Kirin and Lawson start a demonstration experiment of collecting PET bottles in Japan, boosting bottle-to-bottle recycling
Kirin Holdings Company Ltd, Kirin Beverage Company Ltd, and the retailer Lawson, Inc. started a demonstration experiment of collecting used PET bottle containers at the Japanese Lawson Yokohama-Shinkoyasu store, utilising the infrastructure of the two companies.The purpose of this initiative is to promote the recycling of PET bottles with the aim of realising a “society in which plastics continue to be recycled”. Kirin Group-developed PET bottle collection systems have been installed in stores of the retailer Lawson to encourage customers to collect PET bottles that they dispose of at home. In addition, PET bottles deposited at stores will be collected through the vending machine operation route of Tokyo Kirin Beverage Service Company, a subsidiary of Kirin Beverage, to improve transportation efficiency, before being delivered to the recycling plant. By making it more convenient for customers to recycle PET bottles, the ratio of “bottle to bottle” is intended to be increased. The environmental impact of CO2 and other substances is aimed to be decreased by improving the efficiency of container collection routes. In addition, for every five PET bottles collected, one Ponta point will be awarded to promote awareness of the installed systems and to encourage recycling.
By the end of 2022, when the “Law concerning the promotion of resource recycling for plastics” comes into effect, the companys aim to expand their efforts based on the findings of the demonstration. Going forward, the Kirin Group and Lawson will continue to work together to solve social issues with the aim of realising a society in which plastics continue to be recycled.
The Kirin Group has formulated the Kirin Group Vision 2027, a long-term management concept, and aims to become a leading company in the world in CSV. A part of these efforts is the Kirin Group Environmental Vision 2050, a vision to strengthen the resilience of society and the company and a declaration that the aim is to become a society in which containers and packaging are recycled in a sustainable manner. In addition, the Kirin Group Plastics Policy calls for 50% of the PET resin used in Japan to be recycled by 2027. In order to achieve this goal, the company will expand the development of the “R100 Bottle” that uses 100% rPET, and – through a joint project with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation – a chemical recycling technology to “convert PET bottles and other PET products into PET bottles” is to be established.
