日本プラスチック問題 (Nihon Pulasuchick Mondai) – Japanese Plastic Problem

14th May – 皐月

The shameful fact is that Japan creates second worst country where creates huge amount of plastic wastes.

It was reported that annual number of plastic bags used by Japanese is 300~450 per person. Moreover, each year 183 plastic bottles are used per person in Japan, calculated by the total amount of plastic bottle wastes.

Behind this fact, there are several ironical reasons that can be related to this problem. For instance;

-過剰包装 (Kajou Housou) – Overwrapping

Because Japanese are relatively sensitive for the safety and cleanliness, many of the products from Japan is overwrapped. Even just for small snacks to the vegetables, everything comes with plastic wrappings (However micro plastic can harm people so Japan should consider about this problem too…). It is understandable why Japan is one of the worst countries where produce huge amount of plastic wastes!

-レジ袋 (Leji Bukuro) – Plastic shopping bags

There are still many shops where offer plastic bags for free in Japan. Some shops charge fees for plastic bags but still places such as convenience stores, drug stores etc gives them as free. Most likely, customers think it is of course natural to get the bags each time (even for only one small thing they bought!) therefore not offering bags can be considered to be bad customer service. Without saying ‘I do not need a bag’, the workers will give the plastic bags without hesitation.

There are waste separation boxes in some places so people does try to recycle plastics. However, most of those separated plastics are burned to use as a energy so it generates another issues of air pollution. Remaking new plastic products from the plastic wastes costs a lot money, thus only few percents are recycled to be reused in Japan.

Having an interest toward this issue is the only way to reduce the amount of plastic wastes, I believe. Plastic wastes not only harm animals and nature but also will impact humans in the end (eg: eating micro plastic effected fishes will cause illness to men). It is hard to change the lifestyle at once, but just a small steps by each of us, something like bringing own bags, can save the world and keep the earth to a little healthy.