Hankyu Hanshin Holdings expands “Bottle to Bottle” plastic recycling program

In a bold move to advance sustainability in Japan’s urban infrastructure and hospitality industries, Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Group has announced the significant expansion of its “Bottle to Bottle” PET bottle horizontal recycling initiative in partnership with Circular PET Co., Ltd.

The partnership, solidified with a formal agreement on June 16, will unify PET bottle collection and recycling across key group properties, including popular destinations like HEP FIVE, Applause Tower, and the iconic Takarazuka Grand Theater. Under this plan, PET bottles collected from visitors and operations will be recycled into new PET resin for bottle manufacturing.

By the end of fiscal 2025, the main administrative building for Hankyu Corporation and multiple group subsidiaries will also serve as dedicated collection points as the program gears up for network-wide implementation. Ultimately, the group aims to roll out the initiative across all its managed commercial facilities and directly operated hotels to maximise resource efficiency and minimise environmental impact.

This milestone is rooted in the group’s long-term management vision, which prioritises environmental conservation through advanced recycling, waste reduction, and fostering consumer habits grounded in sustainability. The recycling program leverages the capabilities of Circular PET’s state-of-the-art recycling plant in Okayama, which went fully online in June 2024 as a joint venture between Veolia Japan, Mitsui & Co., and Seven & i Holdings.

Hankyu Hanshin Holdings intends to set the bar for decarbonization, circular economy practices, and the integration of climate initiatives across the entire value chain, helping shape Japan’s built environment into a model of future-ready, “well-being” cities.

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Center (Circle): Bottle to Bottle Recycling

Step 1 (Top left): Hankyu Hanshin HD Group Facilities – Used PET bottles are collected from the group’s target locations.

Step 2 (Top right): Used PET bottles are collected by an intermediate processing company and turned into bales.

Step 3 (Bottom right): The bales are collected by companies such as Circular PET and processed into recycled PET resin.

Step 4 (Bottom left): New PET bottles are manufactured using the recycled PET resin (by beverage manufacturers, PET bottle recyclers, etc.).