Article 17(1)The State is to adopt regulations and take other necessary measures so that businesses may prevent or reduce the generation of wastes, etc., from raw materials, etc., and products through effective use of raw materials, the use of reusable containers, etc., in its business activities.

(2)In order to prevent or reduce the generation of wastes, etc., by having the citizens use products for as long as possible, choose goods for which containers, etc., are not excessively used, and other means, the State is to disseminate knowledge related to these issues and take other necessary measures.

Article 18(1)The State is to adopt regulations and take other necessary measures so that businesses themselves, in their business activities, conduct appropriate cyclical use of the circulative resources resulting from the activities, or promote their appropriate cyclical use, or dispose on their own responsibility circulative resources not recycled.

(2)The State is to take necessary measures to promote the appropriate cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources through the citizens' cooperation in separate collection of their used products which have become circulative resources, in the appropriate and smooth implementation of such collection, delivery and recycling of circulative resources as prescribed in the following paragraph, and other cooperative actions.

(3)In order to promote the appropriate and smooth cyclical use of products, containers, etc. when they have become circulative resources, it is necessary for the State, local governments, businesses and citizens to share their respective roles properly in consideration of the technological difficulty in disposing of the circulative resources concerned, the possibility of cyclical use of such resources, etc., and when the roles that should be played by the businesses are found important from the viewpoints of the design of products, containers, etc., the selection of their raw materials, and the collection of the products, containers, etc. when they have become circulative resources, the State is to take necessary measures so that businesses engaged in manufacturing, selling, etc. of such products, containers, etc. will collect such products, containers, etc. which have become circulative resources, or deliver such circulative resources collected, or make appropriate cyclical use of such circulative resources collected.

(4)The State, with regard to the circulative resources the cyclical use of which is technologically and economically possible and for which the promotion of cyclical use is found important in establishing a sound material-cycle society, is to adopt regulations and take other necessary measures so that the businesses able to implement cyclical use of such circulative resources in their business activities will appropriately conduct their cyclical use.

Article 19In order to contribute to the increase in demand for recycled products, the State is to take the lead in making use of recycled products and take necessary measures so that the use of recycled products by local governments, businesses and citizens will be promoted.

Article 20(1)Taking into account the degree of environmental load by the recycling and disposal of circulative resources, the State is to provide technical support and take other necessary measures so that businesses in manufacturing, processing or selling goods or in other business activities, will make their own evaluation beforehand of the matters listed in the following items with regard to the products, containers, etc. involved in their business activities, and based on such evaluation results, will devise various means to reduce environmental load related to the products, containers, etc., prevent or reduce the generation of wastes from such products, containers, etc., promote the cyclical use of such products, containers, etc. when they have become circulative resources and reduce the environmental load by their cyclical use and disposal:

(2)The State is to adopt regulations and take other necessary measures to ensure that businesses will provide information on the materials or substances in the products, containers, etc. involved in their business activities, the methods of their disposal, and other necessary information for their appropriate cyclical use and disposal, to prevent or reduce the generation of wastes, etc., of such products, containers, etc., or their cyclical use and disposal when they have become circulative resources, to businesses engaged in their cyclical use and disposal, citizens, etc.

Article 21The State must adopt regulations and take other necessary measures to control the discharge of substances that cause pollution (meaning pollution prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (3) of the Basic Environment Act), in order to prevent or reduce the generation of wastes from raw materials, etc. and prevent obstacles on environmental conservation in the cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources.

Article 22In the case where the cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources are found to cause obstacles to environmental conservation, the State is to take necessary measures to have the businesses that used, disposed of or discharged the circulative resources causing obstacles to environmental conservation bear the expenses necessary for the appropriate treatment of the circulative resources, remove the obstacles to environmental conservation, and restore the affected environment to its original state.In this case, the State is to take necessary measures, including the creation of a fund by businesses, so that the costs may be covered even when the businesses concerned cannot bear such expenses because they lack financial resources, it is not possible to ascertain their financial resources, or other reasons.

Article 23(1)In order to promote persons engaged in the manufacturing or processing of products, etc., or the cyclical use, disposal, collection or transport of circulative resources in the course of trade develop their facilities for efficient use of raw materials, develop their facilities for manufacturing recycled products, or take other appropriate measures to prevent or reduce raw materials, etc., from becoming wastes, etc. or to conduct proper cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources, the State is to endeavor to take necessary measures to give them necessary and appropriate economic assistance, taking into account their economic situations, etc..

(2)With regard to policies to promote acts that contribute to the prevention or reduction of the generation of wastes, etc., from products, containers, etc. or the appropriate and smooth cyclical use or disposal of products, containers, etc. when they have become circulative resources to be taken by businesses and citizens when appropriate and fair economic burdens are imposed, the State is to properly conduct surveys and studies on the possible effects, influences on the Japanese economy, etc. if measures related to the matters are taken, and endeavor to gain the understanding and cooperation from citizens in advancing the establishment of a sound material-cycle society by using the policies related to the measures.

Article 24The State is to take necessary measures to promote the development of public facilities used for the cyclical use, disposal, collection or transport of circulative resources (including mobile facilities), as well as other public facilities that contribute to the establishment of a sound material-cycle society.

Article 25The State is to take necessary measures to ensure appropriate formulation and implementation of policies on the cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources, and other policies for establishing a sound material-cycle society taken by local governments.

Article 26The State is to endeavor to take necessary financial measures and other measures regarding the costs for local governments to formulate and implement policies for establishing a sound material-cycle society.

Article 27In view of the fact that it is indispensable to gain the understanding and cooperation of businesses and citizens in order to facilitate the establishment of a sound material-cycle society, the State is to take necessary measures for advancing education and study on the establishment of a sound material-cycle society and improving its publicity activities.

Article 28(1)The State is to take necessary measures to encourage voluntary activities for establishing a sound material-cycle society by businesses, citizens, or private bodies organized by them (referred to as "private bodies, etc." in the following paragraph), including such activities as collecting circulative resources, holding events for transfer or exchange of circulative resources, and showing that products, containers, etc. when they become circulative resources contribute to their cyclical use and disposal.

(2)The State is to endeavor to appropriately provide necessary information on the establishment of a sound material-cycle society, including information on the generation of circulative resources and the state of their cyclical use and disposal, to help promote voluntary activities by private bodies, etc. referred to in the preceding paragraph for the establishment of a sound material-cycle society.

Article 29The State is to conduct necessary surveys to prepare and appropriately implement the policies for establishing a sound material-cycle society, including surveys on the generation, cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources, their future outlook, or the impact of disposal of circulative resources on the environment.

Article 30(1)The State is to promote the development of science and technology for establishing a sound material-cycle society, including methods for evaluating the degree of environmental load resulting from the cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources and technologies for preventing or restraining the generation of wastes, etc., from products, etc. or for appropriate cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources.

(2)The State is to take necessary measures, including development of research systems, promotion of research and development activities, dissemination of its results, and training of researchers, to promote the development of science and technology for establishing a sound material-cycle society.

Article 31In view of the importance of establishing a sound material-cycle society under international cooperation, the State is to endeavor to take necessary measures to ensure international coordination on the cyclical use and disposal of circulative resources and promote mutual international cooperation on the establishment of a sound material-cycle society.

Article 32Local governments are to implement necessary policies for establishing a sound material-cycle society in accordance with the natural and social conditions of the areas of the local government, by promoting their comprehensive and systematic advancement.