Koji Toyoshima

Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau, Electrical Machinery and Consumer Electronics Division
(1-3-1 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8901 Japan)

Abstract

The law for recycling of specified kinds of home appliances was proclaimed on June 5th, 1998. This law is to promote the collecting and recycling of mechanical equipment such as wide-spread home appliances and provides a new role to the parties concerned. There has been no precedent for the recycling mechanical equipment before. It is impossible to establish a nation-wide collection and recycling system quickly, therefore a preparation period will be needed to start the actual collection and recycling system in the year 2001, although some movement is about to begin among some manufacturers, retailers and municipal corporations. There is some expectation that in the future the whole of society will make progress concerning recycling, after the enforcement of the recycling home appliances under this law.

Key words: law for recycling