Japanese city to name and shame improper waste disposal

The new ordinance, passed last week during a municipal assembly meeting, will make Fukushima the first local government in Japan to adopt such a policy, according to The Mainichi.

Beginning in March, rubbish collectors will inspect improperly handled garbage bags—such as those containing unsegregated waste or exceeding size limits—and affix red “warning stickers” to them. Violators will be required to retrieve the bags and sort the waste properly within one week. If they fail to do so, municipal workers will confiscate the stickered bags, search their contents for identifying documents like mail, and pinpoint the responsible parties.

Offenders will initially receive a verbal warning, but repeated violations will escalate to a written warning. If the issue persists, the city will publicly list their names on its website as repeat offenders, according to the South China Morning Post.

Fukushima’s move underscores Japan’s commitment to strict waste disposal practices. In the city, residents must deposit garbage at designated collection points by 8:30 a.m. and are prohibited from leaving bags outside overnight. Waste must also be meticulously sorted into three categories—burnable, non-burnable, and recyclable—while oversized items like furniture and appliances are handled separately. Collection schedules for each type of waste are strictly enforced.

While the cities of Kyoto and Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture already require the disclosure of business names violating waste disposal rules, they do not publicly identify individuals.

Fukushima’s stricter regulations come in response to rising incidents of improper waste disposal, with over 9,000 cases recorded in 2023. Currently, sanitation workers notify residents of violations by labeling incorrect garbage bags, requiring owners to retrieve and properly sort them.