July 5, 2004
Motorcycle Recycling System to Be Introduced
Voluntarily by Participating Manufacturers and Importers
-Launch Date Set for October 1, 2004-
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association’s four motorcycle-producing members—Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Honda Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corporation, and Yamaha Motor Co.—have collectively agreed to launch, together with eleven motorcycle importers, a nationwide motorcycle recycling system on October 1 this year.The new system will be modelled on Japan’s electrical home appliance recycling system.
1. Motorcycle Recycling System—General Description
In creating the new system, participating motorcycle manufacturers and importers have voluntarily assumed the responsibility for the implementation of a viable infrastructure for motorcycle recycling throughout Japan.Infrastructural operations will cover all stages in the recycling flow, from vehicle recovery and dismantling to recycling, and will include the management of information on system operations and of funds collected from users exclusively for the purpose of financing those operations (Reference 1).
With the launch of the new system, vehicle recycling fees will be included in retail prices for all new motorcycles placed on the market with “Motorcycle Recycling” stickers affixed to them (Reference 3).For new motorcycles sold without the recycling stickers—indicating products from manufacturers not participating in this voluntary scheme—and for previously owned motorcycles sold without the recycling stickers, final owners will be charged a fixed recycling fee when disposing of their end-of-life motorcycles.
Moreover, as of October 1, 2011, or seven years after the launch of the new system, the recycling of all motorcycles marketed in Japan by participating manufacturers and importers will be carried out free of charge to users, whether affixed with recycling stickers or not.(However, because of unique distribution conditions involved in importing, some importers may have to continue to impose recycling fees on final owners of motorcycles without recycling stickers at the time of vehicle disposal.)
2. Motorcycle Recycling System—Description of System Infrastructure
The new motorcycle recycling system will be modelled on the scheme adopted by major manufacturers of home electrical appliances (Matsushita Electric, etc.) for the recycling of their products.This scheme encompasses all the necessary recycling channels as well as provisions for the dissemination of related information, and is conceived so that an efficient recycling system can be launched quickly and at low cost.
(1) Designated collection centers
A total of 190 sites throughout Japan will be established as designated collection centers for the disposal by final owners of motorcycles at the end of their service life.Final owners will be able to turn in their scrapped vehicles directly to these designated collection centers or to scrapped motorcycle acceptance facilities operating under the umbrella of the Japan Mini-Vehicles Association.Numbering approximately 15,000 nationwide, the latter facilities may in some cases be more easily accessible to users disposing of their vehicles than the designated collection centers.However, an additional fee separate from the fixed recycling fee will be charged for the transport of the scrapped vehicle from the acceptance facilities to the nearest designated collection center.
These acceptance facilities will be required to display a special sticker identifying them as such (Reference 2), making clear to final owners the option available to them of turning in their end-of-life motorcycles at those sites.
(2)
Processing & recycling facilities
A total of 14 motorcycle processing-and-recycling facilities will be strategically located around Japan.All scrapped motorcycles delivered to them will be processed by these facilities, where dismantling and recycling operations will be carried out in conformity with manual-based guidelines compiled and distributed for that purpose by the participating motorcycle manufacturers and importers.
(3)
Recycling fees and payment methods
For new motorcycles sold with the “Motorcycle Recycling” stickers affixed to them, as explained above, vehicle recycling fees will be included in the purchase price.These vehicles can be turned in either at the designated collection centers or the scrapped motorcycle acceptance facilities.
For new motorcycles sold without the recycling stickers as well as for previously owned motorcycles sold without such stickers, recycling fees will be collected from final owners (fixed fees will be established and publicly disclosed by individual manufacturers or, in some cases, importers).Payment of the recycling fees for these vehicles will be made at post offices by final owners, using a standard form for that purpose which will be available at all scrapped motorcycle acceptance facilities and designated collection centers.Scrapped vehicles will be accepted for recycling once this payment has been made using the standard form.
(4)
Managing the flow of scrapped motorcycles
In order to maximize the operational efficiency of the new motorcycle recycling system, in the interest of optimal cost management among other factors, an electronic information network will connect the designated collection centers, dismantling and recycling facilities and related administrative entities to each other.
Another special form will serve as a kind of checklist to monitor the flow of scrapped motorcycles through the recycling process.
(5)
Promoting the motorcycle recycling system
The Japan Automobile Recycling Promotion Center will be responsible for all informational activities and operations involved in developing an awareness on the part of the public of the new motorcycle recycling system and how it works.
(6)
Participating importers
In Japan motorcycle manufacturers and importers have become keenly aware of their social responsibilities with respect to the recycling of the products they manufacture or distribute and, as a result, are taking a worldwide lead in introducing a voluntary motorcycle recycling scheme.Hand in hand with Japan’s four motorcycle manufacturers, the following eleven importers have agreed to participate in Japan’s new motorcycle recycling system:
| Aprilia Japan Corporation | BMW Japan |
| Bright Corporation | Cagiva Japan Co., Ltd. |
| Ducati Japan | Fukuda Motors Corp. |
| Kymco Japan | M’s Company, Ltd. |
| Narikawa & Company, Ltd. | Presto Corporation |
| Triumph Motorcycles Limited |
| Reference 1: Motorcycle Recycling Flow |
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| Reference 2: Shop Display Sticker |
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| Reference 3: Motorcycle Recycling Sticker |
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