Congratulations! You’ve just signed the lease on your new apartment. When registering your new address at city hall, they should have given you a pamphlet detailing how to throw out your trash correctly. Keep in mind that unlike back home, the rules for proper garbage disposal in Japan can be pretty tricky.
It requires following a rigid set of rules and some basic kanji (Chinese characters with Japanese meaning). If you don’t follow the rules, your trash will get left behind, you might receive a fine, or worse yet, your neighbors might file a complaint against you. In this post, we’ll go through the basics of the different garbage categories in Japan and how to dispose of them properly.
Types of Garbage
In Japan, garbage is divided into four main categories: burnable, non-burnable, recyclable and oversized garbage. Depending on where you live, these categories may be further subdivided into smaller groups. Stay updated with garbage pick-up rules and schedules by checking your local municipality’s official website.
Your area might require you to use special color-designated trash bags to signify the trash category. Otherwise, purchase generic trash bags from your local grocery store or convenience store. If you have any questions about recycling or garbage collection in your city, call your local city hall or ward office.
Burnable or Combustible Garbage
Burnable garbage (moeru gomi) is the simplest to manage. The majority of household waste is classified as burnable garbage. These are items like kitchen scraps, textiles and yard waste. Typically collected twice a week, refer to the pamphlet you received at city hall for the specific days.
Here are some other items that fall under the category:
- Biodegradable Trash: Clamshells, egg shells, food waste, fruit and vegetable peels
- Clothing and Wood Scraps: Blended fabrics, small amounts of wood scraps
- Paper Scraps: Tissue, diapers, napkins
- Plastic items: Styrofoam products, plastic food wrap, CDs, videotapes
- Rubber items: Garden hoses, sandals
- Leather items: Bags, shoes, clothes
Drain kitchen scraps of any water, and if you’re throwing away cooking oil, either have paper absorb it or use solidifying gel. Bag it up and take it out on the day before the designated collection time. Note that trash isn’t collected on national holidays, so make sure that you are aware of the schedule.
Non-burnable or Non-combustible Garbage
Click here to read more.
- External Link
- https://gaijinpot.com/
11 Comments
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Roten
One of the main complaints about foreign residents, other than crimes by US military residents, is their ignorance of garbage rules. Garbage separation rules are confusionly arcane and vary greatly by municipality; their vagery is likewise a complaint of many conscientious foreigners who try to separate garbage and live by the community rules. In my city, there are at least four different pamphlets, handouts, and signs at the collection sites, some in multiple languages, that have guidelines for garbage. Frustratingly, the instructions are incomplete or contradictory. Then there are the recycling instructions and collection sites that likewise have vague instructions for the occassional items that are not simply paper, plastic, or pet bottles. When in doubt, it pays to ask.
wallace
Garbage disposal is straightforward to understand. Many locations with foreigners have instructions in English.
GuruMick
Stop selling everything in multiple, one use, layers of plastic.
Some Thai islands are banning plastic altogether,
Moonraker
Yeah, it is kind of strange there is even separation when 70% of rubbish goes for "thermal recycling" (burning) in Japan anyway. Maybe it is just another way to keep the people busy and scrutinising each other. In my previous condo, it was all pretty haphazard and many people would line the bags with paper so we couldn't see what was in the paradoxically purposely-sold, see-through bags for rubbish disposal. Go figure.
piskian
Of you could follow the locals' example,and dump it in the woods or burn it , plastic and all,in your front yard on a windy day.
piskian
Those who downvoted my observations obviously haven't visited our island.
Jennie
Doing it wrongfully knowing so and not knowing is very different. From where I’ve seen, instructions are very clear, but I see foreigners disposing everything all together way too often. Even by the look of separation of trash, one should be able to at least understand the concept of recycling.
Patricia Yarrow
It's not just "foreigners" not following the rules. Lighten up, everyone.
TokyoLiving
Their country, their rules..
Instructions are in english too, so follow the rules guys..
falseflagsteve
Alright where I live, we can dump anything at the back of the building without sorting. Gets picked up with commercial rubbish every night about 1 am.
Used to hate in the sticks, different colour bags I had to buy and they would only take the ones provided by the city. None of that nonsense here thankfully.
TokyoLiving
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