Unravelling a Litter-Free Mystery

What I learnt from my 2 weeks in Japan

Aside from the incredible food, what struck me most about Japan was the pristine streets. Even major cities like Tokyo and Osaka are completely devoid of any rubbish. I did some investigation as to what sets Japan apart from other countries in terms of maintaining a litter-free environment.

No Rubbish Bins

One might assume that the absence of litter bins would lead to more littering, but in Japan, the opposite seems to be true. The scarcity of bins encourages people to take responsibility for their own waste. Instead of relying on public bins, individuals often carry their trash with them until they find a suitable place to dispose of it, typically at home or at designated disposal points.

Don’t Walk and Eat

Another cultural quirk has an impact too: the Japanese don’t walk and eat. The reason Japanese people often give for not eating while walking is that there is a time and place for everything. There is a deep appreciation and respect for the seasonality and the geographical origins of flavors and ingredients. Can these flavors and ingredients truly be enjoyed while a person is in motion, focused on getting to their destination? Many Japanese people would say no, you should be seated or at least standing still while eating.

Cultural Shame

In Japan, the concept of "mottainai," which roughly translates to "what a waste," underscores the aversion to wastefulness. Wasting resources, including littering, is viewed as shameful behavior. This cultural attitude serves as a powerful deterrent against littering, as individuals strive to avoid bringing shame upon themselves and their community.

Recycling

But don’t be fooled into thinking this means Japan has an aversion to dustbins - far from it. At home, they form an important part of the domestic routine. The Japanese are the kings and queens of recycling, with much of their trash divided and subdivided into different types. "Gomi guides" for each town outline what can be recycled where and when. Japan recycles about 77% of its plastics, according to its Plastic Waste Management Institute.

Compare this to Australia. According to the WWF, Australia is one of the biggest consumers of single-use plastic per person in the world. Over the past decade, our plastic consumption has only continued to grow - from 123kg of plastic consumed per person in 2010 to 147kg in 2021. And only 14% of that is recycled.

We can do better :)

My two weeks in Japan offered me a profound insight into the cultural underpinnings of the country's pristine streets. From the scarcity of public rubbish bins to the cultural norms surrounding waste disposal and recycling, we can learn allot from Japan's approach.

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