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One big annoyance that many travelers in Japan notice is the lack of trash cans, even in big cities. It’s partially born out of Japan’s general aversion to snacking while walking (which means locals aren’t likely to generate much trash while out and about) and partially out of the fact that just about everyone, men and women, carry some sort of bag (which lets them carry home whatever trash they do generate), but it’s still an inconvenience.
On the other hand, though, recycling bins for cans and plastic bottles (called “PET bottles” in Japan) are all over the place. You’ll find one next to just about every vending machine, and also near the entrances/exits for convenience stores and supermarkets.
Here’s the weird thing, though: Often, the recycling bins have two openings, one labeled “cans” and the other “PET bottles.” But if you look inside, you’ll see that both openings empty into the exact same area of the bin.
It’s something that’s always puzzled us, so we decided to call up some of Japan’s largest drink makers to see if they could explain why. First, we dialed up Coca-Cola’s question hotline, and when the service rep came on the line, we asked “If the cans and PET bottles go into the same section of the recycling bin, why are there two openings?”
Coca-Cola’s answer?
“They’re designed that way to get people to be aware of the need to separate recyclables from other trash.”
Huh. So apparently it’s not that the people setting up the bins want us to keep cans and plastic bottles separate from each other, but for us all to remember that the bins aren’t for general trash (as a side note, residents of Japan do have to separate cans and plastics from each other when putting trash out on the curb for weekly residential trash pick-up). We guess having two different openings does kind of make it seem like a more official system, and something people should abide by.
Next we called up the soft drink division of Asahi, and they told us the exact same thing: The bins are designed with two openings so people will be aware of the need to separate recyclables. Finally, we got in touch with DyDo (makers of Pikachu apple peach drink and drinkable strawberry shortcake in a can), and they gave us one more reason for the two-opening bins.
“Recently, there are a lot of different types of cups used by coffee shops and convenience stores. Some people improperly throw those away in the recycling bins, and if the cups are too large, sometimes they get jammed and block the openings.
If there are two openings, even if one is blocked, people can still use the other one. The ‘cans’ and ‘plastic bottles’ markers are just to try to keep people from throwing other things away in the bins.”
So, at least in DyDo’s case, the two openings are there so in case someone tries to cram their non-recyclable cup into the bin, there’s still one opening for everyone who’s following the rules. On the one hand, such inconsiderate behavior is disappointing, but it’s nice that DyDo still gives the rest of us a way to be kind to the environment even if someone else has been a jerk, and that’s smart design that we’ll drink to.
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- “Recycling in Japan” or “Reasons to get it right and avoid eternal shame”
-- Japanese vending machines loan out free, recycled umbrellas during the country’s stormy summer
-- Japan’s secret garbage problem–and what you can do to help
© SoraNews24
24 Comments
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Mizuame
It's the difference between "tatemae" and "honne". Tatemae is so important in Japan.
Jeff Huffman
Why do Japanese recycle bins have two openings but dump everything into the same compartment?
Because Japan has never been serious about recycling just as it's never been serious about green energy. Japan still burns more plastic than it recycles.
Strangerland
I don’t think those terms are applicable to this situation.
kwatt
(I remember) There were supposed to have two compartments for two openings, but people very carelessly put cans into PET hole and PETs into can hole. It seems recycling business companies finally had new machines that are capable of separating all mixed cans, PET bottles and others. There are still two compartments in box besides one.
kwatt
Japan had sent more plastic trashes to China and South Asian countries rather than burning more.
Norman Goodman
The bins are for both PET bottles and cans. You can write that on the bin, but people are going to scratch their heads about it just as they are here, knowing they go together. That head scratching can lead to negative thoughts and image, just as some of the above posts have. They don't want that. Most people won't notice they do this, so they won't be even talking about it.
Also, there are practical reasons. Divided bins are not space efficient. Contents settle better the more space they have. Plus one side can fill up quicker meaning you have to empty the bin sooner.
lucabrasi
@BigYen
No pictures, either? ; )
Madden
Many of the bins do separate the can/PET sections but if you actually were to look inside you'd see that there is only one bag that they both go into, I've noticed this myself and was always confused by it, but this article does explain the logic of it.
TokyoTelegraph
It’s partially born out of Japan’s general aversion to snacking while walking (which means locals aren’t likely to generate much trash while out and about) and partially out of the fact that just about everyone, men and women, carry some sort of bag (which lets them carry home whatever trash they do generate), but it’s still an inconvenience.
Guess you can spin anything these days.
Thought it was more due to the fact that the bins were removed sometime in the past for whatever reason.....
seadog538
It's to stop the right hand from knowing what the left hand is doing.
Ah_so
The bottles and cans will still be recycled, even though they are put together. They get automatically sorted.
Vince Black
Just like most things in Japan: appearance takes precedence over actual substance. Perceptions are easy to deceive, deceive those and you've got a society by the balls.
Jtsnose
I noticed this last time . . . visited Japan . . . places like McD's had recycle bins being polluted . . . . Need more different bins, e.g. clean paper, plastics, aluminum, food waste.
Armel MALEJACQ
You'll find the same in some (not all) Starbucks trash cans asking you to separate plastic cups from paper cups. And Most staff , when told to re-use the same cup for that second 100 yen coffee will throw it away anyway. VERY irritating. I also found some bottle trash bins in a service area that had 4 different slots for plastic bottles, metal can , cup and plastic caps that all led to the same container .
lucabrasi
@BigYen
I hear you. I was stuck in deepest inaka, in desperate need of the facilities: Two separate doors, but no hint of “ladies” or “gents” in Japanese, English or symbols. I had to take a chance, and there was no one else around. So I was lucky....
Jeff Huffman
Ah_soToday 04:13 pm JST The bottles and cans will still be recycled, even though they are put together. They get automatically sorted.
It's not just PET containers. Most of the plastic that is produced isn't recyclable and gets burned after a single use.