TBMbegins collaboration with Shoko Chukin Bank to promote the useof the recycled materials procurement support platform “Maar Recycled Materials Procurement”

- Promoting the use of recycled materials among small and medium-sized enterprises nationwide, with the aim of promoting local recycling in Japan -

TBM Co., Ltd., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Nobuyoshi Yamasaki; hereinafter referred to as TBM) aims to be an advanced initiative to promote wide-area regional circulation, and has begun collaborating with The Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Masahiro Sekine; hereinafter referred to as Shoko Chukin), which has a network of over 75,000 companies, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, throughout Japan, to promote the spread of "Maar Recycled Material Procurement," a platform that supports the procurement of recycled materials and raw materials (hereinafter referred to as "recycled materials, etc.") that have traceability information attached.

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The official Maar Recycled Materials Procurement website isHere

The registration page for purchasing companies (free registration) isHere

The registration page for sales companies (free registration) isHere

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■ Background

The growing global recycled materials market

The shift from a linear economy to a circular economy is becoming a global trend. The global recycled plastics market is expected to grow from $50.78 billion in 2023 to $88.96 billion in 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 8.3% during the forecast period* ¹. Each company has set targets for increasing the proportion of recycled materials used, but among the companies participating in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, the top 10 brands and manufacturers in terms of plastic consumption are expected to need to supply more than 3 million tons of recycled materials per year to achieve their 2025 targets* ².

　

*1 https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/recycled-plastic-market-102568

*2 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/global-commitment-2023/overview

　

Creation of a regional circulation model promoted by the Japanese government

In Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has formulated a "Growth-oriented Resource Autonomous Economy Strategy" in March 2023, is supporting GX investment to accelerate arterial and venous collaboration, and is considering launching a circular economy information distribution platform. In Japan and overseas, along with the promotion of eco-design and the increase in demand for recycled materials, there is a growing need to visualize information on substances contained, as well as physical properties, processing, and quality information. In addition, in order to realize a circular economy, the aim is to promote regional independence while creating regional circulation models that make the most of the characteristics of each region and promoting model case projects.

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■ Overview of collaboration

TBM has been operating one of Japan's largest mechanical recycling recycling plants, planning products using the recycled material "CirculeX," and working with over 100 recycling partners nationwide to collect plastic and sell recycled plastic both domestically and internationally. In 2023, it obtained the international certification programs "Global Recycled Standard Certification" and "Recycled Claim Standard Certification" for recycled products, and in 2024 began offering "Maar Recycled Material Procurement," a platform that supports recycled material procurement. TBM and Shoko Chukin Bank have been collaborating since 2022 to collect, recycle, and remanufacture waste plastic generated by small and medium-sized enterprises nationwide in order to promote the spread of CirculeX. Through the spread and expansion of "Maar Recycled Material Procurement," which utilizes Shoko Chukin Bank's network of over 75,000 companies, we will promote local circulation in various parts of Japan, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, and promote the sustainability efforts of small and medium-sized enterprises.

　

・About "Maar Recycled Materials Procurement"

This is a platform provided by TBM that supports the procurement of recycled materials that comply with the Digital Product Passport* (hereinafter referred to as DPP). In Europe, DPP compliance will be stipulated in the Ecodesign Regulation published by the EU Commission in March 2022, and is expected to be approved in 2024. In the EU, it will be mandatory for products sold to have a DPP attached, so in the future, companies selling products to Europe are expected to be forced to take full-scale measures.

"Maar Recycled Material Procurement" utilizes the DPP system to increase the added value of recycled materials and promote the spread of traceable recycled materials and products made from recycled materials. Product and molding manufacturers and other "companies that manufacture products using recycled materials, etc." and waste plastic generators, recyclers, compounders and other "companies that sell recycled materials, etc." register the requirements data for the recycled materials they wish to buy and sell within this service, and TBM's sales personnel with extensive know-how cultivated through past material circulation efforts support each recycled material transaction, enabling highly accurate matching of recycled material transactions.

^* Digital Product Passport (DPP) is an electronic record that provides access to the entire life cycle of a product, from raw material procurement to recycling. By collecting data on manufacturing and its supply chain (recycled material content, GHG emissions, materials used, disposal methods, traceability information, etc.) and sharing it throughout the value chain, the aim is to enable all stakeholders, including consumers, to purchase products and materials with an understanding of their environmental friendliness.