In Japan the subjects of waste treatment and waste management are becoming increasingly important. The country is highly industrialized and large amounts of fossil fuel and mineral resources are imported, converted to many kinds of products and energy, and then consumed in a small geographical area. These processes are resulting in the production of a great deal of waste, and serious issues have therefore arisen on waste minimization, environmental pollution control, proper incineration, safe final disposal, and material recovery (recycling).

This book contains contributions first presented in the special session "Advanced Waste Treatment and Management in Japan" at the Second International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment. The following topics are highlighted:

• The novel utilization of wasted materials for glass-ceramics or pollutant absorbers
   
• Hazardous waste detoxification and extraction techniques
   
• New waste treatment techniques using super- or sub-critical hydrothermal treatment and waste decomposition by wet ball-mill, sonication and plasma treatments
   
• The recycling of organic or agricultural wastes
   
• Advanced incineration technology for thermal recycling

The papers featured will help the international waste management community gain an appreciation of current issues in Japan together with their technical solutions, and increase the potential for international cooperation.