LEARN 02
Where do our old CDsand merch end up?
Merch piles up with every show.
Let's follow where it goes after we let it go.
Q
What happens to trash after we throw it away?
Most of what we throw away gets burned.
The ash that's left behind is buried at a final disposal site.
Some of it gets recycled, but less than you might think.
Final disposal site
Where ash and non-burnable waste are buried at the end of the line.
New ones are hard to build, and Japan is running short on space.
① Merch you no longer use is thrown away
② A garbage truck collects it and takes it to a treatment plant
③ It's burned and turned into ash
④ The ash is processed
⑤ Finally it's buried in the ground (final disposal site)
What we throw away is burned into ash, then buried.
Using less and reusing more is what protects the planet.
Japan's trash in numbers
・Total waste per year 38.11 million tons (FY2024)
・Waste per person per day 839 grams (FY2024)
・Recycling rate 19.3% (FY2024)
Is 839 grams a lot?
About 17 plastic bottles' worth—every single day, per person.
And only about 20% gets recycled. Most of the rest is burned.
About 17 plastic bottles' worth—every single day, per person.
And only about 20% gets recycled. Most of the rest is burned.
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Ministry of the Environment : https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_03502.html
Q
What's the problem?
One reason is space. At the current pace,
Japan's disposal sites will be full in about 25 years.
The other is CO₂. Burning trash releases it,
so cutting waste also helps slow global warming.
Source: Ministry of the Environment (24.9 years of remaining capacity as of end of FY2024)
※ This assumes the current pace continues. Cutting waste extends it.
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Ministry of the Environment : https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_03502.html
Q
What happens if this continues?
Things that are thought to happen
- Nowhere left to bury / New disposal sites aren't easy to build
- Rising costs / Japan spends over 2 trillion yen a year on waste
- Wasted resources / EThings that could still be used get burned
• More CO₂ / Every burn adds to greenhouse gases
Source: Ministry of the Environment (waste treatment costs: 2,448.9 billion yen)
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Ministry of the Environment : https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_03502.html
Q
How does this connect to fandom?
Even our memories become waste someday
Fandom means stuff piles up.
Any of this sitting around at home?
・CD and DVD cases (plastic)
・Tour tees and towels you don't wear anymore
・Light sticks, acrylic stands, and badges
This isn't about never throwing anything away.
Just thinking before you buy, and choosing how to let go, changes how much becomes trash.
Q
So, what can we do?
Here are the actions connected to this article. Try just one after reading.
Explore other topics
04 | Connecting with the World
Otaku culture transcends borders!
Let's respect our country and culture!
See details →
01｜Global warming
As the Earth warms up
What will happen?
