PC Recycling in Japan

Japan’s Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources (often referred to as the Recycling Promotion Law) was enacted in 1991 to promote increased recycling of a variety of products and materials. One of the law’s major goals was the promotion of product designs that facilitate waste reduction, recycling, and reuse. In 2001, the law was revised to address personal computers.

It is estimated that 51 percent of households in Japan own personal computers, for a total of 24 million units. The government predicts that the number of discarded computers will grow significantly over the next few years. Until the revised Recycling Promotion Law was implemented, management of discarded PCs was the responsibility of municipalities.

This paper, provided by INFORM, serves as a primer on the laws for PC recycling in Japan. Would this work in other countries?

The attached Zip file includes:

• Intro Page.doc

• Cover Sheet and Terms.pdf

• PC Recycling in Japan.pdf