Recycling?

I'm going to be living in Japan for a few months pretty soon but there's a problem with recycling. I know the Japanese are very strict with it, so could anyone help me with what is supposed to go where instead of just 'look from the sign'? I don't speak the language that well yet! Thanks for any help.

nanachaan,

I assume you are talking about sorting out household garbage/trash properly? It depends on where you live, so you'd have to let us know of that.

For example, in most parts of central Tokyo, where I live, plastic/vinyl materials, kitchen garbage, regular paper all go into "burnable," and only miscellaneous metals/glass go into "not burnable." Other recyclable materials ("resources") collected for recycling are newspapers and fliers that come with them, magazines and books, PET drink bottles, and aluminum/steel beverage cans. "Burnable," "not burnable," and "resources" are collected on different days of the week normally. Check with your apartment.

If you are talking about permanently installed trash bins, for example, at supermarkets and convenience stores, well, for those, you can tell from the signs (pictures) :)

Nanachaaan,

As mentioned above, the various rules vary from city to city, so you should check the website of the ward/city/town where you will be staying, as they usually publish details in English.

AK, I also live in a Tokyo ward and as of about mid-last year, most plastic doesn't go into "burnables" in this ward. Anything with the プラ mark is classed as "recyclable plastic" and is put out separately from the burnable garbage.

Have they not made that change in your ward yet?

To nanachaaan, your city/ward office may actually be able to provide you with information on how to sort/recycle garbage in English.

Sira,

Not at all! Actually in the ward where I live, they made the change for plastics in general to be sorted as "non burnable" to "burnable" last year or so... oh well. You know, I have been thinking, all this time we've been faithfully sorting out plastics and cling film from kitchen garbage, and now we're supposed to put them together?? lol

Yes, this proves that it really differs from one city/ward to another :) nanachaaan, please be sure to check with your ward/city office.

I meant to say they made the change so that now plastics in general are supposed to be put into "burnable," while it used to be "non burnable."