Japan general waste hits record low in FY 2024 amid population decline
Baku, May 8, AZERTAC
Japan's general waste output fell to a record low of 38.11 million tons in fiscal 2024, a government survey showed Friday, due to a population decline and the spread of paid garbage collection that has helped change consumer habits, according to Kyodo.
The figure was about 70 percent of its peak of 54.83 million tons in fiscal 2000, the Environment Ministry said. The total has continued to mark record lows since fiscal 2012, with the government aiming to cut such waste further to around 37 million tons by fiscal 2030 through steps such as reducing food loss and promoting reuse.
General waste refers to household and business trash such as burnable garbage and bulky items that municipalities generally collect and dispose of. It excludes industrial waste which businesses must handle themselves.
While the output of general waste has declined, costs related to collection and incineration have continued to rise, totaling 2.45 trillion yen in fiscal 2024, up 6.9 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry.
Such costs have increased by about 500 billion yen over the 10 years through fiscal 2024, mainly due to higher labor and fuel expenses.
Japan's population has been declining since peaking in 2008, falling by more than 3 million by 2024, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
During this period, local governments expanded measures on how to dispose of garbage such as introducing the collection of bulky waste for a fee and designated garbage bags for burnable waste.
In fiscal 2024, household waste accounted for 26.37 million tons, or about 70 percent of the total, while waste from stores, offices and other businesses came to 11.75 million tons.
The Environment Ministry also cited the spread of secondhand goods trading on flea market applications and clothes-sharing services as factors behind the decline.
"People are becoming more conscious of making effective use of limited resources," a ministry official said.
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