Japan Easing Rules in Importing E-Scrap

The Japanese Environment Ministry has decided to take steps to enable Japan to import used electronic devices from developing countries for recycling, not only to help prevent environmental pollution in Asia but also to secure scarce metals for Japan.

The Japanese government will propose the plan at a senior working-level meeting with other countries next month to promote cross-border recycling of wastes such as electronic appliances including mobile phones and liquid crystal display televisions, the officials said.

In many developing countries with poor recycling technologies and facilities, contaminated water, resulting from extracting metals such as gold and platinum when recycling electronic devices, is often released without being purified, thus causing pollution, the officials said.

Liquid crystal display panels, such as those used in computers, contain indium, a highly poisonous metallic chemical element, and Japan is the only country in Asia with the proper technology to recycle it. Moreover, indium is a scarce metal, with the extractable amount expected to run out in about 7. 5 years.

Thus, the ministry expects that demand for indium from recycling will continue to rise, the officials said.

The ministry therefore plans to ease its tough restrictions on the imports of waste materials to open doors for Japan to bring in electronic waste for recycling.