B2-01 Establishment of separation and supply system for collected plastics in cooperation with local governments
Principal Investigator
MIYAHARA Nobuo (AMITA Holdings Co., Ltd.)
Research and Development Overview
The objective of this research and development project is to collaborate with local governments to develop a plastic sorting and supply system and establish an "X to Car" model for supplying high-quality recycled materials for automobiles. The specific goals are as follows:
- Material Recycling Rate:
Achieve a 50% material recycling rate in the target region of the model site by FY2027. - Material Recycling Volume:
Reach 10 tons per year of recycled plastic at the model site by FY2027. - Resource Quality Verification:
Establish target values with material manufacturers and verify the physical properties of test products, including MFR (Melt Flow Rate), melt viscosity, tensile properties (yield stress, elongation between chucks, modulus of elasticity), bending properties (bending strength, modulus of elasticity), and b-ESCR (bottle Environmental Stress Crack Resistance). - Enhancing Plastic Product Recyclability.
- Hypothesis Testing and Generalization:
Conduct hypothesis testing and verification to encourage mindset and behavioral changes in consumers regarding recycling.
Progress and Achievements
- (1) Resource Recovery Stations in Kobe City
Continued collection verification at two existing sites and launched a new site in Kobe, including target material (PP) collection and strategies to increase collection volume. The Econova resource recovery stations collecting target materials have expanded to 70 locations. - (2) Standardization of In-Store Collection Model
Working with members of the Kobe City Refill Pack Recycling Project to advance the in-store collection model. The Annual Report was completed in January 2025, and know-how for the in-store collection model is being consolidated. - (3) Establishing the Framework for Site-Based Collection
Collaborating with J-CEP within the Circular Economy Task Force of the Eco-System Society Organization to drive social implementation. Three working groups (Local Government/Policy WG, Collected Resources WG, and Consumer Engagement WG) were launched to organize prior verification activities. - (4) Customer Journey Map Development
Developed customer journey maps with multiple personas to identify intervention points for behavioral change. Designed an "embodied knowledge × meaning-based knowledge" workshop co-created with Ryohin Keikaku (MUJI) fans, along with prototyping and demonstration experiment plans. - (5) Social Impact Evaluation
Conducted user surveys, measured dwell time, and tracked increased conversation opportunities using beacons. Released an impact evaluation report on resource recovery stations together with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. With Chiba University's Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, confirmed an approximately 15% reduction in long-term care risk among elderly participants in community-based collection. - (6) Collaboration with the Inclusive Community Platform (Task A1)
Discussed schemes for visualizing resident behavioral mechanisms using data and supporting policy formulation. In FY2026, collaboration will be conducted using Kobe City as the field. - (7) Recycled Material Preparation for Adaptability Mapping
Compound evaluation conducted by Mitsui Chemicals (Sub-task C) and physical property evaluation by Tohoku University on pellets from PET bottle caps, storage cases, and PP food containers (e.g., tofu containers). Demonstrated washing, crushing, and pelletizing of OPP containers. - (8) Organizing Japan's Challenges and Action Plan
Developed an action plan for social implementation, aligned with the roadmap of the industry-government-academia consortium for the automotive recycled plastics market.