-leading PET recyclers

Achievement of “Designated Organization Mode”

66 high-tech PET bottle flake processors in Japan

PET bottle recycling in Japan

Market size of recycled PET product is not large

in Japan. In 2010, actually collected volume is

about 628kt, and recycled product is less than

200kt, hereinto, sheet is about 84kt, largely used

for egg packing; fiber is about 59kt, mainly used

for working suit, detergent bottle is about 20kt,

and other products are about 9kt, including

stationary, strapping and garbage can, etc.

Sheet

Fiber Other products

83


Nearly 2/3 recycled PET bottle

flakes in Japan are exported to

China, and part of which are

transferred from Hong Kong.

However, export volume directly

to China mainland has been

increasing, as the cleanliness

has constantly improved. It’s the

robust flake demand from China

that boosts Japan’s collection

rate of PET bottles.

China vs Japan

Export volume of PET flake in Japan in 2006-2010

2/3 Japan-originated PET bottle flakes are sold to China

Source: Trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance

South Korea 6

Taiwan 1

Thailand 2Hong Kong

China

Although collection volume has been increasing in Japan, the volume based on “Designated Organization Mode” decreased from 2005. The volume climbed after 2008, but saw no notable gain in recent years, as export to China was on the rise due to price superiority after 2005. In 2008, export slumped due to financial crisis, but it recovered quickly. It is thus clear that export to China has affected the expansion of the “Mode”to some extent. So, Japan’s JCPRA does not encourage export PET flakes to China, and the viewpoint is understandable, but international trade division is a reality of market economy.

Collection volume on “Designated Organization Mode in 2002-2011

Export to China affects the expansion of “Designated Organization Mode”

(year)

84


Prices for exports to China pull up PET flake market in Japan. From the right chart, we can see that on “Designated Organization Mode”, the fees paid to recyclers by manufacturers decrease year by year, and in 2006 the pattern transferred to paid-bidding of recyclers. In 2010, bidding prices averaged at 22 yen, and local governments received 4.2 billion yen for collection fee. In 2011, the number climbed to 48 yen, and local governments achieved collection fee doubled. As the bidding price is almost equal to the market prices, it is really a big pressure on those recycling companies who quest for quality.

Bidding prices in 2000-2010

China pulled up PET flake market in Japan

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