Case Study on the Efficiency of Recycling Companies’ Waste Paper Collection Stations in Japan

Xiaoyue Liu, Jeongsoo Yu, Kazuaki Okubo, Masahiro Sato and Toshiaki Aoki
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Xiaoyue Liu: Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808576, Japan
Jeongsoo Yu: Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808576, Japan
Kazuaki Okubo: Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808576, Japan
Masahiro Sato: Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808576, Japan
Toshiaki Aoki: Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808576, Japan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Each year, a large amount of waste paper (WP) is generated in Japan, and due to the change in lifestyle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the WP collection and recycling system in Japan faces new challenges. Although the government of Japan has installed WP collection systems, the efficiency of these traditional WP collection systems is too low, and this causes inconvenience to the governments, residents, and other stakeholders. On the other hand, some recycling companies in Japan are trying to establish a nontraditional WP collection system by setting their own WP collection stations in cooperative supermarkets. Yet, the efficiency of this new system has not been clarified. This research aims to investigate the current status, operational characteristics, and the role of recycling companies’ WP collection stations in the Japanese WP collection system. By performing trade area analysis and stepwise OLS regression, this research will evaluate WP collection stations’ efficiency. Moreover, this research will also discuss how the new WP collection system improves WP collection efficiency and residents’ convenience. The results show that WP collection stations efficiency is particularly high in large supermarkets with many parking spaces and long business hours, as well as in areas with many families with children. Recycling companies’ WP collection system could create a system, which can satisfy resident, government, and recycling company interests at the same time.

Keywords: waste paper; collection station; efficiency; recycling company; Japan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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