Break Free From Pacific Asia Pacific

This chapter is developed to the Plastic Atlas Japan Special Edition プラスチック・アトラス アジア［日本語特別版］. As discussed by the chapter, Japan has introduced numerous innovative policies and strategies to promote the circulation of resources and to build a sustainable society. The Japanese experience shows that building an adequate waste management system is a...

This chapter is newly added to the Plastic Atlas Japan Special Edition プラスチック・アトラス アジア［日本語特別版］. From the “economic miracle” period up to the present, Japan has built an excellent system for efficiently collecting and recycling recyclable waste. Yet, recycling does not constitute a definitive solution. Rather, it is important to lower the amount of...

Plastic is ubiquitous: we use it for life-saving medical devices, clothing, toys and cosmetics; we use it in agriculture and industry. But we also know the growing risk of plastic waste in the environment, landfills and the oceans. For example, the amount of plastic that some fulmars accumulate in their stomachs during their lives is equivalent to...