Suppose you have an old refrigerator to get rid of. It is large, so you might assume it counts as bulky garbage. Then you check the local rules and find out that the city will not take it that way. On top of that, disposing of it costs money.
Even Japanese people can look at that and think, “Why am I paying just to throw something away?”
Not every old appliance is treated this way. In Japan, household air conditioners, televisions, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, and clothes dryers are covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law. These appliances go through a separate collection and recycling system rather than the usual municipal garbage route.
They are not treated differently simply because they are large. The system exists so that usable materials and parts can be recovered and recycled. That is why an old refrigerator, for example, cannot simply be handled as ordinary bulky garbage.
If you are replacing an appliance, the process can be relatively straightforward because the store selling you the new one may also collect the old one. It feels more troublesome when you simply want to get rid of an appliance without buying a replacement.
The disposal method itself is usually not hard to find. Instructions are available online, and one option is to pay the required recycling fee and take the appliance to a designated collection point yourself. The problem is often not that people have no idea how to get rid of the appliance. They know how; it is simply a hassle.
There may be paperwork to deal with, a heavy appliance to move, and a disposal fee to pay. You can understand why recycling is necessary and still be annoyed by the time, effort, and money involved. Understanding the reason behind a rule does not automatically make the rule convenient.
Japan is known for detailed garbage-sorting rules, but that does not mean everyone happily accepts every one of them. People may understand why the system exists and follow the rules while still finding the process frustrating.
But being frustrated does not automatically mean, “Then I’ll just put the refrigerator out with the regular trash.”
Being annoyed by the disposal system and ignoring it are two different things. It can be inconvenient. It can cost money. People may complain about both. They still use the disposal route required for that appliance.