
Yorimasa Suwa, Adviser for International Standardization, Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA)
Read in the following a guest article by Yorimasa Suwa, Adviser for International Standardization, Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA). The views in this lecture are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and policy of the organizations.
Over the past few years, the Japanese government has made great strides in developing policies on environmental issues related to plastics. Needless to say, this has provided significant guidance for Japanese bioplastic industry in general. One of the most significant developments was the enactment of the “The Plastic Resource Circulation Act” which was promulgated in June 2021 and went into effect in April of 2022.
This law includes a “Design for the environments by manufacturers,” a “Reduction of single-use plastics by retailers and service providers,” and a “Separation, collection and recycling of plastic waste by municipalities and private sectors”. The first section of the policy states that the government will certify the products designed for an environment that meets the guidelines. F