【英文記事で英語学習】Food Packaging in Japan 食品パッケージと環境負荷

Following the start of a new law in Japan on April 1 that aims to increase the circularity of plastic throughout its lifecycle, we look at one of Japan’s big areas of plastic use – food packaging.

For many people, their image of Japanese food includes strict hygiene standards, freshness, and convenient access to ready-to-eat meals and bottled drinks. For others, copious amounts of packaging to ensure those high standards may be what comes to mind.

Food Packaging and Environmental Issues

On the upside, packaging does help maintain the quality of food and sustain its longevity. But there’s a significant downside, too: plastic production emits a large amount of carbon dioxide. For instance, the carbon footprint of just five plastic bags is 1 kg of CO2.

Data shows that the packaging industry accounts for 42% of global plastic waste. Since CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases that are raising global temperatures, plastic packaging plays a considerable role in causing climate change. That is why Japan is trying to reduce plastic production by increasing the circularity of it as a resource.

Since most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas and petroleum, paper would be the more sustainable choice. Recently, Nestle Japan changed its packaging from plastic-based to paper-based. This move by a market-leading company has spurred many other companies to follow suit. But how significant of a change is it?

Well, in terms of recycling, paper packaging might not be the most environmentally friendly material. A study says that recycling paper requires four times more energy and water than recycling plastic. As for weight, for two packages of the same size, with one made of plastic and the other of paper, typically the paper one will be heavier. Therefore, paper packaging might not be as space-efficient as plastic, meaning that more vehicles might be needed for transportation.

It is clear that the best way to cope with packaging waste is to reduce the production of it in the first place through reuse. More widespread use of biodegradable packaging could also help.

In April, the Ministry of the Environment implemented a new law, “The Plastic Resource Circulation Act.” The main principle of it is to use subsidies to encourage companies to reduce the production of single-use plastic and develop and adopt more circular product designs and systems. Examples include refill products that use less voluminous packaging and product-collection points run by the companies for recycling purposes.

Both consumers and food companies in Japan have traditionally placed a high priority on convenience and have therefore been reluctant to make changes that could reduce that convenience. While it might take a while for Japan to adopt the changes that the new law aims to spur, the public’s shift away from plastic bags following the mandatory surcharge on them that began in July 2020 suggests that it is just a matter of time before a new circular lifestyle for plastic becomes the new norm in Japan.

1. Plastic packaging is widely used for food, and 42% of food packaging in Japan are made of plastic. True or False?
2. Plastic packaging is superior to paper packaging in terms of weight and space-efficiency. True or False?
3. Companies can reduce the production of single-use plastic by providing refill products and collecting used products for recycling purposes. True or False?

※正解は記事最下部へ

1. False
   42％という数字は、世界で排出されるプラスチックごみのうち、食品パッケージ産業が占める割合を指し、日本の食品パッケージでプラスチックが使われている割合を表す数値ではありません。
2. True
   同じサイズのパッケージを比較すると、通常、プラスチック製より紙製のものの方が重く、輸送の際により多くの車両が必要になると言われています。
3. True
   記事内では、使い捨てプラスチックの量を減らすために企業ができる具体的な取り組みとして、詰め替え製品の開発や、使用済みプラスチックを回収する仕組みの整備が挙げられていました。また、循環性の高いデザイン・システムを商品の設計段階から構築することも重要です。