Japanese public perceptions on smart bin potential to support PAYT systems.

Smart bins can increase transparency and accuracy in monitoring waste characteristics such as weight, volume, and disposal times. This information can aid in enforcing waste reduction policies, including the pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) system. However, the public's response to this technology remains uncertain. Despite Japan's reputation for high waste separation compliance and collection rates, it has one of the world's highest per capita rates of plastic and packaging waste generation. This study surveyed 1000 Japanese individuals regarding their perception of smart bin features and their potential to encourage waste reductions. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to explore the relationships between respondents' social attributes and their responses. The findings indicate a slightly higher responses from younger respondents (above 85 % of those age 10-29 compared to around 75 % of those aged 60 and older) who were in favour of smart bin technology functions such as unscheduled waste pick up and automatized waste separation. On the other hand, there was a strong unwillingness (0.57 count ratio) to reduce plastic waste even if a smart bin assisted PAYT is introduced from those who did not engage in waste separation and cleaning in the first place. Finally, an open-ended question about strategies to reduce plastic waste resulted in a large portion of mindset change ideas (24.8 % of the female respondents) and technology innovations proposals (24 % of male respondents). Although development of a smart-bin prototype is taking place, behavioral change strategies to foster a willingness to reduce waste must take place along with technological interventions.

Validation of low-temperature steam with formaldehyde sterilization for endoscopes, using validation device.

BACKGROUND: Validation of sterilization is an important step before clinical use of medical equipment. Adequate validation of sterilization of the endoscope has not been reported. One reason for this is the lack of suitable devices for validation. METHODS: The VDES (validation device for endoscope sterilization; Olympus prototype model, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) was designed in two types (type A and type B) and resembles gastroscopes and duodenoscopes, respectively. Each type consists of inner and outer tubing and a central capsule containing a biological indicator. The device was designed to examine the effectiveness of low-temperature sterilizers, such as ethylene oxide gas, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and low-temperature steam with formaldehyde (LTSF) sterilizer. The aim of this study was to validate the sterilization of GI endoscopes by the LTSF sterilizer. Sterilization was assessed using both types of VDES after a 60-min application of LTSF. RESULTS: Culture of the biological indicator confirmed the complete eradication of the bacteria in a total of 10 experiments with each type of VDES after LTSF sterilization. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that the LTSF sterilizer may sterilize endoscopes currently distributed by Olympus. Commercialization of VDES will make it possible to evaluate the reliability of sterilization when it is set in the sterilization device with endoscopes.