リデュース

A loanword from English "reduce," used specifically in the context of environmental policy and waste management. Unlike the English word, リデュース in Japanese is almost exclusively associated with the 3R movement (循環型社会(じゅんかんがたしゃかい) — recycling-oriented society) and is not used as a general verb meaning "to reduce."

The 3Rs (スリーアール) are a cornerstone of Japan's environmental policy, taught in schools and promoted through municipal waste management programs. The order is significant: reducing waste comes first, before reuse and recycling.

Common collocations

• ごみのリデュース: waste reduction
• リデュースに取(と)り組(く)む: to work on reduction
• 食品(しょくひん)ロスのリデュース: food waste reduction
• スリーアール (3R): reduce, reuse, recycle

Related words

• リユース: reuse — using items again instead of discarding
• リサイクル: recycle — processing waste into new materials
• 減量(げんりょう): reduction — the native Japanese word for reducing quantity
• エコ: eco — general term for environmentally friendly practices