A comparison of Waste Management throughout Asian countries

摘要

Thirty years ago, when I first became involved with solid waste management, waste management strategies applied in Japan (an Eastern country) and other developed countries (the West) differed considerably. Semi-aerobic landfill concepts, widely accepted as a standard structure in Japan, had not gained approval in the West; the source separation practised in Japan was not common in the West; high MSW incineration rates of up to 70 percent in Japan were viewed as exceptional throughout the rest of the world. However, this gap has been reduced in recent years. Forced aeration into old landfills is now an accepted technology used in promoting stabilization, and aerobic landfilling is a widely applied option in the Bioreactor concept of landfilling technology. Source separation of biowaste and combustible waste is considered necessary in the recovery of material and/or energy, and incineration is now carried out on a much higher proportion of waste in the West. What is the explanation for this?