Kamikatsu - the city (almost) without rubbish

Imagine a city where waste has almost completely disappeared and sustainability has become a way of life. In the centre of the picturesque prefecture of Tokushima on the Japanese island of Shikoku lies just such a place: Kamikatsu. The small community has set itself the goal of producing no more waste and is relying on an unrivalled recycling system.

The zero-waste goal

Kamikatsu's journey began in 2003 when the town decided to close its waste incineration plant for environmental and cost reasons. However, instead of simply switching to a different way of disposing of waste, the residents opted for a radical approach: the introduction of a zero-waste concept. This ambitious goal means that the city aims to reduce its waste to almost zero by maximising recycling, reuse and composting.

The impressive recycling system

To achieve this goal, Kamikatsu has introduced a sophisticated recycling system that is second to none. Residents are encouraged to separate their waste into an incredible 45 different categories. These include paper, glass, plastics, metals and even special categories for used batteries or broken light bulbs. Each household has detailed instructions on how to separate and clean the different materials before taking them to the central recycling centre.

The recycling station, also known as the "Gomi Station", is the centrepiece of the system. This is where residents bring their carefully separated waste, where it is processed and sorted for recycling. The majority of the materials are either sold or passed on to companies that use them to make new products.

In addition to a strict recycling system, Kamikatsu also promotes the composting of organic waste. Many households have their own compost bins in which kitchen waste is processed into nutrient-rich humus. This humus is then used to fertilise gardens and agricultural land, creating a natural cycle.

The role of the community

One of the keys to the success of the sustainability project in Kamikatsu is the commitment of the community. The residents have recognised the need to change their lifestyle in order to protect the environment and conserve resources. Through workshops, training and joint activities, residents have been sensitised to the importance of sustainability and encouraged to actively participate in the zero-waste project. For example, the municipality and residents have established a ride-sharing system that is used when someone wants to visit the nearest city, Tokushima. To get there, residents and visitors use the city's carpooling system. Around 40 people share a handful of cars to give residents or visitors a lift. Even the mayor of the town has volunteered as a driver.

Another example of civic engagement is the second-hand shop "Kuru Kuru", where used items can be handed in or taken away free of charge. This promotes the reuse of materials and helps to reduce the consumption of new products.

There is also a local brewery in Kamikatsu that uses sustainable production methods, for example by feeding the surplus yeast from the beer brewing process to pigs. This type of circular economy shows how sustainability can also be integrated into other areas of daily life.

Sustainability as a way of life

In Kamikatsu, sustainability is not just a project, but a way of life. The city is also committed to environmentally friendly practices in other areas such as tourism and agriculture. For example, there is an eco-hotel. Opened in 2020, Hotel Why is part of the Zero Waste Centre, which was built in the shape of a question mark to represent the question: Why do we generate so much waste? Each guest is given six bins in which to sort their waste during their stay. The simple but elegant interior design is made exclusively from recycled materials, including a patchwork quilt made from jeans remnants and a wall decoration made from ropes. The furniture are exhibits from showrooms.

The hotel makes a point of only using and handing out products to visitors that are actually needed. When checking in, guests cut off individual bars of soap so that they receive exactly the amount they need for their stay. The coffee beans are ground according to the number of cups required so that nothing is wasted.

Agriculture in Kamikatsu is also committed to sustainable practices. Many farmers rely on organic farming and use natural fertilisers to cultivate their fields. These environmentally friendly methods help to maintain soil quality and reduce the use of chemicals.

The residents and businesses of Kamikatsu also endeavour to reduce food waste as much as possible. At Cafe Polestar, for example, there is only one dish for lunch to avoid waste and production errors: Curry made from local vegetables. Even the leaves used to decorate the dishes are harvested locally around Kamikatsu. Behind this is a sustainability project called Irodori, which has been selling products from the lush surrounding forests since 1986. The business model involves over 150 families in the town, mainly women over the age of 70, who pick the leaves to create intricate patterns. The leaves are then sold to upscale spas, hotels and restaurants in Japan and other Asian countries that want to use sustainable decoration material.