Tokyo wards weigh household garbage fees as incinerator limits loom amid population growth

In Tokyo, the city's 23 wards are contemplating the implementation of household garbage fees as a means to reduce waste and manage incineration capacity amid growing populations. This idea emerged after an advisory body to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike suggested fees as a potential solution, and Koike has expressed her intention to encourage their introduction, with the individual wards ultimately deciding their adoption.

The wards' garbage volumes have been decreasing nationwide, with a similar downward trend per person. However, the population in the 23 wards is expected to continue growing, leading to an anticipated increase in total garbage volume. The special ward mayors' association forecasts that garbage generation will surpass incineration capacity starting in fiscal 2040, with the current infrastructure reaching full capacity by fiscal 2035.

Many of the 22 incineration plants in 17 wards were constructed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the Clean Authority of Tokyo, a waste-processing association formed by the 23 wards, manages the incineration process. Garbage collection is handled by each ward, while intermediate processing is managed by the Clean Authority, and final disposal is entrusted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The metropolitan government's three-tier structure, with distinct entities responsible for waste handling at each stage, is rare nationwide, as it was established when Tokyo Prefecture and the city of Tokyo were dissolved and the metropolitan system was introduced in 1943. The mayors' association has tasked a review committee with examining waste reduction measures, suggesting the implementation of fees for household garbage among other proposals.

While some wards have shown support for the fees, citing their potential to reduce waste and ensure fair cost distribution, others have expressed concerns regarding costs and staffing requirements.