A s this summer marks the 10th anniversary of the promulgation of the law for recycling containers and wrapping materials, the government is moving to strengthen the law to force a change in the behavior of consumers. The target is plastic shopping bags provided for free by supermarkets, convenience stores and other shops.
The law was expanded in April 2000 to cover items such as plastic trays for food, milk packs and cardboard boxes in addition to glass bottles, PET bottles and cans. Recycling of plastic shopping bags and trays started that year. The recycling rate for PET bottles increased from 9.8 percent in fiscal 1997 to 48.5 percent in fiscal 2003.
As this is the year for reviewing the law, the Central Environment Council has come up with an interim report that calls for charging fees for plastic shopping bags provided by supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. The Environment Ministry having accepted the report, the government plans to submit a revision of the law to the ordinary session of the Diet next year, with the aim of introducing a fee system for plastic shopping bags in fiscal 2007 and having enterprises shoulder part of the cost that municipalities now bear when collecting containers and wrapping materials covered by the law.