ITOCHU Announces the Introduction of a Collection Box Using Ocean Plastic Waste as a Raw Material to FamilyMart Food Drive
September 21, 2021
ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Keita Ishii, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has developed a food collection box that is partially made from ocean plastic waste that drifted ashore in Tsushima-shi, Nagasaki Prefecture for the FamilyMart Food Drive*1 program in cooperation with FamilyMart Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Kensuke Hosomi, Representative Director and President; hereinafter “FamilyMart”) and TerraCycle Japan LLC (headquartered in Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture; Eric Kawabata, APAC General Manager; hereinafter “TerraCycle”). ITOCHU will gradually roll out this collection box to over 500 FamilyMart stores around the nation beginning in early October.
Ocean plastic waste is an issue that has drawn global attention in recent years. Measures addressing this issue have been a matter of urgency. Specifically, it is estimated that an annual total of about 20,000 m3 of ocean plastic waste has drifted ashore in Tsushima-shi, Nagasaki Prefecture.*2 It has been an issue of serious public concern.
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This is the second time that FamilyMart stores have begun using equipment made using raw materials partially derived from ocean plastic waste developed by the three companies. The first was the shopping basket introduced in February 2021.*3
Following the precedent of the shopping basket, TerraCycle obtained ocean plastic waste collected in Tsushima-shi, Nagasaki Prefecture for the manufacturing of this collection box in collaboration with ITOCHU.
FamilyMart, ITOCHU and TerraCycle will work to raise awareness of the global ocean plastic waste issue through the introduction of the collection box for the FamilyMart Food Drive.
Collection box
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Size : Outer dimension: 530 x 366 x 325 mm
Net Volume : 50 liters
Characteristics : It uses ocean plastic waste collected in Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture as part of its raw materials.
ITOCHU has set "Enhancing our contribution to and engagement with the SDGs" as one of the Basic Policies in the medium-term management plan and will contribute to achievement of the SDGs through reduction of ocean plastics and awareness raising of the ocean plastic issue, etc.
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*1FamilyMart, through its FamilyMart Food Drive program, receives foods donated by people and provides them to people who need assistance via local governments, NPOs, and other collaborators. As of September 21, 2021, 529 stores in 31 prefectures in Japan are participating in the program, and it will expand in the future.
The FamilyMart Food Drive on the FamilyMart website (Japanese) - *2Source: Tsushima-shi SDGs and Future City Plan (published by Tsushima-shi on August 26, 2020)
- *3February 9, 2021 ITOCHU Announces the Introduction of a Shopping Basket Using Ocean Plastic Waste as a Raw Material at FamilyMart Stores in Locations Including Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture
● ITOCHU launched EQUALLY BEAUTIFUL., It’s the medium for presenting eco-friendly efforts in many fields, including fashion initiatives, environmentally friendly materials initiatives, and initiatives to achieve sustainable lifestyles.