We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to New Challenges for Sustainable Plastic Recycling in Japan
ClearThe Trend of Plastic Recycling Policies in Japan on the Current Legal Regulation of Transboundary Movements of Plastic Waste
This paper reviews how Japan is reforming its plastic recycling policies following China's 2017 import ban on plastic waste and changes to the Basel Convention regulating international plastic waste trade. Japan's policy evolution offers lessons for how developed countries can build domestic plastic recycling capacity when export-based approaches are no longer viable.
Sustainable Waste Management in Japan: Challenges, Achievements, and Future Prospects: A Review
This review examines Japan's approach to sustainable waste management, analyzing the country's policies, achievements, and ongoing challenges. Researchers highlighted Japan's comprehensive recycling programs, advanced waste-to-energy infrastructure, and the cultural practices that support waste reduction. The study identifies remaining issues including managing plastic waste and adapting systems for an aging population with changing consumption patterns.
Circular Economy and the Changing Geography of International Trade in Plastic Waste
This study analyzed over two decades of international trade data in plastic waste, finding increasingly complex transboundary flows as circular economy policies tightened, with China's 2018 import ban dramatically reshaping global plastic waste trade routes and highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving sustainable plastic material cycles.
The impact of China’s import ban: An economic surplus analysis of markets for recyclable plastics
Researchers used economic surplus analysis to quantify the market impact of China's 2017 ban on plastic waste imports, finding that economic surpluses in Japan and China dropped by up to 58 billion yen and 1,304 billion yen respectively, reshaping global recyclable plastics trade.
The Evolutionary Trend and Impact of Global Plastic Waste Trade Network
Analysis of the global plastic waste trade network from 1988 to 2017 found that recent national import bans have reshaped trade flows, with waste being redirected from China to other developing nations rather than reducing overall plastic waste generation.
Recycling Laws and Their Evaluation in Japan
Japan's suite of recycling laws — covering packaging, appliances, vehicles, construction materials, and food waste — is reviewed alongside the emerging microplastics problem and Japan's policy responses to it. The paper highlights that existing recycling frameworks were not designed with microplastics in mind, creating regulatory gaps that need to be addressed as plastic debris increasingly fragments into microscale particles.
Towards Plastic Circularity: Current Practices in Plastic Waste Management in Japan and Sri Lanka
A comparison of plastic waste management in Japan and Sri Lanka found that Japan practices the full plastic value chain while Sri Lanka relies heavily on an informal recycling sector, and recommends Japan's Extended Producer Responsibility approach as a model for Sri Lanka to improve plastic circularity.
Plastic Waste: Challenges and Opportunities to Mitigate Pollution and Effective Management
Researchers reviewed plastic waste generation and management strategies globally, identifying lack of technical skills, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and poor regulatory awareness as the main barriers to addressing the ~400 million tons of plastic produced annually.
Exploring Plastic-Management Policy in China: Status, Challenges and Policy Insights
Researchers reviewed China's plastic management policies and found that despite being the world's largest plastic producer, existing regulations remain insufficient, recommending strengthened extended producer responsibility and circular economy approaches to control plastic pollution.
Plastic Waste and a Circular Economy in China
This review examines China's plastic waste management challenges and the country's progress toward implementing circular economy principles for plastic recovery and recycling. As one of the world's largest plastic producers and consumers, China's plastic waste policies have major global implications for the amount of plastic that ultimately becomes microplastics.
Global Plastic Waste Trade: An Analysis of Sources and Trends (1996-2024)
The global trade in plastic waste — where wealthy nations ship plastic scraps to poorer ones for processing — has shaped recycling systems worldwide, but its sustainability is deeply contested. This bibliometric review of 257 academic papers (1996–2024) maps the research landscape, finding that China's 2018 ban on importing foreign plastic waste was a dominant topic, and that the trade raises serious concerns about environmental harm and economic inequality in recipient countries. The study underscores that international plastic waste flows are not a straightforward solution to the plastic crisis and require much closer scrutiny.
Plastic Waste Recycling is Insufficient to Mitigate Plastic Pollution: the Need for a Paradigm Shift
This review argues that plastic waste recycling is fundamentally insufficient to address global plastic pollution and calls for a paradigm shift away from end-of-pipe solutions toward upstream production reduction. The authors examine the structural limitations of current recycling strategies and the economic and policy barriers that prevent meaningful plastic pollution mitigation.
