Solutions for visualizing, understanding, and streamlining carbon emissions from various angles, such as business sites and products, corporate activities, and consumer behavior.
Efforts to conserve energy have been underway for several decades, but in recent years, the methods used have become more sophisticated, including AI and other technologies and billing methods based on usage. These solutions optimize energy usage.
Solutions related to batteries and hydrogen, such as electrification (EV) of mobility (means of transportation) such as cars and buses, which used to be fueled by gasoline, to reduce CO2 emissions, and to extract hydrogen for industrial use and to encourage its practical application.
Solutions related to batteries and hydrogen, such as electrification (EV) of mobility (means of transportation) such as cars and buses, which used to be fueled by gasoline, to reduce CO2 emissions, and to extract hydrogen for industrial use and to encourage its practical application.
Solutions that contribute to the fixation and absorption of CO2 in the atmosphere through forest protection and forest management, and offset the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be fully reduced through the purchase of carbon credits.
One solution is to reduce emissions in society as a whole by recycling metals, plastics, and other resources and products at various stages of economic activities.
How is Plastic Recycled? Methods and Companies Initiatives
Plastic recycling is a very important initiative that will lead to the realization of a decarbonized society and the curbing of global warming.
This article introduces three ways to recycle plastics, as well as examples of plastic recycling efforts by domestic companies.
When plastics are recycled, they can be reused to make new plastic products or raw materials for chemical products.
Examples of plastic products made from recycled plastic include clothing such as work clothes, plastic bottles, containers for detergents, playground equipment, and benches. Chemical products made from plastics include coke used in steelmaking, ammonia, and solvents such as methanol, benzene, toluene, and xylene.
Recyclable items
Not all products made of plastic can be recycled. Plastic products with the Plastic Mark or PET Mark are eligible for recycling. The PET Mark is found on plastic bottles for beverages and condiments, and in many cases, both the bottle and the cap are eligible for recycling. The plastic mark is on plastic bags, lunchbox containers, food trays, and bags used for packaging.
However, thin wrapping film and small plastic products smaller than 3 cm cannot be recycled. They can wrap around or get caught in the recycling facility's machines, causing malfunctions.
Explains the three recycling methods for plastics in an easy-to-understand manner!
Recycling methods for plastics can be classified into three categories: material recycling, chemical recycling, and thermal recycling.
The three recycling methods are explained below.
Material recycling: Making new products from waste plastic
Material recycling is a method of making new plastic products from waste plastic. Waste plastic is melted down and converted back into plastic raw materials, which are then processed into new products.
Products made from material recycling can range from small items such as stationery and plastic bottles to large facilities such as parks and roads.
If waste plastic is dirty, the quality of the recycled product will be compromised, so plastic containers for food and beverages, for example, must be washed clean before being sent for recycling.
Chemical recycling: Waste plastics are broken down into raw materials and reused.
Chemical recycling is a method of reusing waste plastic by breaking it down into its raw materials, hydrocarbons (oil composed of carbon and hydrogen, similar to petroleum) and gases.
When waste plastic is gasified through chemical recycling, raw materials for the chemical industry such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be recovered.
The technology to convert waste plastic back to its raw material, petroleum, is well established, and in the past, large facilities were in operation in Japan to convert waste plastic back to hydrocarbons. However, the large facilities have been withdrawn due to poor cost performance in the environment at that time. Development of a more cost-effective technology is currently underway.
Thermal recycling: Harnessing the thermal energy of waste plastics
Thermal recycling is a method of reusing the heat generated when waste plastic is burned as energy. Waste plastics have a higher calorific value than paper, and the heat and steam from incineration can be used to generate electricity or heat a hot water pool.
Thermal recycling is the best recycling method when dealing with plastics containing impurities or when sorting is difficult, but its disadvantage is that it produces CO2 and toxic substances when it is burned.
Comparison of current plastic recycling rates between Japan and the rest of the world!
Plastic recycling rates vary from country to country. The following table shows plastic recycling rates in various countries around the world, as well as issues related to plastic recycling in Japan.
Comparison of Japan's plastic recycling rate with other countries around the world
The plastic recycling rate in Japan has been high, exceeding 80% continuously from 2012 to 2020. However, thermal recycling accounts for more than half of all recycling methods.
