58
equivalent emissions for the three time periods are estimated to be 4,317,774 tons.
These reductions are deemed to be the effects of the Eco Policy for the three
appliances.
3.3.3 Issues of Who Bears the Burden of the Costs
of Electronic-Waste Recycling
We have pointed out above that the recycling rates for waste electrical and electronic equipment are generally low (mostly under 30% of recycling ready Electronicwaste in Japan; see Table 3.2). We have also pointed out that the costs associated
with recycling Electronic-waste, including the recycling fees as well as the costs of
transportation and waste material removal, which are to a large extent borne by the
consumer, are relatively high in general. Japanese policy discussions on Electronicwaste recycling have also raised the issues related to the lack of transparency in the
determination of the Electronic-waste recycling cost (Recycling Working Group
2007).
Electronic-Waste and European Union
Unlike the four categories of Electronic-waste considered by Japanese laws (i.e., air
conditioners, television sets, electric refrigerators and freezers, and electric washing
machines and clothes dryers), European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment Directive specifies the following ten Electronic-waste categories: (1)
large household appliances; (2) small household appliances; (3) information technology equipment; (4) consumer equipment (television sets, etc.); (5) lighting appliances; (6) power tools; (7) toys, leisure, and sports equipment; (8) medical
equipment; (9) monitoring and control instruments; and (10) vending machines and
automatic teller machines.
Another area of European Union’s Electronic-waste management that differs
from Japanese practices is in the areas of allocation of the responsibility for collection and the allocation of costs. For example, producers are responsible for their
own new products, but that all producers shall cover costs jointly when products that
are already on the market are discarded by consumers. Until 2011 (2013 for large
white goods), however, producers will be permitted to add waste processing costs to
the prices of new products separately (visible fee).
In general, the European Union regulations differ from Japan’s in a number of
ways. The European Union laws cover a broad range of products, assign responsibility and costs to producers, establish collection targets and recycling rates, and
limit the use of hazardous substances (Yoshida and Yoshida 2010). As OKOPOL
(2007) notes, European Union’s policy aim is to build a system that, by these means,
recovers waste electrical and electronic equipment separately rather than disposing
of it as municipal solid waste. We note that the municipality is an important stakeholder in the European Union’s waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling
system.
H. Hayami and M. Nakamura
equivalent emissions for the three time periods are estimated to be 4,317,774 tons.
These reductions are deemed to be the effects of the Eco Policy for the three
appliances.
3.3.3 Issues of Who Bears the Burden of the Costs
of Electronic-Waste Recycling
We have pointed out above that the recycling rates for waste electrical and electronic equipment are generally low (mostly under 30% of recycling ready Electronicwaste in Japan; see Table 3.2). We have also pointed out that the costs associated
with recycling Electronic-waste, including the recycling fees as well as the costs of
transportation and waste material removal, which are to a large extent borne by the
consumer, are relatively high in general. Japanese policy discussions on Electronicwaste recycling have also raised the issues related to the lack of transparency in the
determination of the Electronic-waste recycling cost (Recycling Working Group
2007).
Electronic-Waste and European Union
Unlike the four categories of Electronic-waste considered by Japanese laws (i.e., air
conditioners, television sets, electric refrigerators and freezers, and electric washing
machines and clothes dryers), European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment Directive specifies the following ten Electronic-waste categories: (1)
large household appliances; (2) small household appliances; (3) information technology equipment; (4) consumer equipment (television sets, etc.); (5) lighting appliances; (6) power tools; (7) toys, leisure, and sports equipment; (8) medical
equipment; (9) monitoring and control instruments; and (10) vending machines and
automatic teller machines.
Another area of European Union’s Electronic-waste management that differs
from Japanese practices is in the areas of allocation of the responsibility for collection and the allocation of costs. For example, producers are responsible for their
own new products, but that all producers shall cover costs jointly when products that
are already on the market are discarded by consumers. Until 2011 (2013 for large
white goods), however, producers will be permitted to add waste processing costs to
the prices of new products separately (visible fee).
In general, the European Union regulations differ from Japan’s in a number of
ways. The European Union laws cover a broad range of products, assign responsibility and costs to producers, establish collection targets and recycling rates, and
limit the use of hazardous substances (Yoshida and Yoshida 2010). As OKOPOL
(2007) notes, European Union’s policy aim is to build a system that, by these means,
recovers waste electrical and electronic equipment separately rather than disposing
of it as municipal solid waste. We note that the municipality is an important stakeholder in the European Union’s waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling
system.
H. Hayami and M. Nakamura