Corporate management in the age of global environmental awareness: a case study of PET-bottle-recycling issues in Japan

Global environmental management is a critically important issue for the business development towards the 21st century. The focus of effort of recovery and recycling of both industrial material of pre-consumer solid waste and post-consumer solid waste has become more important in recent years. As a case study, the current problem of recycling of PET bottles business in Japan is reviewed. In order to maximize productivity of global environment, the closed system of recycling materials should be re-evaluated and established as new social and industrial systems. Global environmental productivity is defined as the ratio of total output to total consumption of materials and energy. Concepts such as ‘Seaborg’s Closed System’ and ‘Reverse Factories’ should be considered if environmental productivity is to be maximized. To encourage a large market for recovered material, a growing buy recycled movement has emerged. The environmental soundness of products can be enhanced through Total Quality Management (TQM). The environmental recycle laws enacted in 1997–99 in Japan is reviewed to produce plastic packages, which contain post-consumer recycled materials with the required price, performance and quality.