Glass packaging falls behind after paper packaging
However, paper dominates the packaging materials market. In 2021, paper and paperboard products were responsible for most of Japan's shipment volume of packaging materials. Paper packaging is becoming increasingly common as a replacement for plastic products, as the material is recyclable and, therefore, more sustainable. Even though glass is infinitely recyclable, reusable, and consequently a more sustainable alternative to plastic packaging, paper is often more attractive as it is lighter, less fragile, and easier to transport.Recycling of glass
According to the Container and Packaging Recycling Law, plastic, paper, PET bottles, aluminum, and glass should be collected separately to be recycled. The recycling rate of glass bottles stood at 70 percent in recent years and was much higher than the overall recycling rate of waste in Japan, which remained at around 20 percent throughout the past decade.Japanese glass manufacturers rank among global players
Regarding the trade of glass and glassware, Asian countries and the United States were Japan's main trading partners. The export value of glass from Japan exceeded the import value in recent years since the country has glass manufacturers that rank among global leaders in the industry: AGC represented the leading glass manufacturing company in Japan. The company also ranked among the leading global glass companies based on revenue, alongside other Japanese glass manufacturers such as Kyocera and Nippon Sheet Glass.
