Japan to Trim Excess Trash and Promote Recycling to Reach Diversion Goal

Lynn Schenkman

Tokyo – Japan’s Environment Ministry is embarking on a campaign to cut the amount of landfill-bound waste in half by 2010. In 2002, Japan buried approximately 56 million tons. Officials hope social change and the possibility of a tax on plastic supermarket bags will lower yearly landfilled trash to 28 million tons by 2010. A promotional campaign pushing conservation also is in the plan to lighten the waste load.