Update:January 24, 2022

【Report】 2nd ICETT Environmental Seminar: Promotion of Plastic Resource Recycling through Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration - Leaning from pioneering cases in Chubu Region

 Overview

International Center for Environmental Technology Transfer, ICETT implemented “2nd ICETT Environmental Seminar: Promotion of Resource Recycling through Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration – Learning from pioneering cases in Chubu Region –“ on 3rd September 2021. This seminar, aiming to facilitation of further practices for plastic resource recycling, provided industrial, academic, and government sectors with an opportunity to think their way forwards to promote their actions in mutual collaboration among those sectors. Due to the expansion of COVID-19, the seminar was held online, with attendance of 417 participants nationwide.

Background and Focus

Reflecting increasing global and national interest in plastic resource recycling, ICETT has set this theme as one of its focal areas of activities, and has been implementing various activities such as overseas training and support to SMEs in Japan for overseas business development. The series of “ICETT Environmental Seminar: Promotion of Resource Recycling through Industry-Government Academia Collaboration” started in 2020 as a new activity in line with this theme. The 1st Seminar in 2020 put focus on upstream of plastic resource circulation and discussed development and dissemination of alternative material for conventional plastics. The 2nd Seminar in 2021 shifted its focus to the downstream including appropriate use, collection recycling of plastic products.

Contents

The seminar stared with the presentation by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan about the latest progress towards effective implementation of the new policy, "Law for promotion of circulative use of plastic resources", which is scheduled to be executed in April 2022. During the next session, the fundamental concept for realizing resource plastic recycling, which lies behind the new law was lectured by Dr. Shinichi Sakai, Deputy Director of Kyoto Institute of Advanced Technology, Visiting Professor of Osaka Institute of Technology, Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University, who is one of the members of the national council.

The second half of the seminar featured initiatives by government and industry towards establishment of plastic resource recycling society. Mie Prefectural Government introduced "Mie Prefecture Recycling Society Formation Promotion Plan", which emphasizes resource recycling based on conventional waste management, and their efforts towards promotion of plastic resource recycling. Two presentations by industrial sector followed. Kyouei J&T Co. Ltd. introduced one of their “PET to PET” projects, which will realize horizontal recycling of plastic bottles in Mie Prefecture. FP Corporation presented their various environmental activities, including their over 30-years efforts of recycling of plastic food tray and consideration of CO2 emission reduction, and their challenges to newly identified issues.

Remarks

ICETT expresses its appreciation to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Chubu Economic Federation, Mie Prefecture, Yokkaichi City, Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya City, Gifu Prefecture, Chubu Economic Federation, who supported the organization of this Seminar.

Picture of the event