Cognisant of the disadvantages of incineration (i.e. high disposal costs, barriers to promoting the 3Rs, overuse of resources and impacts on climate change), Oki Town decided to make a radical change with the installation of a biogas plant equipped with a methane fermentation system in 2006, sparking a transition from a conventional incineration-based waste management system to one focused on recycling-oriented resource management of organic waste.As a result, Oki Town’s recycling rate increased from 14.9% in 2005 to 63.1% in 2015. The amount of incinerated waste (called “combustible waste” in Japan) by households decreased by 56% from 2,295 tonnes in 2005 to 1,007 tonnes in 2015, and the amount of landfilled waste (called “incombustible waste” in Japan) by households decreased by 98% from 98 tonnes in 2005 to 2 tonnes in 2015. This case study describes the key activities carried out, major results achieved, and main highlights and lessons learnt for future actions.