Japan will have the world's first zero-waste city

People living in this place divide garbage into . 34 different types in a very specific way.

As we know the waste classification at source, such as paper and plastic, is very costly and time consuming. But in a small Japanese village, called Kamikatsu , the residents living there raised the classification of garbage to a new level. They divided garbage into . 34 different types in a very specific way, such as aluminum cans, iron cans, cartons, leaflets, etc.

People are sorting garbage.

In 2003, the mayor of the city issued a zero-waste campaign. In the past, they used a way to burn garbage but later realized that this work was badly damaging to the surrounding environment, namely greenhouse gas emissions along with poisons that could be absorbed. into the city's food source.

It took a long time for people to get used to sorting garbage.

It took a long time for the people of the city to get used to jobs like washing, sorting and bringing garbage to the waste sorting center. Although the people classified the garbage before they brought it to the center, the waste factory workers wanted to make sure that the garbage was classified according to the right category. This process has become a daily habit for people here.

This process has become a daily habit for people here.

The town also has a private store that people can come to exchange old things they don't use anymore. There is also a woman who makes waste products, such as a teddy bear from an old kimono.

"We are trying very hard to change our lifestyle . " Akira Sakano, Deputy Director of Zero Waste Academy - a non-profit organization doing the project, shared.

Currently 80% of the city's waste has been recycled.

Currently 80% of the city's waste has been recycled, reused or made fertilizer, the remaining 20% ​​is put into landfill. This process saves up to 1/3 of waste disposal costs. Kamikatsu City strives to become a completely waste-free city by 2020.

Worldwide, the volume of garbage is growing faster than the rate of urbanization, according to the World Bank's 2015 data. According to predictions by 2025, there will be a total of 1.4 billion people living in the city with 1.4kg of waste per person daily, twice the current figure. Japanese people emit nearly half of their waste per capita compared to the United States.

Kamikatsu City strives to become a completely waste-free city by 2020.

In addition to Kamikatsu, other cities in the world are following this trend. San Diego has announced it will reduce 75% of waste by 2030 and become a garbage-free city by 2040. New York also has a similar but more ambitious plan when it wants to become a garbage-free city. in 15 years.