 
The key message of the law is the "shared responsibility" of consumers, local governments and industry. Consumers will be actively involved in the sorting and collection system. Local governments will operate a system of sorting and collecting packaging and containers waste. Industry, i.e. manufacturers and their clients, will finally be obliged to recycle a percentage of the waste packaging sorted and collected by local governments. The costs are to be shared according to the quantity to be manufactured and used. Importing companies will also be affected. The law partly came into force in April,1997 for glass bottles and PET bottles. It became fully in force in April 2000 extending the coverage to paper and plastic containers and packaging. Japan Container and Packaging Recycling Association was established to carry out this scheme. Manufacturers and users of containers and packaging will fund the association by paying the specified amount of recycling cost depending on the related quantity to be manufactured and used. The association will entrust recycling with the registered processing traders and pay the cost. The law covers only waste discharged as MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) from home. Manufacturers with the annual turn-over of less than \240million and employees of less than 20 persons are excepted from this law. And retailers and wholesalers with the annual turnover of less than \70million and employees of less than 5 persons are also excepted. Manufacturers, users and importers must register their quantity every year and pay the specified amount to the association. The recycling costs specified to every category will be announced every year.
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