FAQ regarding disposing of garbage

Question1 Is it allowed to burn the combustible garbage in my garden?

Answer. Outdoor incineration of waste (burning household or garden waste at home) may constitute an offense punishable by law. Burning waste in a residential area negatively affects the living environment and can be a nuisance to neighbors. Please take the garbage to the designated garbage collection site on the proper collection date by using the designated bag.

Question2 Fluid leaks when I put kitchen waste directly into the city-designated bag. Can I wrap them up with plastic bags or newspapers?

Answer. Kitchen waste shall be drained thoroughly before disposal. It is no problem wrapping up with plastic bags or newspapers, if it is hard to drain well.

Question3 Assuming that each bag of “incombustibles” and “bottles” garbage may become heavy, is there the any weight limit?

Answer. For a standard, approximately 10 kilograms per a bag; weight which could be lifted with one hand (this is applied to every garbage category.)

Question4 Can we recycle broken bottles as “bottles” category since “bottles” are crushed in the garbage collection vehicle as a consequence.

Answer. Given the number of collecting sites and collecting trucks, there exist several circumstances that the bottles must be crushed in the vehicle (garbage compacter truck) to collect in a day. Although the bottles are crushed in so doing, they are recycled into cullet sorted according by colors (clear/brown/other colors) at the municipal garbage disposal plant. Note that mixing of the foreign substance in the “bottle” category brings problems to recycle. To avoid contamination, please put out window glasses, ceramics or other broken glasses/bottles as “incombustible” garbage.

(Caution)Tempered glass bottles (e.g., toiletries) and heat-resisting glass bottles (e.g. feeding bottles) are now categorized as “bottles.”

Question5 Why Sakura does not use receptacles(containers) for collecting recyclables? I am wondering that the use of bags might bring the increase in waste.

Answer. There are approximately more than 3,300 garbage collection sites in Sakura and certain sites that cannot install the receptacles for several reasons. Moreover, if the collecting amount is large, there might be following cases: the container cannot hold all the wastes, some wastes can be break that cause danger, some wastes are easily scattered by the wind. Also, the other problem arises from the needs of the person who handle the receptacles on the collection day and store any other days. For these reasons, Sakura City uses designated bags when at collecting recyclables.

Question6 I am not sure of a proper way of sorting “Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings.”

Answer. Within the plastics materials which are incinerated as “combustibles”, “Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings” is the category that is recyclable. The “Other” means “OTHER than PET bottles.” In short, “Other Plastic Containers/Wrapping” is the category for plastic containers and wrappings which are used to pack the products. Basically, this category corresponds to the items indicated with identification mark which are distinguished by the Container and Packaging Recycling Law. However, all plastic containers and packaging that are no longer required after the contents are removed refers to “Other Plastic Containers/Wrapping” nevertheless of recycling symbol is indicated or not. The items that are not sure or products that are made of plastic should be sorted as “combustibles.”
Furthermore, since the PET bottles(Notes) are classified as foreign matter under “Other Plastic Containers/Wrapping”, bring them to the collection stations installed at the cooperating store for proper recycling. Otherwise, dispose of them as “combustibles.”

Question7 Should I have to rinse out each item of ”Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings”?

Answer. To increase the recycling quality, it is essential to rinse out residues(food remnants and dirt) when disposing of “Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings.” Please rinse every single item since one unclean item makes all other items dirty. By accounting for reduction of the environmental load, such items are put out as “combustibles” provided that the dirt is difficult to remove without a large amount of water or detergent.

Question8 How do I put out cooking oil container?

Answer. Due to the containers for cooking oil remain greasy just by rinsing, containers made of plastic can be disposed of as “combustibles” instead of “Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings.” This is because more loads being imposed on the environment by using a large amount of water and detergent. As for glass bottle or can cooking oil containers, they can be disposed of each as “bottles” or “cans” provided that the content are removed.

Question9 How do I throw out small-sized home electric products and appliances? Let me know about the “Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances.”

Answer. The “Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances” should meet all the following requirements:

1. as a rough guide, it must be completely fit into 30-liter garbage bag size or smaller (otherwise, the length of each dimension is 30 Centimeters or less)
2. must be less than 5 kilograms per item
3. home electric products or appliances that are made of metallic material.

Note that umbrellas and walking stick made of metal which exceeds the regulation length can be disposed of as “Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances”, while other metallic products/home electrical appliances which exceed the regulation length shall be categorized as “Oversized Garbage*.”

“Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances” are collected on every 2nd and 4th Thursdays at your designated garbage collection site. Make sure to put them in a clear and transparent plastic bag (there is no city-designated garbage bag) when disposing of (it is possible to put several items in a bag, but must be less than 10 kilograms)（it is NOT allowed to use other municipals’ garbage bag although it is clear and transparent.）

Notes

1. Remove dry-cell batteries, button-type batteries, and rechargeable batteries. Please dispose of them according to their disposal rules.
2. Be sure to delete all personal data.
3. Objects with sharp/pointed edges such as kitchen knives should be wrapped securely in paper or cloth before putting into the garbage bag

Question10 How do I put out tree branches and plants from my yard?

Answer. As for the plants, wipe off the soil well and dispose of as “Combustibles.” Likewise, fallen leaves and trimmed branches of shrubs should be disposed of as “Combustibles.”
As for the pruned branches of middle-sized and tall trees, they are charged as “Oversized Garbage” and collected from the individual households. If you have branches pruned or trimmed by the gardener, ask the gardening company for disposal.

Question11 Sometimes garbage bags are not collected till the late afternoon although they have been put out by 8:30 in the morning.

There are more than 3,300 garbage collection sites and 29 waste collection vehicles collect five days a week for seven different types of garbage/recyclables. The quantity and items of a site vary from day to day and therefore it is difficult to collect at the same time and same site. Accordingly, we have set the disposal limit time of 8:30 a.m. which is the earliest time to collect by waste collection vehicles. Please do not put it out on the previous night, since it will cause illegal dumping or pollution by such as crows and stray cats.

Question12 There are cases that two different types of garbage are put out at the garbage collection site on the same day. Are the garbage collected by the same collection vehicle?

Answer. We collect “Other Paper Containers / Wrappings” and “Bottles“ or “Cans” on Tuesdays, “Other Plastic Containers/Wrappings” and “Landfill Garbage” or ”Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances” on Thursdays. On these days, generally, the same collection vehicle collects each type of garbage by making two collections. In this case for example, firstly, garbage collection vehicle with empty container loads “waste containers and packaging” and carry them to the recycling plant. And then, the same vehicle collects “bins” or “cans” and ”Metal Items & Small-sized Home Electrical Appliances” or “landfill garbage” and bring them to the waste incineration plant.
 We sincerely ask for your understanding and cooperation on this matter and please do not put additional garbage out after 8:30 a.m. on the collection day (there might be a case that the garbage is remained at the garbage collection site, while another category of garbage has already been collected.)

Question13 Are the “against the rule” garbage really not collected?

Answer. If we collect the “against the rule” garbage easily, it will make other citizens’ cooperation of following the rule meaningless. Additionally, it is important to notify the violator for his/her violation. Therefore, we do not collect “against the rule” garbage. The violators have the responsibility to dispose of and sort the garbage correctly but in fact, they are still disturbing other residents of the neighborhood with a great burden. To maintain the garbage collection site pleasantly together, please follow the rules when disposing garbage.

Question14 There are some concerns about the illegal dumping due to the charging of ”Oversized Garbage.” Is there any measure to it?

Answer. There appears to be no end to illegal dumping by the inconsiderate people who dump waste stealthily during the time that is not in the public eye such as night or early morning. These actions are illegal acts which are subject to punishment by law (Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act.) In Sakura, as one of our countermeasures for these illegal dumping, we set patrolling on holidays and receive report from illegal dump guards.
 We continue to encourage enlightenment of illegal dumping and thorough of surveillance system along with reinforcement of organizational strength.

Question15 How do we put out used cooking oil?

Answer. We collect used cooking oil on every first Thursday (if the day falls on national holiday, then second Thursday.) The collections are made at the collection stations set up at the city facilities: Near the entrance of the Sakura City Hall main building, Negō/Wada Branch Office, Yatomi Branch Station, Sakura City Concert Hall, Millennium Center Sakura, Nishi-Shizu Fureai Center, Chiyoda/Someino Fureai Center, Shizu Community Center and Shizu Citizens’ Plaza Complex. When putting out, place the used cooking oil in a well-rinsed and dried PET bottle enclosing the contents securely with screw-type cap. If it is unused but outdated cooking oil, dispose of without opening it.

Question16 Tell me the disposal category for disposable heat pad, desiccant, and ice pack.

Answer. All the above items are sorted as “Combustible Garbage.”