News On Japan

Investigating the role of greener plastics for Japan's carbon neutral goals

Sep 27 (phys.org) - Japan has a plastic problem. Thanks in part to an overabundance of packaging, the country is the second largest producer of plastic waste per capita.

While plastic pollution is a well-known cause for concern, an often-overlooked issue is how plastics contribute to global warming. Plastics are a surprisingly large cause of carbon emissions, with roughly 4.5% of global emissions caused by the plastics sector.

Now, joint research between Kyushu University and Yokohama-based start-up company, Sotas Co., Ltd, has investigated the potential for Japan's market to incorporate a greener plastic supply chain.

"The Japanese government has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the predominant method that Japan uses to get rid of plastic waste is 'thermal recycling' or incineration, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere," says senior author Professor Andrew Chapman, from Kyushu University's International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy and Research. "We have examined whether switching to more sustainable recycled plastics and bioplastics is a competitive and effective alternative to current carbon reduction policies."

The researchers began with an economic and environmental assessment of six commonly used plastic types, based on whether they were made using virgin, recycled or bioplastic. They scored the plastics using four different criteria: global warming potential, cost, recyclability and perceived quality for manufacturers. Depending on the weighting given to each factor, the researchers calculated how desirable each plastic was under a number of scenarios. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

More than 2,000 amazing records from around the world have been registered in the latest Guinness World Records 2025, among from a young skateboarding prodigy from Japan.

A man in his 30s died after being trapped under a fallen ginkgo tree in Hino City, Tokyo.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has introduced a new boarding method on September 11, aimed at shortening the boarding time for large aircraft on domestic flights.

Nara's Asuka and Fujiwara Palaces have been officially recommended as a candidate for UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list, with the goal of achieving registration at the World Heritage Committee meeting scheduled for the year after next.

University of Tokyo President Teruo Fujii revealed that the university is finalizing plans to raise undergraduate tuition fees by 20%, starting with students entering next academic year.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

In 1990, journalist Akiyama Toyohiro became the first Japanese astronaut and journalist in space. Too bad he had such a rough time of it. (Unseen Japan)

The removal of fuel debris, a crucial and highly challenging part of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant decommissioning process, has resumed. This process, regarded as the most difficult aspect of the decommissioning effort, focuses on extracting melted and solidified nuclear fuel, known as fuel debris, from the plant's reactors.

Toing, a startup spun off from Nagoya University, is developing artificial soil by carbonizing rice husks and infusing them with proprietary microorganisms, using high-functioning biochar called "Soratane" to promote decarbonization and plant growth.

Space startup 'ispace,' aiming to achieve the first moon landing by a private Japanese company, has announced the completion of transporting its lunar rover from Luxembourg to Japan.

Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on the 3rd that the mongoose, an invasive species known for preying on rare native species and disrupting the ecosystem on Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, has been officially eradicated.

Kyoto University Hospital has announced plans to start a clinical trial using iPS cells for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes as early as February next year.

Japan has experienced its hottest summer on record for the second consecutive year, with temperatures matching those of 2023.

Facebook Reels are the hottest feature right now, gaining outstanding popularity since its launch.