A survey report on the task of exchanging experience in the construction of waste-free cities in Japan

A survey report on the task of exchanging experience in the construction of waste-free cities in Japan

This report summarizes the "cities without waste" pilot cities and areas in China related to learn Japan circular society construction and all kinds of solid waste reduction, recycling, harmless management advanced experience, based on the further advance in China construction experimental unit of "no waste city" put forward the following Suggestions: learn from Japan working ideas, the index system of the construction of the circular economy and promote the way, promoting the construction of "no waste city" arrangement in trial work. Based on the methods and experience of implementing the extended producer responsibility system for key products, we will accelerate the promotion of green design at source and efficient waste recovery. We should fully realize that the public's support and participation is the core force for the success of the reform. We should strengthen guidance and persistently promote and educate the "no-waste culture".

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Japan has taken the construction of a "circular society" as a national strategy and rolled out four national plans. In concept, it always adheres to the long-term goal of using as few resources as possible to produce food and goods needed by all people, cherishing resources and building a recycling society with a high rate of resource production. On the division of duties, local government official (especially at the grass-roots level) in the area of circular society bear the role as the core, in proper recycling of solid waste treatment and plays an important role on the coordination between different subjects, including the regional resources recycling resources, renewable resources, reserves were analyzed, and the building and district residents, enterprises and institutions, social organizations, people of insight cooperation mechanism, according to the regional characteristics, dominated areas to develop the circulation mechanism of symbiotic circle. This is similar to the way that China takes cities as the object and takes the municipal party committee and municipal government as the lead to establish a multi-department coordination mechanism to promote the pilot work. In terms of the index system, Japan put forward the comprehensive index reflecting the overall effect of the circular society construction (resource production rate, inlet side and export side recycling utilization rate, final landfill volume 4 representative indicators) and measures to realize the task items of the circular society (51 representative indicators, 96 auxiliary indicators).These indicators can provide reference for us in improving the construction index system of "waste-free city" and establishing the effectiveness index system. In terms of the way of promotion, while doing a good job at home, Japan also pays attention to the construction of a reasonable international resource recycling system and the promotion of overseas recycling industry. It also reminds us that we should consider how to contribute Chinese wisdom to the Belt and Road Initiative and other international arena as soon as possible and provide China's "waste-free city" construction plan.

Japan has formulated laws for container packaging, large household appliances, automobile, construction waste and food industries, and defined the extended producer responsibility system in the laws for different industries, but there are differences in the division of responsibilities. The Recycling Law of Container Packaging stipulates that the responsibility of container packaging is mainly borne by the producer." Home Appliance Recycling Law" stipulates that retailers are responsible for recycling consumers' waste home appliances and will be recycled home appliances to the producer. The Law on the Recycling of Scrap Vehicles determines that the responsibility for the recycling and disposal of the three designated recycling items, Freon, airbag and crushed slag, shall be borne by the producer (including the manufacturer and the importer). In the concrete implementation, it is mainly by producers and trade associations to carry out the task of supervising enterprises and supervising funds. The government is more responsible for setting recycling targets and giving necessary financial rewards or support to local governments or enterprises that achieve relevant targets.

Compared with Japan, China has only implemented the extended producer responsibility system for waste electrical and electronic products. In 2016, the General Office of the State Council issued the Implementation Plan of the Extended Producer Responsibility System, and proposed to extend the system to automobile products, lead-acid batteries, and beverage paper-based composite packaging industries.Paper composite of lead-acid battery, beverage packaging, and other industrial concentration is higher, recycling industry chain quite complete varieties, specific advice on system design and the concrete implementation, from Japan's experience and practice, create a good EPR implementation environment, give full play to the industry, the industry association's enthusiasm, initiative, to improve the oversight of the department of management ability and EPR normative operation, promote efficient source of green design and waste recycling.

In the process of promoting the construction of a circular society, Japan pays special attention to the support, understanding and extensive participation of social groups and the public. In terms of legislation, the waste treatment and cleaning the act and the formation to promote circular economy basic law is clear about the responsibility of the national in reducing solid waste, i.e., the nation must go through the discharge of wastes control and use of renewable products, promote the recycle of waste, classification, discharge waste as far as possible to dispose of their waste, etc., must cooperate with the state and local public groups regarding the handling of waste reduction and other reasonable deployment. In the aspect of strengthening publicity and education, Japan attaches great importance to the construction of environmental protection popular science education base and citizen education base. All of the domestic waste incinerators and waste treatment plants we visited are provided with access channels and are equipped with written, audio-visual promotional materials for the public and visitors to study. For example, Kao Co., Ltd. has an exhibition hall to recommend companies to research and develop new products, and at the same time, it pays special attention to introducing the progress and effectiveness of enterprises in promoting "4R".For another example, Musashino City Cleaning Center will design and renovate abandoned factories, hold various seminars and activities, pass on the knowledge of garbage and environment science, and at the same time, open to the public for free as a place for various activities, etc.

Japan's experience in promoting the construction of recycling society fully reflects that the construction of "waste free city" needs the support and participation of the whole society. The cultivation of "no-waste culture" requires unremitting efforts to mobilize everyone from outsiders, bystanders and critics to propagandist, participant and doer. Suggest national pilot cities and intensify propaganda "without waste city", through the news, a variety of forms such as lectures, into the community to the society to promote the "no waste city" concept, make the public actively into the living garbage classification, reduce waste plastics products used in environmental protection work in concrete, such as, to promote "without waste" without waste community "the family" "without waste" street "without waste hotel" "without waste authority" and other "no waste city cell" to create activities, gradually formed the green way of life, promote the formation characteristic of "culture". Enterprises in incineration plants and landfills are encouraged to enhance their sense of social responsibility, actively open their visit channels to the public, strengthen information disclosure, and actively accept supervision from social organizations and the public.

Article source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment website