It was a fair drive out of Osaka City to the factory, somewhere North West of Kobe, so we were whisked away again in the family fun bus. We stopped at a trucker service station for a fixed lunch, ordered for us by Penfold; and soon ushered out again as we were against the clock. It sometimes feels like we’re in a very long episode of Challenge Annika or treasure hunt! If only we could get hold of some earphones and microphones… (Steve san how do you say that in Japanese?!….)
We were met by a welcome sign on the screen in the lobby; and a very kind man who was our guide for the afternoon.
We were met by a welcome sign on the screen in the lobby; and a very kind man who was our guide for the afternoon.
The factory was very new looking and it was in a rather agricultural area; apparently it used to be rice fields, but there are still some other rice fields in existence all around. Mr M. Guts was our translator for the day, as we got to have a tour of the factory from above. The technology is similar to that used in the UK but on a larger scale. The factory is also one of the cleanest, neatest and most orderly I have ever been into! The staff would carefully place dismantled parts of e-waste carefully into cages; the object being that most parts and materials from the goods they take back will be used for a new product.
There was limited time for questions at the end, but it seems that Japan is taking the e-waste problem very seriously and that they are working closely with producers and manufacturers to ensure that progress is made in terms of design for environment and reducing the amount and variation of materials that go into making a product.
We ended with some great photos outside in the glaring sunshine, in the company of the Mankai (meaning dull bloom) cherry blossom trees before being bundled back in the car to go straight back to the Dai Ichi hotel in Sakai for an impressive dinner with and reception by the Phoenix Rotary Club.
There was limited time for questions at the end, but it seems that Japan is taking the e-waste problem very seriously and that they are working closely with producers and manufacturers to ensure that progress is made in terms of design for environment and reducing the amount and variation of materials that go into making a product.
We ended with some great photos outside in the glaring sunshine, in the company of the Mankai (meaning dull bloom) cherry blossom trees before being bundled back in the car to go straight back to the Dai Ichi hotel in Sakai for an impressive dinner with and reception by the Phoenix Rotary Club.
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