#Japan #Tokyo #circular economy #Mitsubishi Chemical #Resource Recycling

Collaborating for a Sustainable Future

In an effort to address global resource constraints and environmental issues, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, along with partners such as Japan Polyethylene Corporation, Japan Polypropylene Corporation, Kanooka Holdings, Dai Nippon Printing, Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Mitsui & Co., and Refineverse, are participating in the "Demonstration Project for Building Resource Circulation Systems in Local Governments for Fiscal Year 2025". This initiative, funded by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, aims to analyze and verify the challenges concerning the large-scale supply of recycled materials, mainly focusing on recycled plastics, tailored for urban areas.

Background

The transition to a circular economy has accelerated globally in response to pressing resource limitations and environmental challenges. Japan's ongoing efforts towards establishing a self-sustaining resource economy are still underway, with the need to enhance the utilization of recycled materials and develop effective local circulation systems. This includes fostering deeper collaboration between municipalities and improving the sorting, collection, and recycling systems. To support these efforts, the Ministry is advancing various measures for constructing broad-based circulation systems and ensuring a stable supply of recycled materials.

Mitsubishi Research Institute, under the leadership of President Kenji Yabuta, has been selected as the contractor for this project, bringing together nine collaborative companies to participate in the project targeting metropolitan areas.

Overview of the Demonstration Project

This project focuses on expanding the supply of recycled materials like plastics by developing systems for collecting and reprocessing these materials based on the unique characteristics of urban and regional areas. The aim is to demonstrate the effectiveness of resource circulation systems through collaboration with regional businesses and stakeholders.

Target Areas

• - Metropolitan Areas: Focused on regions with high population density, characterized by significant waste generation from homes, offices, shops, and factories. Key challenges include the inability to build large-scale sorting facilities to handle all plastic waste. Through developing collection routes for existing recycling facilities, efficient recycling and reprocessing can be achieved.
• - Demonstration Goals:

- Test chemical and material recycling with various resins, including olefin and PET, within a circular supply chain across metropolitan areas.

Advanced Recycling Chain in Action

The nine collaborative companies will conduct demonstrations targeting industrial plastic waste, validating an integrated supply chain that encompasses sorting, collection, and chemical recycling up to the production of recycled materials. By leveraging the expertise of each partner, the aim is to establish a high-quality resource circulation model tailored for urban environments. The initiative also employs a mass balance approach, blending petroleum-derived materials with chemically recycled inputs to ensure quality standards are maintained.

Smaller Local Downtowns

In regions such as Okayama and Ibaraki, municipalities will gather household plastic waste and utilize advanced sorting facilities to produce high-quality recycled materials, thereby testing efficient circulation models. In smaller towns like Satsumasendai in Kagoshima, communities will collaborate in a recycling system based on citizen participation for waste sorting, promoting a sustainable community-based recycling model.

Future Outlook

The demonstration project is slated to continue until February 2026, culminating in a comprehensive report of findings. Following this, the project stakeholders aim to pilot a circular business model across Japan starting in 2027.

About Toyo Seikan Group

Toyo Seikan Group is a comprehensive packaging manufacturer, offering a range of containers utilizing metal, plastic, paper, and glass. In addition to packaging, the group operates in engineering, filling, logistics, steel-related activities, functional materials, and real estate. Founded in 1917, with 44 domestic companies and 50 international subsidiaries, the group employs approximately 19,000 staff. The consolidated revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2025 is anticipated to reach 922.5 billion yen. The group is invested in long-term sustainable practices, aiming towards a vision that considers the environment and community well-being, encapsulating their commitment to a prosperous future.