Press release
- Recycling Plant
- TBM
TBM and LIMEX start a project of one of the largest recycling plants in Japan that automatically sorts and recycles plastics in Yokosuka City
-Promoting a material circulation model through material mechanical recycling toward a decarbonized society and a recycling-oriented society-
TBM Co., Ltd., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Nobuyoshi Yamasaki; hereinafter referred to as TBM) collects used LIMEX and waste plastics in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, which has declared "Yokosuka City Zero Carbon City". We are pleased to inform you that we will start a project of one of the largest domestic recycling plants (processing capacity: about 40,000 tons per year) that automatically sorts and recycles. In 2018, China started restricting imports of waste plastics, and in 2019, the Basel Convention was revised. The export conditions for waste plastics to Japan have become stricter, and the need for domestic processing of waste plastics is increasing. This plant does not incinerate used LIMEX and plastics, but automatically sorts and cleans them to produce recycled pellets that are used as materials for LIMEX products and recycled plastic products. In Japan, most mechanical recycling plastics are incinerated as a means of effective utilization to recover energy. We aim to curb the consumption of TBM is already working on mechanical recycling in collaboration with business operators, consumers, and local governments in the LIMEX and CircleX businesses. We will work on building a pioneering material circulation model for the realization of a circular economy related to plastics.
Background
In 2019, the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, which regulates the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, adopted a revised bill to include the import and export of unclean waste plastic. Exporting plastics has become difficult, and the need for material circulation through domestic recycling is increasing. Only about 9% *1 of the plastics produced in the world so far have been recycled. t). Among them, thermal recycling (energy recovery) by incineration, which is not recognized as recycling in Europe and the United States, accounts for about 70% (5.13 million tons) of effectively used plastics, and households and businesses do not separate waste. However, a large amount of waste plastic is incinerated *2. In the "Plastic material circulation Strategy," the Japanese government is promoting mechanical recycling that reuses waste plastics as raw materials, and has set a goal of "doubling" the recycling of plastics by 2030. Compared to mechanical recycling, material recycling reduces resource consumption because it does not incinerate waste plastic. Compared to recycling methods and energy recovery, mechanical recycling has the lowest reduction effect, and is reported to be approximately 2.3 times more efficient than energy recovery through power generation and incineration *3. In June 2021, the “Bill for Promotion of material circulation Related to Plastics” was passed, promoting the charging of specific plastic products and the sorted collection and recycling by municipalities and waste disposal companies. Therefore, there is a need to improve the quality and quantity of plastic resource recycling.
* 1 Geyer, R., Jambeck, JR, & Law, KL (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made
* 2 "2019 State of Production, Disposal, Recycling and Processing of Plastic Products" by Japan Plastic Recycling Association
* 3The Association for Recycling and Recycling of Plastics, “Environmental Impact Assessment (LCA) of Recycling Methods of Plastic Containers and Packaging and Energy Recovery”
Premise: Refer to the figures for "plastic containers and packaging discharged from general households," which are assumed to be similar to the waste plastics targeted by this initiative. Refer to the power generation efficiency of 12.8% for thermal recycling (mechanical recycling generation incineration) and the comparison of CO 2 emissions between resin pallets and recycled material pallets for material recycling.
Overview
In order to solve global environmental problems such as resource depletion and climate change, TBM will develop, manufacture, and sell LIMEX, a new material made in Japan that is mainly made of limestone and can be mechanical recycling. We have been working to reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics, reduce CO 2 emissions, utilize domestic resources such as limestone, and build a recycling model for used LIMEX through closed-loop recycling with partner companies and local governments. In July 2020, we launched "CirculeX", a material that recycles used LIMEX and waste plastic as resources, and in order to meet the growing need for recycled materials around the world, CircleX garbage bags We have been working on the development of applications for recycled materials. This project aims to collect and transport used LIMEX, which is currently used by more than 6,000 companies and organizations as an alternative material to plastic and paper, as well as waste plastic that has accumulated in Japan and has a growing need for disposal. We will collect them in cooperation with and promote mechanical recycling. In addition, this plant has been certified by Kanagawa Prefecture as part of "Select Kanagawa NEXT," a corporate invitation program aimed at revitalizing the prefecture's economy and creating employment.
Characteristics of the recycling plant
The world's first plant that automatically sorts and recycles LIMEX and general-purpose plastics
In cooperation with a major overseas sorting machine manufacturer, we have proceeded with the verification of near-infrared material detection and sorting, and have developed a unique program that automatically sorts only LIMEX from other materials such as plastic and paper. We manufacture recycled pellets, which are materials for LIMEX products and recycled plastic products, from collected used LIMEX and waste plastics.
One of the largest plastic recycling plants in Japan
The plant will have an annual processing capacity of approximately 40,000 tons and an annual production capacity of approximately 24,000 tons of recycled pellets, making it one of the largest plastic recycling plants in Japan. By mechanical recycling materials into recycled pellets with competitive price, CO 2 We will reduce emissions and contribute to the promotion of "Yokosuka City Zero Carbon City".
Innovativeness in recycling miscellaneous business-related waste plastics that have conventionally been incinerated
Many recycling plants collect waste plastics from factories where collection targets have been narrowed down and produce recycled pellets. With the introduction of an automatic sorting line, this plant will be able to actively accept and recycle miscellaneous business-related waste plastics generated from offices, factories, etc., which have traditionally been incinerated.
Pioneering the Recycling of Product Plastics from Households
From 2022 onwards, there will be a demand for a recycling system compatible with the new sorting category of “plastic resources,” which will collectively collect all types of waste plastic generated from households. It is possible to.
[Overview of Recycling Plant]
・Location: Part of 58-8 Shinmeicho, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
・Site area 13,693.50 m²
・Building floor area 7,859.85 m²
・Amount underwritten: Approx. 40,000 t/year
・Production volume: about 24,000 tons/year
・Start of operations Autumn 2022 (planned)
Comment from Nobuyoshi Yamasaki TBM CEO
This plant is the world's first base to collect, sort and recycle LIMEX, and it is a great honor to be able to take this big step in Yokosuka City, which is aiming for a zero carbon city. In addition, in response to the growing need for plastic recycling in Japan triggered by export restrictions on waste plastics, we will start from Yokosuka and work with companies in the city to develop a new material circulation model. We will build, disseminate and expand both domestically and internationally. TBM will continue to strive to become the world's top player in the sustainability field.
Comment from Katsuaki Uechi, Mayor of Yokosuka City
Yokosuka City announced the "Yokosuka City Zero Carbon City Declaration" in January this year, and plans to enact the "Protect the Earth Yokosuka Zero Carbon Promotion Ordinance" in October. These efforts by the city and the production of environmentally friendly materials at the new plant that your company is planning to build in the city will both contribute to the promotion of global warming countermeasures toward the transition to a decarbonized society. is. In addition, your company's efforts to realize upcycling as well as reducing the generation of waste plastics and recycling use them to reduce the burden on the environment as much as possible. I would like to think about what kind of cooperation and collaboration is possible in the future. I hope that your company's new plant will convey to the rest of the world your efforts to achieve sustainable and zero carbon emissions from Yokosuka.