(1) PURPOSE OF THE LAW AND SYSTEM
The purpose of the law is to take measures to appropriately and smoothly collect, transport, recycle, etc. specifid kinds of home appliances by entities including retailers, manufacturers and importers, then to secure the appropriate disposal of waste and utilization of natural resources, and consequently to contribute to preservation of life environments and sound development of the national economy. (Article 1)

(2) OUTLINE OF THE LAW AND SYSTEM
Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances (Home Appliance Recycling Law) aims to reduce wastes and effectively utilize resources by recycling home appliances (air conditioners, television sets, refrigerator/freezers, and washing machines) discarded from households and offices.

(3) CABINET ORDER AND MINISTERIAL ORDINANCES
Enforcement Order of the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances
Enforcement Regulation of the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances
Basic Principle of Collection, Transport, Recycling, etc. of Waste Product of Specific Kinds of Home Appliances

(4) OUTLINE OF THE CONTROL
1) Items Covered
Specified kinds of home appliances: air conditioners, television sets (CRT types), refrigerators/freezers, washing machines

2) Outline of the Regulation
i. substance of the regulation
a. Consumers (including office uses) are obliged to cooperate in appropriately transferring used appliances, and are obliged to pay necessary fees for transfer and recycling of those appliances
b. Retailers have the obligation to first take back used home appliances which are either those sold by the retailers themselves previously or when they are the ones replaced by the newly sold appliance at the retailer, and then to transfer those appliances to relevant manufacturers or other bodies.
c. Manufacturers and others (typically home appliance makers as well as importers) must take back the appliances which they themselves have manufactured or imported, and then recycle those appliances following the recycling standards set by the government.

ii. handling of imported products
Manufacturers and others in the law covernot only the appliance maker but also the appliance importer. Hence, if the foreign product was purchased in Japan, then it will be handled in the same manner as the domestic products. In addition, for appliances purchased overseas, retailers carry the obligation to take back the specified kinds of home appliances when the customer replaces it by buying a new one.

(5) REFERENCE INFORMATION
(Liaison Offices for Further Information)
Office for Environment and Recycling, Information and Communication Electronics Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Tel: 03-3501-6944 http://www.meti.go.jp