November 2007

Cover Story ‒ Part 1

Conditions required for sustainable recycling

Competitive edge in recycling

 

Intensifying competition among recycling firms

Finding the appropriate quality level that achieves reduction of cost and CO₂

 

The future of PET-bottle recycling

Rebuilding of business models is essentially required

 

Chemical recycling faces a critical stage

Chemical recycling business of PET-bottles remains sluggish, while that of fiber shows growth

 

Closed-loop recycling becomes popular

Recycling home appliances into home appliances many times over

 

Debate over environmentally-friendly paper

Giving up 100% recycled paper due to difficulty in procuring waste paper

 

Cover Story ‒ Part 2

Eco Action 21, KES, Eco Stage

Environmental management systems (EMS) for SMEs are evolving

 

Report

Japan faces great difficulties in domestic bioethanol production, and is left out of the worldwide bubble market for bioethanol

 

Learn about Technologies

 

First Step in Technology

[Lightweight materials] Aluminum is increasingly used for automobiles, while downsides of magnesium are being overcome

 

Natural Energy

[Compound solar cells] Showa Shell Sekiyu and Honda Motor launch mass production of compound solar cells based on CIGS instead of silicon

 

Products

[Dietary fiber-reinforced polylactic acid] Proprietary mixing technology achieves distortion temperature of 150℃, while the 100% plant-origin feature expands application

 

Learn about Environmental Laws

 

Re-introduction: Easy-to-Understand Environmental Law

[End-of-life Vehicle Recycling Law] The law, obligating recycling of three items, aims at a recycling rate of 95% within 10 years

 

How to Read the Environmental Ordinance ‒ Part 10

Ordinances for restricting vehicle exhaust gas

Increasing municipalities of mainly large cities are introducing their own tightened restrictions and vehicle control schemes

 

Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law Q & A

Is it sufficient to mark the “enclosure area” for industrial waste storage by merely surrounding the area with a rope?

 

This Month’s Environmental Law

The authorization details of the program for geological storage of CO₂, newly introduced by the Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster, are decided, including criteria for authorizing sea areas

 

Easy-to-Understand REACH (A new series) ‒ Part 1

Important articles and schedule

 

Trend and News

 

Preventing Global Warming

China and India participate in the Meeting of Major Economies on Energy Security and Climate Change, in which the U.S. expresses its intention to set long-term targets under UN framework

 

Eco Car

With METI’s EV town initiative scheduled to start in 2009, widespread use of electric vehicles may become a reality

 

Recycling

In the newly decided fund allocation system under the Container and Packaging Recycling Law, municipalities are evaluated in terms of quality and cost

 

Global Warming

Japanese government plans to strengthen surveillance through monitoring of action plans, as well as breaking down industry-based voluntary targets into firm-based targets

 

Recycling

The Amended Food Recycling Law sets target figures by industrial sector, significantly raising the target for the restaurant industry to 40%

 

Biodiversity

The draft of the Third National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan has been finalized, declaring to prepare a guideline for actions to be taken by firms

 

Heat Island Countermeasure

Tokyo metropolitan government tries again to plant more lawns on school playgrounds, hoping that enhanced technology of lawn material will bring about a breakthrough in the program

 

CSR Frontline

Interest in SRI and CSR heightens in Korea too, spurred by the law to foster socially responsible corporations

 

Self-deceiving “green wash” undermines firms’ environmentally-friendly efforts

 

Climate Change Policies

Q & A to understand climate change policies

 

By allowing firms to acquire emission rights through co-benefit CDMs, such as air/water pollution prevention schemes, promotion of energy-saving CDMs is expected to progress

 

This Month’s emission rights prices

 

Learn about Environmental Issues

Truth and False of Environmental Science

[Water quality of Tokyo Bay] Is it safe to eat fish caught in Tokyo Bay?

 

Junko Edahiro’s Eye-opening Facts on Environmental Terms in English

[ESG]

 

Threats Waiting around the Corner

An island is facing the danger of disappearance due to erosion by insects, a phenomenon which may be caused by aquafarming and rising sea temperatures

 

Column

Kankan Gakugaku (Active Argument over Environmental Issues)

Maki Ohashi, aromatherapist

 

Challenge the Environmental Policies! ‒ Part 10

Scientific research on climate falls behind

 

Contemplating with Environmental Thought ‒ Part 5

Climate change depicted in myths

 

Cuisines of Japan

The river reflects the times and society

 

THE ROOTS ‒ Japan’s Environmental Technology

[Low emission engine] Taking Honda to worldwide fame

 

Report

Inside-Out

[Is dioxin an issue of the past? ‒ Part 1] Ten years since revelation of dioxin pollution in Nose town

 

WorldWatch Institute

Rapidly expanding oil sand development is a culprit of global warming and environmental destruction

 

From Business Week

Food safety of large fish questioned

 

Itaru Yasui’s “Eco Michelin”

[iPOD] Prolong use by introducing Ni-H battery-powered iPOD

 

ECO Seminar

Cure for the Headache of ISO Officers

How can ISO activities be integrated with mainstream business?

 

Suggesting Eco-management Strategies to the Top Management ‒ Part 10

Cooperation with the community and marketing

 

New Environmental Study

[Analyzing recycling from citizens’ viewpoint]

The current way of recycling scarcely saves resources

 

Key Word

Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle/Basel Convention

 

World Trend

From EU

Debate over construction waste recycling heats up in Germany - a prelude to the expected debate over revision of the EU waste framework directive

 

From UK

Electric utilities of Germany and Italy invest in measures against global warming, with Italy’s RWE to buy 90 million t of emission allowance

 

From USA

African nations begin to charge for plastic shopping bags, with some even imposing tariffs or penalties

 

From Germany

Financial conditions of municipalities become tight as a result of assisting the low-income population to pay electricity charges, which have skyrocketed during the past 10 years

 

From China

Reinforcing measures to save energy and prevent air pollution, China targets to reduce 10% of its sulfur dioxide emission by 2010