Japan : Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources

 

Japan has issued updates to the Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources.

The amendment of the “Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources” requires manufacturers and importers to use recycled materials through formulating plans and reporting regularly to the government in order to promote effective utilization of resources and decarbonization. Furthermore, under the act, Specified Resources-Recycling Business Operators are required to collect and recycle “Specified Resources-Recycled Products”.

Following this, the amendment of the Enforcement Order will be made to specify products(“Specified Decarbonization Recycled Resources Utilization Promoted Products”) that are required to utilize recycled plastics as decarbonization recycled resources and add some products to “Specified Resources-Recycled Products”.

The following products are affected so far:

1. Plastic containers and packaging (excluding those specified by Ministerial Ordinances)
2. Automobiles (limited to those stipulated in Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the Automobile Recycling Law)
3. Unit type air conditioners
4. Television receivers
5. Electric refrigerators
6. Electric washing machines

The following products for voluntary collection of waste and recycling:

1. Power Supply Units (limited to those using lithium batteries as components)
2. Mobile phone devices
3. Heated tobacco devices

The proposed date of adoption is the 1 October 2025, and the proposed date of entry into force: 1 April 2026.

To find out more about environmental compliance of products in Japan, do not hesitate to contact the Product Compliance Institute.