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The Adachi Ward Eco-Point program specifically targets plastic bottles because of the increasing use of this type of material. According to the Tokyo-based Council for PET bottle Recycling, the amount of PET bottles produced in Japan was about 220,000 tons in fiscal year 1997. This amount had increased to 530,000 tons by 2005, yet the rate at which these bottles have been recycled over the past two years has declined, falling to about 45 percent nationally in 2005. Adachi expects with the Eco-Point program to be able to increase their PET collection rate by 10 to 15 percent. more recycling, less costs According to Trond vårlid, President of <strong>Tomra</strong> Japan, “the attractiveness of the Eco-Point program for Adachi Ward lies in being able to more effectively reach their PET recycling targets at a lower cost. by utilizing TOMRA RvMs, efficiencies can be gained both in terms of the way the materials are collected and transported. first, the fact that consumers take their containers to the RvM reduces the need for costly curbside pick-up. Second, the RvM compacts all the containers after they are accepted into the machine, reducing pick-up frequency and making transport of the materials more efficient. Additionally, by ensuring that only the correct type of material is collected, the RvM provides 100% pure material—maximizing its value as a resource for recycling.” more appealing “Another benefit,” continues vårlid, “is that through previous trials and surveys, it has been shown that this type of program will be highly appreciated by the ward’s residents for making recycling more appealing and convenient. As opposed to the curbside collection system which picks up materials once a week, residents can with this system recycle whenever it suits them—and receive a financial reward in addition.” Popular with the media This is a story that has received great attention by the Japanese media. The national public broadcasting station, NhK, was on hand on opening day (left) to film a 3-minute segment that aired that evening. Japan’s largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, ran a front page article about the upcoming launch of the program on November 20 (below). collection tecHnology The innovative nature of this program, which for the first time in Japan offers consumers the chance to collect shopping credits by recycling, has attracted a great deal of attention by the Japanese media. five days before its launch a story about the new program appeared as the lead story on the front page of Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest newspaper with a circulation of over 14 million readers. The story was also featured in a number of other newspapers, both print and online, as well as four of Japan’s top Tv networks (NhK, TbS, fuji Tv and Tv Tokyo). The Eco-Point program has been made possible by the forward-thinking of Adachi Ward and the collaborative efforts of TOMRA, Sumitomo Corporation, and NTT Communications. Over the next year Adachi Ward plans to expand the number of designated supermarkets included in the program to 30. 13