Kao secures first manufacturer license to collect plastic waste for recycling in Japan

04 Apr 2024 --- Kao Corporation shares an update on its March approval from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment for the voluntary collection of plastic packaging at Kao business locations and in Kamakura City.

The approval marks the first time Japan has let a manufacturer collect plastic waste from the general public.

Kao and its subsidiary Kao Logistics can now collect used refill packs (Kao products and other companies’ products) within its facilities and in Kamakura City without needing to obtain service permission.

The packaging waste collected from Resource Post collection boxes set up by the city of Kamakura are consolidated by the municipal government at a recycling center in Kamakura and then collected by Kao Logistics.

This approval stems from the Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation for Plastics (Plastic Resource Circulation Act) that went into force on April 1, 2022.

“[The Plastic Resource Circulation Act] is related to waste disposal unique to Japan and is a very complicated system,” a Kao spokesperson tells Packaging Insights.

Expanding waste collection
In Japan, used plastic packaging from households is processed as general waste according to rules set by local governments. There are two main processing methods: collection as burnable garbage with thermal recycling or simple incineration and sorted as a resource for recycling.

At locations where Kao is now permitted to collect waste, used refill packs collected are sent off for recycling at a pilot plant at the Kao Wakayama Research Laboratories after being transported to aggregate collection sites.

“Kao’s plan reduces associated transportation costs and environmental impacts by using existing delivery and pick-up routes that service Kao Group business locations operated by Kao Logistics and other logistics service providers,” details the company.

Kao adds the approved plan can be applied to other regions with similar collection patterns, enabling the “rapid expansion” of the company’s waste collection footprint.

“Going forward, Kao intends to present this plan as a collection model easily implementable by local governments and companies and promote increased collaboration on recycling.”

Film-to-film recycling tests
Kao has been conducting further field tests for recycling used plastic packaging from consumer products in cooperation with local governments, companies and other groups.

In the field tests, Kao has been developing film-to-film recycling technology, in which used refill packs and bottles are collected and made into new packaging.

In May 2023, Kao commercialized development of refill packs that are made using some recycled materials.

Used refill packs (Kao products and other companies’ products) brought to Kao Group business locations by employees are collected by Kao Logistics. In the future, the available collection sites will be expanded to all business locations throughout Japan.

Last February, Kao was named next to Beiersdorf and L’Oréal in earning a triple A rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project.

By Benjamin Ferrer

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