Incineration rate of municipal waste Japan 2011-2020

In 2020, the incineration rate of municipal waste in Japan amounted to close to 75 percent. The incineration rate dropped to around 69 percent in 2015 but increased again in more recent years.

 Waste incineration in Japan

Incineration remains the most widely used waste treatment method in Japan, as it can easily reduce the volume of waste. Despite the filtering technologies, which avoid the release of huge amounts of fumes, the incineration process produces greenhouse gases that contribute to air pollution and climate change.
In Japan, the incineration process is often used to generate energy. In recent years, the number of waste incineration facilities that generate energy increased to over 380. Consequently, the power generated from waste incineration grew steadily.

 Waste management in Japan

Remaining at close to 20 percent throughout the past decade, Japan has one of the lowest recycling rates among industrialized countries. Waste that cannot be recycled or incinerated is disposed of as landfill. Even though the amount of final waste disposal declined in recent years, Japan is facing a shortage of landfill sites as the remaining capacity of sites for final waste disposal is shrinking.