Garbage separation in Yokohama City. Let’s try disassembling an umbrella

In Yokohama city, umbrellas are not collected as they are. We need to separate first the ribs and the cloth. For all sizes, the metal ribs are small metal items and the cloth or the vinyl is flammable garbage. Ordinary umbrellas are not classified as oversized garbage.

Disassembling is a hassle, but as a Yokohama citizen, I will try it out!

It is actually a backbreaking work

I took time and faced with a broken umbrella on a holiday afternoon. First of all, remove all the plastic caps that cover each of ribs. Be careful for the sharp edge.

Next, cut out those caps sewn on the cloth by holding scissors.

Also remove the cloth sewn on the inner ribs by cutting the thread. The ribs are sometimes sewn too tightly. However, if cutting the cloth around the sewn parts, the cloth can be removed.

I could disassemble into ribs and cloth successfully! By the way, this umbrella has 82cm length. In Yokohama, more than 30 cm length metal items are sorted as oversized garbage which needs to be paid. Is the umbrella oversized garbage?

I asked Io, a chatbot’s character. He let me know the umbrella is not oversized garbage! (sorry, English readers, Io currently can only speak Japanese) Also the handle can be left as it is.

It was a relaxing conversation with Io.

Primary actions on garbage separation in Yokohama

One of its advantages is that Yokohama delivers various information that leads to the solution without fail. Perhaps due to widespread of PR, we might have an impression that Yokohama would be strict for separation of garbage.

Garbage & Recycling	Overview information on disposing garbage and recycling
Why separate plastic items?	The city answers to questions from citizens (Japanese only)
How to reduce kitchen garbage	Explaining 5 draining methods with lots of pictures (Japanese only)
Yokohama action for plastic garbage	Official twitter account started since March 2020 focusing specially on reduction of plastic garbage
Mictionary	Dictionary of sorting garbage. Input the name into a simple search window
Io’s guide for garbage separation	Chatbot’s sorting guide. Enabling to enjoy slow conversation with Io (pronounced as Ii-O) (Japanese only)

Comparing with other cities in Kanagawa

Comparing to Yamoto city (fully) and Ebina city (partially) that implement the paid garbage back and individual collection, and to Ayase city that separate cans and bottles by several categories, it doesn’t look that Yokohama is more strict in separation of garbage. However, I feel respect for Yokohama city’s efforts to deliver information clearly by various measures for separation of garbage.

There is nothing, but to separate garbage!