最終更新日: 2025年11月26日
LIMEX Sheet
LIMEX Sheet, made primarily from calcium carbonate (limestone), is a material that can be used as an alternative to plastic and paper. Compared to sheets molded from petroleum-based plastics, it can reduce the amount of petroleum-based plastics used. Furthermore, compared to paper, it uses almost no water during production, is highly durable and water-resistant, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. LIMEX Sheet is manufactured at our own manufacturing base, the Tohoku LIMEX Factory in Miyagi Prefecture, which uses electricity derived from virtually 100% renewable energy and has a zero CO₂ emission coefficient.
Compared with synthetic sheets
"LIMEX Sheet" can significantly reduce the amount of petroleum used compared to conventional petroleum-based plastics sheets. This contributes to the conservation of limited petroleum resources and reduces CO₂ emissions throughout the entire lifecycle, from raw material procurement to disposal. The main raw material, limestone, has a more stable supply and less price fluctuation than petroleum-based plastics, making it possible to offer it at a stable price.
We are working to visualize and mitigate the environmental impacts that occur throughout the product's life cycle through LCA (Life Cycle Assessment). Here, we will specifically show the environmental performance of our products compared to various petroleum-based plastics, using detailed data such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as CO₂ and the amount of plastic used throughout the product's entire life cycle (from raw material procurement to disposal).
• Inventory database (main reference for emission intensity): LCI database IDEA version 2.3 (2019/12/27), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Safety Science Research Division IDEA Laboratory, General Incorporated Association Act Human Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO)
• Impact assessment method: Climate change IPCC 2013 GWP 100a
Comparison with other companies' products is not possible. ｜It is a calculated value when manufactured under specific manufacturing conditions and is not a guaranteed value. ｜The amount of plastic reduction does not include losses during manufacturing.
Environmental performance of LIMEX Sheet
LIMEX Sheet has a lineup of products with various thicknesses and hardness, from 80 μm suitable for booklets and flyers to 400 μm used for table menus.
GHG emissions
• Functional unit: Seat 1㎡
• Scope: [raw material procurement] - [sheet manufacturing] - [disposal]
• Disposal: Assumed to be incinerated as general waste
*Manufacturing conditions, 80 μm, are based on prototype conditions at the TBM Tagajo Plant in 2021, and others are based on the results at the TBM Shiraishi Plant in FY2020.
* Assumed to have a coating suitable for printing
• LIMEX Sheet: Uses electricity derived from virtually 100% renewable energy
• Other plastic sheets: Assumed using average power in Japan
Amount petroleum-based plastics reduced
Environmental performance
comapred to synthetic sheets
LIMEX Sheet reduces greenhouse gas emissions and uses less plastic than synthetic sheets.
150 µm
GHG emissions
• Functional unit: Seat 1㎡
• Scope: [raw material procurement] - [sheet manufacturing] - [transportation] - [disposal (incineration)]
• Disposal: Assume incineration as general waste.
*Manufacturing conditions are based on the results of TBM Shiroishi Factory in 2020
* Assumed to have a coating suitable for printing
• LIMEX Sheet: Powered by virtually 100% renewable energy
• Other plastic sheets: Assumed using average power in Japan
• Calculation year: 2021
Amount petroleum-based plastics reduced
80 µm
GHG emissions
• Functional unit: seat 1 m2
• Synthetic paper is assumed to be 26.2% calcium carbonate with PP as the main raw material.
• Scope: [raw material procurement] - [sheet manufacturing] - [disposal (incineration)]
• Disposal: Assume incineration as general waste.
*Manufacturing conditions are based on trial production conditions at the TBM Tagajo Factory in 2021.
* Assumed to have a coating suitable for printing
• LIMEX Sheet: Powered by virtually 100% renewable energy
• Other plastic sheets/synthetic paper: Assuming average power consumption in Japan
• Calculation year: 2022
Amount petroleum-based plastics reduced
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through recycling
Greehouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the life cycle of LIMEX products can be significantly reduced by mechanically recycling instead of incineration.
150µm hard
GHG emissions
80µm soft
GHG emissions
• Functional unit: Seat 1㎡
• Scope: 150 μm products [raw material procurement] - [sheet manufacturing] - [transportation] - [disposal] 80 μm products [raw materials procurement] - [sheet manufacturing] - [disposal]
• Disposal: Assume incineration as general waste.
• Recycling: Assumed to be baled
* Manufacturing conditions for 150 μm products are based on the results of TBM Shiroishi Plant in 2020, and 80 μm products are based on prototype conditions at TBM Tagajo Plant in 2021.
* Assumed to have a coating suitable for printing
• Powered by virtually 100% renewable energy
• Calculation year: 2021 for 150μm products, 2022 for 80μm products
Environmental performance compared to paper
"LIMEX Sheet" uses almost no water resources in the manufacturing process and does not use wood pulp, contributing to the conservation of resources that are at high risk of depletion. It is water-proof and tear-proof.
LIMEX Sheet products are burnable and can be incinerated, but we are promoting efforts to recycling them as resources instead of disposing of them as waste.
Uses less water than paper
LIMEX requires almost no water during production. LIMEX Sheet can reduce the amount of water used in factories per ton of sheet by approximately 94% compared to paper.
(Source) Changes in new water use intensity per ton of paper and paperboard production: Japan Paper Association
(Source) Water usage at the Tohoku LIMEX factory divided by production volume: TBM survey, January 2025
*LIMEX Sheet: Product category with a thickness of 150μm or more
LIMEX Sheet product numbers, features, and application examples
Can be used for UV offset, oil-based offset*1, LBP*2, digital printing, and inkjet.
*2 Please contact us for 80µm and 150µm models.
- white/soft
- Supple type with high whiteness and low specific gravity
| form | Thickness | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| sheet | 80 μm | Booklets, Flyers, Maps |
| sheet | 150 μm | Posters, booklets, flyers, pamphlets, POP, maps |
| sheet | 200 µm | Posters, booklets, flyers, pamphlets, POP |
| sheet | 300 µm | Business card, menu table, folding box, POP |
| sheet | 400 µm | Business card, menu table, folding box, tapestry, POP |
| roll | 150 μm | Posters, booklets, flyers, pamphlets, POP, maps |
| roll | 200 μm | Posters, booklets, flyers, pamphlets, POP |
| roll | 300 µm | Business card, menu table, folding box, POP |
- Translucent/Hard
- Translucent and strong type
| form | Thickness | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| sheet | 150 μm | File, mask case, illumination film, folding box (assembled box) |
| sheet | 200 μm | File, mask case, illumination film, folding box (assembled box) |
| sheet | 300 µm | File, mask case, illumination film, folding box (assembled box) |
- White/Hard
- Achieves both high whiteness and firmness
| form | Thickness | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| sheet | 300 μm | Table menu, package, door tag, store POP, hand fan, calendar |
| sheet | 400 μm | Table menu, package, door tag, store POP, hand fan, calendar |