Pilot project for applying recycled packaging-derived resin to home appliances
Principal Organization
Panasonic Holdings Corporation
Collaborating Organization
Panasonic Corporation
Research and Development Overview
Our group has been promoting plastic recycling initiatives based on the concept of “from products to products,” in which resources recovered from end-of-life products are reused as materials for new products (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Process of Resin Recycling
To further expand resource circulation, this project focuses on recycled plastics derived from containers and packaging, which represent a key priority area in recycling. Containers and packaging account for a large volume of plastic usage and have relatively short lifetimes, resulting in a significant amount of waste plastics. Through this SIP program, we aim to establish a new recycling model: “Packaging-to-Appliance.”
However, compared with plastics derived from used home appliances, recycled plastics from containers and packaging require additional considerations in terms of material performance due to factors such as contamination, multilayer structures, coloration, and odor. In addition, their properties tend to be less stable.
To address these challenges, we will pursue social implementation of the “Packaging-to-Appliance” model through the following three activities:
- Activity 1: Material characterization
- Activity 2: Development of material modification formulations
- Activity 3: Application to home appliance products
In FY2026, we will implement Activity 2 based on the fundamental properties of recycled plastics from containers and packaging identified through Activity 1 in the previous year.
Specifically, by leveraging digital technologies such as materials informatics, we will explore optimal material modification formulations—including additive selection and blending with other plastics—that are applicable to home appliance products.