Research on Eco-Towns in Japan - UNEP

3. Case study1: Kawasaki Eco-Town
3-9 Discussion
Kawasaki Eco-Town, mainly the large enterprises in the material industry, has so far
achieved the following results:
1) It became one of the leading area where recycling facilities are clustered since
Eco-Town Project was approved in 1997,
2) By-product exchange among business entities,
3) A non-profit organization (NPO) consisting mainly of large enterprises, was established
to promote the planning and operation of the Eco-Town. The companies in the
Eco-Town respectively developed and commercialized environmental technologies
before, but now the NPO is the basis to comprehensively develop material flows, energy
use and land use of the whole Eco-Town.
On the other hand, following problems also emerged:
1) The trend to be spread from large enterprises to SMEs:
Many SMEs not located in Zero Emission Industrial Park are not concerned with the
Eco-Town and its actualities. There needs to be a framework to promote reduction of
environmental burden and participation in the network of by-product exchanges among
SMEs.
2) Stakeholders’ involvement
Citizens and NGOs are not yet fully involved with Kawasaki Eco-Town Projects.
Companies should actively hold site-tours and other events to promote information
disclosure and opinion-exchange with citizens and NGOs.
3) Promotion of recycling of wastes discharged by urban activities
A new model of industrial symbiosis is to be established by utilization of wastes
discharged by urban activities (offices, commercial facilities, homes, schools, hospitals
etc.) in the manufacturing industry, and its reverse direction, that the heat generated
from the industry is utilized by urban activities.
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