A Comparative Analysis of Waste Management in Japan and the US - Coursework Example

Environmental Management: A Comparative Analysis of Waste Management in Japan and the US One of the critical environmental health issues that remain to be a focal concern of countries all over the world is waste management. The objective of the essay, therefore, is to compare and contrast waste management systems between Japan and the United States. The discourse would proffer strengths and weaknesses of both systems and suggest measures for improvement, as needed. Environmental Management: A Comparative Analysis of Waste Management in Japan and the United States With all the hullabaloos created by scientists and environmentalists on environmental health management, one begins to ponder on the urgency of evaluating the issue. The product of technological development and growth in global communities is the increasing volume of garbage, waste and refuse which needs to be disposed in the most effective and sanitary method. Diverse countries implement virtually distinct waste management systems which cater to the society’s needs and conform to their resources and technological capacities. In this regard, the essay aims to present a comparative analysis of the waste management systems between Japan and the United States. The discourse would initially discuss waste management in general before proffering strengths and weaknesses of waste management systems in Japan and in the US. Finally, problems on waste management systems in both countries would be revealed as suggestions for improvement would be discussed, as needed. Waste Management: A General Overview Waste management systems fall under the umbrella of the environmental management system (EMS). The Office of Research Facilities (ORF) defined EMS as “the process used by an organization to manage, review, correct, and improve the organization’s approach to business. Employees are asked to consider how they affect the environment every day.  An EMS offers a structured way to incorporate environmental considerations into day-to-day operations; it promotes continual improvement of the environment and human health” (ORF, 2007, par. 1). On a national scale, waste management system entails a collaborative effort of various states or cities and local municipalities in the planning, organizing, directing and controlling of strategies pertinent to sanitary and effective disposal of general waste. The Biology Online define waste management as the “disposal, processing, controlling, recycling, and reusing the solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes of plants, animals, humans, and other organisms. It includes control within a closed ecological system to maintain a habitable environment” (Biology, 2010, par. 1). On the other hand, another definition provided by the Computer Language Company, Inc. (CLCI) clearly state that waste management is “a sustainable process for reducing the environmental impact of the disposal of all types of materials used by businesses. Waste management aims to avoid excessive use of resources and damage to the environment and may be achieved through processes such as recycling. It focuses on efficiency in the use of materials and on disposing of rubbish in the least harmful way. Waste management also involves compliance with the legislation and regulations covering this area” (CLCI, 2010, par. 1). The general framework of an integrated based waste management plan of any country, as presented by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) should at least conform to the illustration on the next page. The illustration was indicated as the Management based – Integrated Solid Waste Management plan which “includes regulations and laws, institutions, financial mechanisms, technology and infrastructure, and role of various stakeholders in the solid waste management chain” (UNEP, 2009, 9). In general, the waste management plan of a nation should encompass collaborative efforts of diverse municipalities and states with the effective use of resources to minimize cost and maximize the benefits that would ensure sanitary disposal conforming to safety regulations of people’s health and environmental protection in mind. Management based – Integrated Solid Waste Management Source: UNEP, 2009, 9 Waste Management System in Japan The waste management system employed in Japan is an “integrated municipal solid waste management (MSW) management, defined in the U.S. EPA’s Decision-Makers’ Guide to Solid Waste Management as: A practice of using several alternative waste management techniques to manage and dispose of specific components of the municipal solid waste stream. Waste management alternatives include source reduction, recycling, composting, energy recovery, and landfilling” (NREL, 1993, 1). In addition, the discourse emphasized Japan’s focus on incineration as the primarily treatment method prior to final disposal. Accordingly, in sharp contrast to the waste management in the US, Japan’s system “relies heavily on waste combustion with or without energy recovery” (NREL, 1993, 1). The governing body in charge of overseeing IWMS in Japan is the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) which applies the Waste Disposal Law and adheres to them in terms of collecting, recycling, processing and disposing of solid wastes (NREL, 1993, 4). However, each municipality is tasked with waste management where municipal waste is “collected, incinerated, and finally disposed of directly by local governments. But some portion of municipal waste management – collection in particular – is relegated to private companies” (Nakamura, 2007, 8). This is seen as a weakness in the system due to the inefficiencies of the private companies. The situation could also partly explain the high costs of maintaining the waste management system in Japan. In a study conducted by Nakamura (2007), the author indicated that “in Japan, most waste is treated in incineration, dehydration, or milling plants. The amount of waste buried in landfills is limited and has been decreasing” (5) due to the limited land available for landfills. The cost for waste management in Japan can be considered a weakness in terms of average per ton is “about ¥45,000 ($380)” (Nakamura, 2007, 8) over a five year period, which is considered expensive as it incorporates the high cost of dumping, incineration and transportation expenses. Aside from the high cost of managing waste, other problems pertaining to Japan’s solid waste management are as follows: sustainability due to the limited space allotted for landfills, illegal dumping which causes environmental problems and pollutions, inaccurate data from waste management companies due to insufficient information provided for recording and monitoring of activities, inefficient waste management companies (due to licensing requirements, risk and work related factors) (Nakamura, 2007). Waste Management in the US The integrated waste