Have you ever wondered why Japanese housewives are famous for their cleanliness and attention to waste separation? Waste separation in Japan is not just about throwing away trash, but is more like an art that requires a great deal of knowledge and precision. Correctly separating each type of trash not only helps to protect the environment, but also shows responsibility towards the community.

This article will take you on a journey into the ยูฟ่าเบท world of Japanese waste management through the eyes of an expert housewife. We’ll unravel why waste separation is important and teach you simple waste separation techniques that you can apply in your daily life.

Burnable waste

Although recycling can vary from city to city and prefecture to prefecture, burnable waste remains fairly consistent throughout Japan. In Japanese, it may be called “moeru gomi”, “moyasu gomi”, or “kanen gomi”, depending on the location, but all of these are understood throughout Japan.

Below are examples of items that can be placed in combustible waste. 

• Food scraps (should be dry)
• Grass, leaves, twigs and other garden waste
• Used tissue paper
• Diapers/Used Diapers
• Old shoes
• Rubber gloves
• CDs and DVDs (Assuming someone still has them…)
• Video tapes (if you still use VHS, you probably aren’t even reading this!)
• Plastic clothes hangers (same type as those bought at 100 yen shops)
• ballpoint pen
• calculator
• toy

How do I dispose of burnable waste?

This will depend on your location, but many areas will have specific garbage bags that you should use to avoid leaving anything behind when the garbage collector comes. If you live in Tokyo, Yokohama, or Osaka, you can use clear or translucent bags, which are available at most stores. It is important that the contents are visible to the garbage collector, or they may end up leaving behind an embarrassing handwritten note for all your neighbors to see. These bags can be found in various sizes, measured in liters. It may be a good idea to start with the larger size until you find the best size that works for you. These bags are not free, and you can purchase them at your local convenience store, drug store, or supermarket.

Other rules to consider

• Make sure you can lift the weight of the waste with one hand and tie the bag.
• Remove waste regularly so it doesn’t build up in large amounts each time you throw it out.
• Remove water from kitchen waste before bagging it.
• When discarding cooking oil, soak it with paper towels or use a hardener, available at most supermarkets.
• Remove any waste from the diaper/nappies and flush them down the toilet before disposing of them.
• Soak matches, fireworks, etc. before discarding.

What should not be put in combustible waste?

While I will explain Japan’s recycling system in more detail in a future post, for a quick guide on what not to put in your burnable trash, please see the list below:

• Plastic bottles and bottle caps, plastic containers (from ready-to-eat food, fast food, etc.)
• Clean paper (You may have noticed some neighbors putting excellent recycled paper in with their burnable waste and in most cases it will probably get picked up, however we do not recommend this. Recycle what you can – this is what the world needs!)
• can
• Electrical appliances powered by electricity
• Highly flammable items such as lighters, oil, gas cans, etc.
• Acids and other chemicals, large items that don’t fit in a bag, and using multiple pieces of duct tape together to remove an old, worn sofa won’t work.