Oh, I'm Sorry. Could You Say That in My Good Ear?

Got an old home appliance, PC, TV, or DVD player you want to get rid of? No need to even leave the house. Just wait for the Recycle truck (リサイクル業者) to stroll through your neighborhood. Take it off your hands for a fair price, too. Oh, and don't worry. You can't miss it...



I was shocked, and admittedly a little concerned the first time a truck like this strolled by our apartment (slow moving vehicle with a loud speaker is generally a recipe for disaster, no?). It was especially discomforting when we first moved here and were getting acquainted with the culture.

The Japanese people are generally really cognizant of their neighbors, especially living in such close proximity of each other. For instance, BBQ grills aren't generally allowed on your porch because the smoke can disturb your neighbors, and loud music is frowned upon after certain hours. So, despite the dense living, our neighborhood remains quite peaceful. Peaceful that is, until the piercing decibels from the Recycle Truck's loudspeaker announcing its arrival. Usually, about a two-minute advertisement played on a loop really, really loudly Quite annoying actually, especially at the excruciatingly slow pace the truck is traveling.

I have since gotten the full story from some co-workers. These trucks are used for more than just recycling - selling sweet potatoes, politics, or other various merchandise - and they aren't very popular because of the noise pollution. Apparently, this particular trade - "recycle truck" - is further frowned upon because some consider it illegal. The recycle trader takes your old appliances as "trash" and sells them in other less advanced Southeast Asian markets, so as to make a profit. The sketchy part comes with avoiding the recycle tax that is usually paid to the government. Hey, one country's trash is another country's treasure, right? In this case, at the cost of my eardrums!