GENERAL OVERVIEW OF BATTERY WASTE MANAGEMENT IN JAPAN

Used dry battery recycling in Japan began under the bilateral proposit ion issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Although there is no problem even if used dry batteries are treated after being mixed with general house hold garbage, the Government takes care of establishing a system to transport and treat them. The project which was organized by the Ministry in 1986 seems to function fairly well for the time be ing, in spite of the criticism by the press at that time that the Mini stry act was rather opportunistic. This paper outlines the brief histo ry and the present status of the used dry battery collecting and treat ing system in Japan.