Political Economy of Import Waste Regulations in East Java: Implications of Indonesia's Role as Waste Importer Country
This political economy study examines how Indonesia has become a major importer of plastic waste following China's 2018 ban on waste imports (the 'National Sword' policy). The resulting surge in plastic waste imports into countries like Indonesia raises concerns about inadequate processing and increased plastic pollution in these receiving countries.
A Critical Analysis of the Rising Global Demand of Plastics and its Adverse Impact on Environmental Sustainability
This critical review examined global trends in plastic demand and mismanaged plastic waste, identifying the top contributing countries and evaluating plastic replacement alternatives, arguing that reducing consumption and improving waste management infrastructure are more impactful than material substitution alone.
Global Plastic Pollution and International Legal and Policy Responses
This Japanese legal review examines international efforts to create a binding treaty to end plastic pollution, analyzing what elements are needed based on experience with prior environmental agreements. The paper is particularly relevant given the ongoing United Nations negotiations toward a global plastics treaty.
The Policy of Plastic Waste Reduction: A Case of Kanagawa Zero Plastic Waste Declaration
This paper examines Kanagawa Prefecture's zero plastic waste declaration and its follow-through policies, including Japan's national mandatory plastic bag fee introduced in 2020. The study evaluates how local government actions complement national regulation in reducing plastic pollution. It offers lessons for other regional governments seeking to go beyond minimum regulatory requirements on plastic waste.
The effects on Thailand of China’s import restrictions on waste: measures and challenges related to the international recycling of waste plastic and e-waste
Researchers documented how Thailand — already possessing import permit systems — was overwhelmed by a surge in plastic waste and e-waste smuggling following China's 2017 import ban, ultimately imposing its own import prohibition, reflecting broader enforcement challenges across Southeast Asia.
Analysis of Plastic Waste Processing Methods
This review summarizes global plastic waste production and recycling trends, arguing that the recycling industry must scale up urgently to address growing environmental contamination. Current recycling rates remain far below what is needed to prevent plastic pollution from continuing to accumulate.
Integrated Recycling and The Impact of Plastic Waste from Industry and Agriculture on The Environment
This review examined the environmental impacts of plastic waste from industrial and agricultural sources and assessed integrated recycling strategies for reducing those impacts. The paper discussed how plastic waste prevention, collection, and recycling can minimize pollution and climate contributions from the growing global plastic waste stream.
An Overview of Plastic Waste Recycling in the Urban Areas of Java Island in Indonesia
This overview examines plastic waste recycling management in urban areas across Java Island, Indonesia, one of the highest plastic-polluting regions in the world. It identifies barriers to improved recycling rates and proposes strategies to shift toward more sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Plastic recycling in South Korea: problems, challenges, and policy recommendations in the endemic era
This review examines how plastic waste generation in South Korea surged during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased online shopping and food delivery, while recycling rates declined. Researchers found that despite active waste management policies, the country needs stronger measures modeled on international best practices. The study highlights that microplastics remain a particular concern because their full environmental impacts are not yet well understood.
Assessing the Selection of PET Recycling Optionsin Japan: Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
This study examines PET plastic recycling options in Japan using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework, set against the global context in which only 9% of plastic waste is recycled and 22% bypasses proper waste management. The analysis evaluates competing recycling pathways to identify the most sustainable and economically viable approaches for managing Japan's PET waste streams.
Global Plastic Production, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Remediation Strategies: A Comprehensive Review
This comprehensive review traces global plastic production from 1950 to 2025, documenting the exponential growth in output and associated waste, and evaluating remediation strategies including mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, biodegradation, and emerging alternatives.
Research on Plastic Recycling from a Global Perspective and PET Recycling Schemes in Hong Kong
This review examines global plastic production, environmental impacts, and recycling systems, comparing approaches in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Germany, and finding that Hong Kong's low recycling rate and landfill-dependent system contrasts sharply with Taiwan's high recovery rates and Germany's strict classification and processing infrastructure. The study identifies structural and logistical barriers limiting PET and broader plastic recycling in emerging economies.