Thermal recycling is not recognized as recycling by the standards of the OECD, an international organization on economic activities. The plastic recycling rate in Japan, not including thermal recycling, is 24.3%.
Of the 8.22 million tons of total domestic waste plastic discharged in 2020, 1.73 million tons will be material recycled and 270,000 tons will be chemically recycled. The recycling rate of plastics other than thermal recycling is calculated to be approximately 24.3%.
Source: Plastics - the Facts 2017, Plastics Europe
Norway was the country with the highest percentage of recycling in Europe in 2016, according to data compiled by Plastics Europe, the European plastics industry association. More than half of the 30 countries for which data are available exceeded 30%. Japan's recycling rate was in the 20% range in 2015, which is low compared to other countries around the world.
Challenges of Plastic Recycling in Japan
There are two major challenges in plastics recycling in Japan.
The first issue is that the ratio of material recycling to chemical recycling is lower than in other countries, as mentioned above. Because of Japan's high waste incineration rate, much of the waste plastic has been processed through thermal recycling. In order to increase the recycling rate by international standards, the amount of non-thermal recycling needs to be increased.
The second issue is to respond to the export restrictions on waste plastics that began in 2021. In Japan, waste plastic has been exported overseas due to high labor costs and other factors. However, after the export restrictions begin, it will be necessary to circulate plastics domestically.
Benefits of plastic recycling for companies
A company's commitment to plastics recycling can provide a variety of benefits. The main benefits include the following items
Improved image and economic benefits By engaging in plastic recycling, a company's attitude toward environmental issues will be recognized and its corporate image will be improved. It can also have a positive impact on stock prices, sustainable finance, and other benefits.
● Reduction of waste and streamlining of operations Recycling waste plastics can reduce the amount of waste. It also has the advantage of streamlining operations by eliminating the time and labor required for waste disposal.
Reduction of waste disposal costs By reusing waste plastic as a resource, costs associated with waste disposal can be reduced.
Plastic Recycling Initiatives by Domestic Companies
Various companies and municipalities in Japan are engaged in plastic recycling. The following are examples of plastic recycling efforts by organizations in Japan.
Kao Corporation and Lion Corporation
Kao Corporation and Lion Corporation have jointly set up boxes to collect refill packs of detergent and shampoo. Refill packs placed in dedicated collection boxes at stores are recycled into easily assembled blocks and other forms.
Efforts are also currently underway to develop more efficient collection systems and improve recycling technology.
Kobe City
The City of Kobe has launched an initiative called "Kobe Plastic Next - Let's connect with everyone. Refill Pack Recycling" initiative.
This initiative is a joint project by Kobe City, retailers, daily commodity manufacturers, and recyclers. Among the manufacturers of daily necessities is Kao Corporation, which is working to develop recycling technology.
Used plastic containers such as detergent and shampoo can be placed in collection boxes placed at 75 retail locations in the city. The collected plastic containers are sorted and collected and returned to consumers again as refill packs.
Asahi Kasei Corporation
Asahi Kasei Corporation, which operates a wide range of businesses including chemicals, construction materials, and medical care, is one of the companies involved in plastic recycling.
Asahi Kasei Corporation is testing a technology that allows consumers to read the QR code on a product to determine the percentage of recycled plastic used. The aim is to encourage consumers to change their behavior and recycle by making the recycled plastic utilization rate visible.
Mitsui & Co.
Mitsui is promoting the collection and recycling of a variety of materials, including packaging materials and PET bottles.
For example, we have partnered with PureCycle Technologies, Inc. of the United States, and are in the process of introducing technology to improve the material recycling rate. The company's technology can produce high-quality recycled PP resin from waste plastic.
In addition, its bioplastic solution for "Rice Resin" is an unparalleled initiative.
For more information on Mitsui's recycling initiatives, please see Resource Recycling.
In addition to these, many other companies are involved in plastic recycling.
Plastic products can be recycled to make new products or used as raw materials for chemical products.
There are three types of plastic recycling methods with different uses. In Japan, the ratio of thermal recycling is high, and increasing the ratio of material and chemical recycling is a future challenge.
Why not start plastic recycling efforts from the extent that your company can tackle it, referring to the domestic examples introduced in this article?
