How has China rsquo s plastic waste ban left Japan to deal with mountains of trash ........

English Language (SBI-PO) Reading comprehension (P)

Direction (): Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

The Chinese government imposed limits on plastic waste imports – which were largely recycled into new products – because of growing awareness that some plastic waste contains toxic elements, therefore worsening China’s already serious pollution problems. According to Japanese government statistics, 510,000 tons of plastic waste was shipped to China every year before the restrictions were imposed. The figure has fallen to a mere 30,000 tons in the first five months of this year. China’s rules on plastic imports are expected to be tightened again in December, with a ban on factory debris. Meanwhile, Thailand – a large receiver of Japan’s waste metals – is also preparing import restrictions of plastic trash over similar environmental concerns. However, Japan is in no position to suddenly expand its capacity to recycle plastics, and a lot of the waste ends up at landfills or incinerators.

Only 23% of the waste plastic produced by Japan in 2016 was turned into recycled plastic or used in fibre materials. Japanese waste management firms do not have the specialist equipment to recycle these plastics, and consequently many no longer accept such shipments because they have nowhere to store it. The ban caused turmoil in Japan as the government scrambled to find alternative avenues to recycle the nation’s plastic waste. Japan’s Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (3Rs) policy — while incredibly successful at promoting recycling in Japan — caused a decline in the domestic plastic recycling business. And despite high levels of participation in Japan’s recycling initiatives, efforts to reduce the use of plastic products in the country are failing. But while China’s waste ban may seem like a major headache, it also presents an opportunity for the Japanese government to revise its policies to the benefit of its citizens, businesses, and oceans. Japan is already a leading nation in its recycling efforts. It can now build on this strong foundation by taking three key actions. First, Japan should introduce regulations on the use of plastic products by prohibiting the sale — or charging a fee — for single-use plastics such as bags, cups and drinking straws. In 2002 Ireland became the first country to introduce a plastic bag tax, leading to a 90 per cent drop in use equaling a reduction of more than 1 billion bags. The tax collected was funnelled into a green fund to support environmental projects. Rwanda also introduced a ban on the sale, manufacture, use, and import of plastic bags in 2008. The ban led to cleaner cities with less trash, less environmental damage caused by plastic waste and increased tourism. Second, Japan should establish specific targets for business and industry to redesign, remanufacture, substitute and/or phase

out plastic products. Given its ongoing preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, industry sectors have been called on to reduce excessive packaging for all products related to the event. Biodegradable alternatives are being considered, drawing on lessons learned from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where plastic waste was effectively limited. Third, Japan should create a campaign to educate its consumers — and its businesses — on how to adopt eco-friendly waste practices. China’s ban on plastic imports is a much-needed wake-up call to reconsider our production, use and disposal of plastic products. Japan has the opportunity to stop looking for the next “easy solution” and instead adopt solid resource management principles to help stem the rising tide of plastic.

How has China’s plastic waste ban left Japan to deal with mountains of trash?

Japanese traders had been depended on Chinese consumption.

Japan exported a huge amount of scrap plastic to plants run in Shanghai, where the material is processed into pellets that are sold to Chinese buyers.

More than 80% of Japan's exports of used plastic went to China.

Japanese companies could not sell used plastics to Chinese enterprises, so it sent the scrap to incinerators in Japan.

The government scrambled to find alternative avenues to recycle the nation’s plastic waste.

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Explanation:

Option 1: This option is ambiguous. Option B: It can be deciphered from the following line, ‘The Chinese government imposed limits on plastic waste imports – which were largely recycled into new products…..’

Option 3: It can’t be deciphered from the passage.

Option 4: The passage states ‘..However, Japan is in no position to suddenly expand its capacity to recycle plastics, and a lot of the waste ends up at landfills or incinerators.’ An Incinerator is an apparatus for burning waste material, especially industrial waste, at high temperatures until it is reduced to ash. So, the option is the opposite of what mentioned in the passage. Option 5: It is an effect, not the reason.

Therefore, option 2 is the apt answer.