【Special lssues】Cost of Container Recycling and the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law
Researching Recycling Costs for Containers and Packaging in Businesses（for the Packaging and Beverage Industries）
Tatsuya Nakaji*, Takashi Gunjima**, Takashi Ohkawa***, Noriyuki Ohtoyo****, Teruo Kamura*****, Masanori Kino******, Kiyoshi Chiku******* and Masahiro Mori********
*Intage Inc.
**Doshisya University
***The Society of Non Traditional Technology
****Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.
***** Suntory Ltd.
******Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd.
*******Toyo Glass Co., Ltd.
********Glass Bottle Recycling Association
† Correspondence should be addressed to Tatsuya Nakaji:
Intage Inc.
（2-14-11 Yatochou, Nishitokyo-shi, Tokyo, 188-8701 Japan）

Abstract
It is obvious that the fundamental data for the discussion of a cost-minimum society and/or proper cost sharing structures related to used containers and packaging is insufficient. In order to better understand the structure of social recycling costs on the whole, the Container LCC Workshop has therefore executed research on the recycling costs of containers and packaging in the business field（for the packaging and beverage industries）and in local municipalities.
Research proved that the business field bears various kinds of expenses, in addition to recycling fees that are obligatory under the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law of Japan. At the same time, the cost structure of the returnable bottle system, which was considered to be a heavy burden on the beverage industry, has clearly become a more reasonable scenario than that of one-way containers under certain conditions.

Key words: business field, recycling, used containers, lifecycle cost