Market Study Report on the Recycling of Used Plastic Bottles

October 16, 2023
Japan Fair Trade Commission

1.    Purpose
        Plastic bottles are used as containers of beverages, etc. and familiar materials to consumers. In addition, used plastic bottles are separately collected by almost all of the municipalities and then recycled, so the recycling activities are closely involved in our daily lives.
         Recently, promoting recycling, using resources effectively, and reducing environmental impact have become global issues. Under these circumstances, the initiatives known as ‘Bottle-to-Bottle’ are spreading with the objective of further reducing environmental impact or raising awareness among residents.
         Although used plastic bottles used to be disposed with charge, these are now becoming chargeable as valuable materials. Based on the change in the situation and the progress of the new initiatives mentioned above, it is considered that the distribution channels have been varied and diversified.
         Accordingly, in order to understand trade practices regarding the recycling of used plastic bottles and to present the Antimonopoly Act and competition policy perspective, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) conducted a market study on the Recycling of Used Plastic Bottles toward realization of a green society.

2.    Method of Study
         The survey was conducted from February to September 2023 by the following methods.

(a) Questionnaire survey, sent to

・　1,741 entities of Municipalities（Number of respondents:1,391, Response rate:79.9％）

・　1,139 entities of Beverage manufactures（Number of respondents:749, Response rate:65.8％）

・　47 entities of Recyclers（Number of respondents:42, Response rate:89.4％）

(b) Voluntary interview
         The JFTC interviewed the following 106 persons and entities.