Japan
Legal system
Free market for ELT, ELT management regulated through the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act.
Major changes in legislation/policy since 2016
No changes since 2016.
Main ELT management organization
The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) monitors and publishes the status concerning ELT treatment, and promotes ELT management. It also carries out research on “production, distribution, consumption and trade” of tires and makes policy proposals concerning “safety and environmental preservation”.
Main ELT recovery methods, products and applications (expressed as a % of total ELT generated)
ELT are mainly recovered as energy in Japan (73%), followed by material recovery at Close to 19%. There is only very little civil engineering and backfilling for ELT (0.1% in 2017).
Impacts on health and on the environment
No information available
Technological innovations
The geographical situation of Japan and its exposure to significant natural events have oriented technological innovations to use ELT as solutions to face these exceptional events (e.g. seawall protections against tsunamis, ground reinforcement in the event of earthquakes).
Opportunities and drivers
- Favourable legislative context: energy produced from waste or renewable sources is exempted from the reporting and reduction objectives imposed on other energy sources.
- Large demand of ELT for some production uses as tire-derived fuel.
Barriers and challenges
- Imports of ELT due to the high demand of some recovery routes.
- Small share of material recovery for the valorization of ELT.
Total Generated
849.0
100.0%
Material Recovery
160.5
19.0%
Energy Recovery
619.5
73.0%
Civil Engineering And Backfilling
1.0
-
Other (not recovered, landfill, stockpiled or unknown)
68.0
8.0%
Total Recovered (excluding Civil Engineering and backfilling)
780.0
92.0%
Total Recovered (including Civil Engineering and backfilling)
781.0
92.0%