management system in the United States “includes preventing waste, minimizing the initial generation of materials through source reduction, reusing and recycling, and composting to reduce the volume of materials being sent to landfills or incineration” (USAEC, 2010, par. 1) on a municipal basis. More frequently used term is the municipal solid waste (MSW) whose management encompasses the following steps in succession: “the most environmentally sound management of MSW is achieved when these approaches are implemented according to EPAs preferred order: source reduction first, recycling and composting second, and disposal in landfills or waste combustors last” (USEPA, 2010, par. 1). For the combustion and disposal of MSW, the following requirements are stipulated: landfills, waste combustors and transfer stations. To attain the goal of reducing the amount of MSW in the country, the following processes are necessary: source reduction, recycling, and composting (USEPA, 2010). The strength of this system lies in the substantial reduction of the amount of disposable waste requiring lesser landfill to contain them. The rules and regulations governing MSW lie under the jurisdiction of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act enacted through various state agencies where “state authorization is (defined as) a rulemaking process through which EPA delegates the primary responsibility of implementing the RCRA hazardous waste program to individual states in lieu of EPA. This process ensures national consistency and minimum standards while providing flexibility to states in implementing rules” (USEPA: RCRA State Authorization, 2010, par. 1) The cost of waste management in the US is a strength as it is considerably low due to the availability of spaces for landfills, lower transportation costs, and greater efficiency in the waste management process. Indicatively, the problems faced on waste management in the US centers on the following: (1) more flexible regulations than in Japan creating risks in the environment and in disposals (of discarded computers for example) to other developing countries; (2) landfills were reported to have declining capacities. In an article by Kallman (2008), he averred that “at least five states have reported less than 10 years of remaining capacity. This has led to increased shipment of solid waste between states and regions. In 2003, states shipped 39 million tons of waste (around 16% of all waste generated), with New York as the largest exporter and Pennsylvania the largest importer. Increased shipment means not only increased CO2 emissions but also increased risk of spills and other potentially hazardous accidents.” (par. 9); and (3) increased green house emissions contributing to global warming. Comparative Discourse The similarities in waste management systems in the United States and in Japan focus on their emphasis on source reduction, recycling, composting, energy recovery, and landfilling. The difference lies in the space allotted for landfilling as Japan has considerably limited space available for this purpose. Jurisdiction for management of waste in both countries lies in municipal or state agencies. According to Nakamura (2007), “both in the United States and in Japan, the public sector still play an important role in municipal waste management. But the level of privatization in municipal waste management is more marked in the United States than in Japan. In addition, as for solid waste management as a whole, large publicly traded companies play a major role in the United States” (27). The cost components for management of waste differ considerably as costs are higher in Japan than in the US. The cost component therefore is considered a problem in Japan’s waste management system. In the US, however, problems on waste management are predominantly the risks associated with disposal in other areas which could have drastic environmental repercussions in terms of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global warming. The root cause is traced in landfills which are nearing their full load capacities. As aptly suggested by Kallman (2008), “expanded recycling, coupled with innovative trash-collection schemes and modern, clean incinerators can reduce the volume of waste produced while simultaneously reducing GHG emissions and providing heat for homes and businesses” (par. 11). Conclusion Waste management has been a challenging global issue due to the risks posed in the environment and to the health conditions of people. Every government has the responsibility to ensure that waste management is being undertaken at the most effective way to minimize cost and maximize the benefits involved. As shown in the examples of the waste management systems of the United States and Japan, despite increased efficiency accorded by the approach, by technology and resources, despite differences and similarities, problems of sustainability and availability of spaces for landfills eventually emerge. Waste management would need more innovative approaches to resolve disposal issues in the future. The responsibility lies in every citizen’s hands. References Biology Online. (2010). Waste management. Retrieved 15 October 2010. Computer Language Company, Inc. (CLCI). Definition: waste management. Retrieved 15 October 2010. < http://www.bnet.com/topics/waste+management> Kallman, M. (2008). Talking Trash: The World’s Waste Management Problem. Retrieved 15 October 2008. < http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/314> Nakamura, Y. (2007). Waste Management and Recycling Business in the United States and Japan. Retrieved 15 October 2010. < http://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/us- japan/research/pdf/07-09.Nakamura.pdf> National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (1993). Integrated Solid Waste Management in Japan. Retrieved 14 October 2010. < http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/old/5692.pdf> The Office of Research Facilities (ORF). (2007). Environmental Management System. Retrieved 15 October 2010. < http://orf.od.nih.gov/Environmental+Protection/Environmental/> United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Developing Integrated Waste Management Plan Training Manual. Retrieved 15 October 2010. < http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Publications/spc/ISWMPlan_Vol2.pdf> United States Army Environmental Command (USAEC). (2010). Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM). Retrieved 14 October 2010. < http://aec.army.mil/usaec/compliance/solid00.html> United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). RCRA State Authorization. Retrieved 14 October 2010. < http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/laws-regs/state/index.htm> United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Waste – Non-Hazardous Waste – Municipal Solid Waste. Retrieved 14 October 2010. < http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm> Read More