PROFILE

• Containers and Packaging Recycling Act and JCPRA
• Objective
• Activities
• History
• Organization
• Access

Promoting recycling of waste containers and wrapping
Containers and Packaging Recycling Act and JCPRA

The Containers and Packaging Recycling Act ("the Act") was established in 1995 to meet the increasing need to reduce the volume of solid waste and make full use of recyclable resources by means of sorted collection and to recycle waste containers and wrapping. According to the concept of the Act, the Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Association will fulfil its responsibility to efficiently invest and manage recycling fees paid by the specified business entities in recycling operations.
At the same time, the JCPRA coordinates the government, municipalities, consumers, specified business entities, recyclers and manufacturers who use recycled goods in their products to implement an optimum recycling circle in which each of us is aware of the respective role.
Since the Act was enforced, we have seen steady promotion of recycling of waste containers and wrapping. Reassessment of the Act was started in 2004, and the revised Container and Packaging Recycling Act went into effect in June 2006. The points of the revised act are (1) to promote the establishment of a sustainable society according to the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) defined in the Basic Act for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society, (2) to improve cost efficiency throughout society, and (3) to encourage cooperation of all interested parties including the government, municipalities, business enterprises and citizens.
The JCPRA, a government-designated organization based on the Container and Packaging Recycling Act, will continue to promote recycling according to the Act in cooperation with the government, municipalities, consumers and business enterprises, and proactively support and coordinate partnerships between these parties.

Objective

Based on the Law on Promotion of Separate Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (The Containers and Packaging Recycling Act) and the Law on Promotion of Resource Circulation Related to Plastics (The Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation for Plastics), we recycle waste that meets the sorting standards on behalf of designated businesses, etc., and by ensuring the effective use of resources and promoting resource circulation related to plastics, we protect the Japanese environment and contribute to the sound development of the domestic economy.

Activities

Recycling Operations

• Conducting recycling operations on behalf of specified business entities
• Collecting waste containers and wrapping that conform to the sorting standards from municipalities
• Entrusting recycling to recyclers

Promotional and educational activities, and information gathering and dissemination

• Holding various explanatory meetings for interested parties
• Furnishing information on websites
• Publishing newsletters
• Producing pamphlets, videos, etc.
• Cooperating in forums and participating in exhibitions, etc.

Interchanges with domestic and international organizations

• Interchanges with domestic organizations
• Information exchanges with foreign organizations

History

1995	The Containers and Packaging Recycling Law (CPRL) was established and promulgated.
1996	Received approval to establish an incorporated foundation (zaidan hojin) from four competent ministries (Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Finance Ministry, and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Fisheries. Five ministries at present; Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries). The Japan Containers and Packiging Recycling Association(JCPRA) was founded.
1997	CPRL regulations came into force. Started recycling operations for glass and PET bottles with major business entities as the specified business entities. CPRL came into force
2000	CPRL regulations came into full force. Expanded recycling operations to include paper and plastic containers and packaging in addition to glass and PET bottles, with all business entities (excluding small business entities) as the specified business entities. CPRL came into full force
2006	The CPRL was revised. Started PET bottle recycling under bidding system (revenue is paid to municipalities). Recised CPRL was promulgated.
2010	JCPRA became a public interest incorporated foundation (koeki zaidan hojin).
2022	The Act on Promotion of Resource Recycling of Plastics came into effect on April 1, 2022.
2023	Certified local governments had begun recycling plastic that does not require sorting or bailing.

Organization

Access

Yusei-Fukushi Kotohira Bldg 1-14-1 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan postcode 105-0001［Google Map］

Notes on Terminology
In this website, the term "containers" is used to mean bottles, boxes or the like into which merchandise is placed, and "wrapping" to mean wrapping paper or the like in which merchandise is wrapped; and the term "containers and packaging" is used to mean both only in the names of the Act and the designated organization.