Activities

協議会の活動

Activity purposePurpose

Leading Japan Towards Circular Economy Excellence

The council focuses its activities on the three pillars below, collaborating with various resource circulation stakeholders such as manufacturers and retailers, waste generators, collection and transport operators, recycling operators, financial institutions, local governments, experts, government ministries, and related organizations, to carry out “Policy Making,” “social implementation,” and “communications.” These pillars are “Resource recycling in which the upstream and downstream sectors of the supply chain, possessing high environmental value and international competitiveness, work in coordination,” “Leveraging DX (Digital Transformation) technology to create value through carbon recycling-based green innovation,” and “Creation of a decarbonized, low-environmental-impact regional circulation model through the formation of a regional circulation co-existence sphere.”

Themes that the council focuses on

Three Pillars and Their Foundational Development

Resource recycling in which the upstream and downstream sectors of the supply chain, possessing high environmental value and international competitiveness, work in coordination

Leveraging DX technology to create value through carbon recycling-based green innovation

Creation of a decarbonized, low-environmental-impact regional circulation model through the formation of a regional circulation co-existence sphere

Rule-making to foster the creation of new markets

Behavioral change in businesses and consumers, and the fostering of new values

Information disseminationCommunications

In addition to regularly hosting events that facilitate business matching among members, we will hold seminars to share leading domestic and international examples of resource recycling and, through newsletters (for members) and owned media, conduct wide communications of the council’s activities.

Events & Seminars

  • Presentations of working group activities
  • PR and exhibition by member companies and organizations
  • Networking events (business matching, social gatherings)
  • Seminars (lectures, panel discussions, etc.) that share domestic and international examples of circular economy initiatives

Newsletter (for members) / Owned Media

  • We regularly distribute information such as reports on the council’s activities, various information about the circular economy, introductions of initiatives by Regular Member and Supporting Member companies, and awareness-raising content for the broader society.

working groupWorking Group

Through collaborative working groups with “Regular Member,” “Special Member,” and the secretariat that promote a circular economy for the purpose of linking upstream and downstream industries across the entire lifecycle, creating value through green innovation by leveraging DX technology, and establishing regional circulation models, we will not only share information and promote mutual understanding but also output various initiatives to society.

*As a rule, only Regular Member and Special Member can participate in the working group. startup members can participate in working groups intended for startup companies, organizations, entrepreneurs, and management teams. The secretariat will select members of each working group, taking into account the theme and number of participants. In addition, for Approval Member, Supporting Member, startup member, as well as sponsor/Observer companies and organizations, board of directors and the secretariat may request cooperation in surveys related to the council’s activities or request (on a voluntary basis) their participation in working groups attended by Regular Member and Special Member.

ワーキンググループ活動案

Group 1

Promotion of material recycling of plastics to realize decarbonized resource circulation

Purpose

To achieve the 2030 milestone of doubling recycling, as stated in the Plastic Resource Circulation Strategy, and to promote collaboration between upstream and downstream industries, we will conduct Policy Making and social implementation to build a decarbonized plastic resource circulation system.

*We will conduct Policy Making on the “Bill to Advance the Sophistication of Recycling Businesses, etc., for the Promotion of Resource Circulation.”

Activities

According to the Ministry of the Environment’s summary of the “Second Review of the Fourth Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society and Formulation of the Circular Economy Roadmap,” the volume of collected plastic containers, packaging, and plastic products is projected to more than double by 2030, and the volume of voluntary collection by companies and collection of plastic industrial waste is estimated to increase by about one million tons.

In this working group, to achieve our objectives, we will organize the issues currently considered to be challenges in building a decarbonized plastic resource circulation system, as identified by various stakeholders involved in resource circulation who participate as working group members. We will conduct a survey (to re-identify, reconfirm, and solicit solutions to these issues) for all members of the Resource Recycling Council. After compiling the results, we will reconsider the necessary measures and, in addition, propose the economic ripple effects of establishing a decarbonized resource circulation system to relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, through Policy Making.

資源循環における国内の課題

Group 2

Creation of a decarbonized, low-environmental-impact regional circulation model

Purpose

We will implement Policy Making and social implementation regarding the measures necessary to realize a decarbonized, low-environmental-impact regional circulation model, as well as mechanisms that promote behavioral changes among businesses and consumers.

Activities

One of the major directions of the government’s resource circulation strategy is “creating sustainable regions utilizing local resources and developing advanced model cases.” In this working group, to achieve our objectives, we will use the Yokosuka and Miura Peninsula area as our field and refer to examples of regional circulation models both in Japan and abroad. We will create regional circulation models that include modal shifts, small-scale in-store collection, and other initiatives that lead to the creation of new industries, corporate attraction, and tourism promotion. We are currently organizing issues considered to be challenges in creating regional circulation models and will conduct a survey (to re-identify, reconfirm, and solicit solutions to these challenges) for all members of the Resource Recycling Council. After compiling the results, we will reconsider the necessary measures and regional resource circulation models, and implement Policy Making to relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. In addition, we will utilize subsidies to carry out social implementation projects in the Yokosuka and Miura Peninsula area.

RRCロゴ

Group 3

Building a framework for a Japanese standard DPP that revitalizes the recycled material market and creating advanced use cases

Purpose

We will create a sustainable framework by connecting DPP (Digital Product Passport) to the enhancement of Japan's competitiveness.

Activities

In this working group, we will invite corporations with applications related to DPP, organizations that promote data collaboration among companies, and experts leading Japan's standardization efforts. The group aims to leverage DPP to strengthen Japan's competitiveness and create a sustainable framework by advancing various discussions and demonstration experiments. With an eye toward collaboration with SIP and Circular Partners, which lead DPP discussions in Japan, we aim to significantly advance DPP utilization in the country.

(Specific Step Proposal)

  1. 1.Envision a sustainable state based on preceding European cases and Japanese initiatives led by government agencies
  2. 2.Consider the boundaries and collaboration between publicly driven platforms (cooperative areas) led by government agencies and each company's applications (competitive areas)
  3. 3.Centering on companies providing applications, discuss the feasibility of DPP as a business
  4. 4.Based on hypotheses, demonstrate the cycle in DPP utilization

Group 4

Promotion of initiatives for the practical application of carbon recycling products through carbon circulation

Purpose

Aiming for the early practical application of carbon recycling products through carbon circulation, we will pursue widespread adoption in partnership with industry, government, and academia, create carbon credits by evaluating environmental value, and undertake Policy Making and social implementation to promote inter-industry collaboration.

Activities

The government has indicated that in order to establish an ecosystem for carbon recycling, it is necessary to create and nurture key players from industry, government, and academia. In this working group, to achieve our objectives, we will accelerate inter-industry collaboration and work with businesses engaged in research and technology development for carbon recycling, businesses that manufacture and sell carbon recycling products, CO2 emitters, CO2 users, and other key players in the carbon recycling value chain. Through the use of subsidies and grants, we will carry out social implementation projects. Furthermore, to promote the widespread use of carbon recycling products, we will examine business models that create carbon credits and implement Policy Making to relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2020

※Reference: Source: IEA “Energy Technology Perspectives 2020”
According to IEA forecasts, of the CO2 emissions from energy sources, the reduction contribution expected from CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, Storage), including carbon recycling technologies, is about 19%, ranking in the top three.