2019-04-05

Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho), in collaboration with Veolia Japan K.K. (Veolia Japan) and Kojima Sangyo Co., Ltd. (Kojima Sangyo), jointly established PLANIC Co., Ltd.　(PLANIC). The new company, which is to be Japan's largest recycled plastic processing company, will collect mixed plastic from recycling and other facilities, sort and compound* mixed plastic based on material type to recycle them back into plastic raw materials.

1. Background

At present, a large volume of used plastic is treated as waste. This has become a global issue as it is a cause of environmental pollution. In Japan, there are two types of plastic recycling: thermal recycling plastics for use as a heat energy source and material recycling for reuse to manufacture plastic products. Much of the waste plastic in Japan is not used efficiently, including simply being incinerated, dumped into landfills, or exported overseas. In Japan, the 3R's campaign-Reduce, Reuse and Recycle-is being carried out to promote the recycling of plastic resources. However, there are critical issues, including the acquisition of necessary sorting techniques and improvement to operational efficiency, that stand in the way of the spread and enhancement of material recycling-i.e. turning plastics back into plastic raw material.

2. Summary

PLANIC, which was jointly established by Toyota Tsusho, Veolia Japan and Kojima Sangyo, will not only recycle used plastic from automobiles and home appliances, but will also carry out the material recycling of product plastic, which includes used palettes and containers, and packaging materials from distribution centers and shopping centers, to return them to their raw material state. As the collected plastic is a mixture of various different types of plastics, one issue is that they have to be sorted by material. Galloo Plastics S.A., which possesses a plastic Car to Car recycling technology, licensed the necessary technology, (Machinery provider is Ad Rem N.V.). PLANIC's goal is to process high quality recycled plastic at a low cost by being the first in Japan to utilize an advanced gravity separation technology.

3. Future Development

PLANIC will operate an environmentally-friendly business. The company aims to launch operations in 2021, with the goal of annually recycling roughly 40,000 tons of plastics, taken mainly from automobiles and home appliances. The raw material in the majority of plastic products is petroleum. Promoting the recycling of plastics will also contribute to a reduction in the CO2 emitted at the time the petrochemical products are produced. Through the operations carried out by PLANIC, Toyota Tsusho, Veolia Japan and Kojima Sangyo will contribute to the promotion of resource recycling and a reduction in environmental impact.

*Compound is a technique used to adjust quality by blending pigments, additives, and other resins to the raw material resin

[Overview of new company]

PLANIC Co., Ltd.
Omaezaki City, Shizuoka Prefecture
December, 2018
Approx. 40
Production of resin using mixed plastics as a raw material

[Overview of partner companies]

Veolia Japan K.K. Kojima Sangyo Co., Ltd.
3-20-20 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 50, Kaminagaida, Azabu-cho, Miyoshi City, Aichi Prefecture
May, 2002 August, 1962
Yumiko Noda, President & Representative Director Eiji Kojima, President
3,285 (consolidated) 107
Water treatment, renewable energy and plastic recycling businesses Processing and sales of plastics, steel sheets and steel materials

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Toyota Tsusho Corporation published this content on 05 April 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 05 April 2019 05:26:02 UTC