The 3Rs
Along with an expansion of economic activities, the amount of waste has been increasing around the globe. Demand for various types of resources is also rising rapidly and recyclable resources such as scrap metal and waste plastics are frequently traded across borders. On the basis of its “mottainai” spilit, Japan has been advocating and leading the "3R Initiative" among the G8, aiming to build a sound material-cycle society through promoting the 3Rs of reducing waste and reusing and recycling resources and products.
The ministers discussed measures to foster an international sound material-cycle society, including such topics as the contribution of the 3Rs to climate change mitigation measures, the development of an international resource circulation in a sustainable manner, and international collaboration to promote environmentally sound waste management and the 3Rs in developing countries.
As a result of the discussion, the G8 ministers agreed upon the “Kobe 3R Action Plan” to take various concrete actions including:
●Reduce the use of disposable plastic bags and other single use consumer products
●Set targets taking account of resource productivity
●Facilitate the import of hazardous wastes from developing countries
●Support the capacity development in developing countries
Japan, China and the Republic of Korea, having taken measures respectively to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags, will jointly call for other countries in Asia and around the world to follow suit.
Outline of the “Kobe 3R Action Plan”
The 3R Initiative which aims to advance the 3Rs activities has started with Japan’s proposal at the G8 Sea Island Summit in 2004.This Action Plan sets the following three goals which covers the actions to be taken by each G8 country to further realize the Initiative.
Goal 1: Prioritize 3Rs Policies and Improve Resource Productivity
●Share the spirit of mottainai and prioritize implementation of 3Rs policies. In particular, give high priority to waste reduction and take concrete actions such as reducing the use of disposable plastic bags and other single-use consumer products, calling for other countries to follow suit.
●Set targets taking account of resource productivity in furthering efforts to optimize resource cycles.
Goal 2: Establishment of an International Sound Material-Cycle Society
●Facilitate the import of materials including hazardous and other wastes from developing countries to G8 and other developed countries in order to mitigate the environmental burden in developing countries.
Goal 3: Collaborate for 3Rs Capacity Development in Developing Countries
●Promote collaboration between the G8 and developing countries through various actions such as reflecting the concept of the 3Rs in development projects, supporting the work programs in developing countries under the Basel Convention, and utilizing such mechanism as the CDM.
