Lifestyle change seen as key to solving plastic waste problem

June 17, 2019

Karuizawa, Nagano Pref.--For people in Japan, changing their lifestyles is a key to fighting marine plastic waste, experts say.

Energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies agreed to establish an international framework to reduce marine plastic waste, at their two-day meeting in Karuizawa in the central Japan prefecture of Nagano through Sunday.

The annual amount of plastic waste flowing into the ocean from Japan is estimated at 20,000 to 60,000 tons, smaller than from developing countries. But waste control has not been sufficient in Japan, pundits claim.

Some say that a thorough resolution of the problem requires a review of people's lives, which are flooded with plastic items.

All Japan River Litter Network, a Japanese group comprising nonprofit organizations and other bodies, collected some 45,000 dumped plastic bottles during its 2018 survey that covered 409 locations near rivers in the country.

The number of plastic bottles discarded near rivers nationwide is projected at some 40 million, according to the organization.

"River waste does not decrease no matter how much we collect it," said Hiroko Ito, who works at the secretariat of the organization.

Late last month, the Japanese government drew up an action plan to cut back on marine plastic waste, including strengthening crackdowns on littering and illegal dumping, ensuring segregation of household waste, promoting waste collection by volunteers, and helping fishers clean up the ocean.

Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada praised the package, saying it contains "very concrete steps."

"We'd like to carry out the measures by giving priority to all of them," he added.

The government aims to prevent waste from flowing into the ocean while allowing the continued use of plastic products.

Still, Ito said, "Fundamental steps to help substantially reduce unnecessary plastic items are also needed." Jiji Press