Kaneka Launches Demonstration Project of Resource Circulation Model with KANEKA Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet™

－Public-Private Partnership Realized using Hiroshima Prefecture's Subsidy－

KANEKA CORPORATION
August 29, 2024
Kaneka Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuhiko Fujii), Sogo & Seibu Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toshima-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroto Taguchi) , Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture (Mayor: Taro Matsumoto) and Rock Field Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kobe-city, Hyogo; President: Takashi Furutsuka) will launch a demonstration project of resource circulation model using KANEKA Biodegradable Polymer Green PlanetTM (hereinafter "Green Planet" *1). This project is being carried out with Kaneka as the lead organization, having been selected for the “FY2024 Marine Plastic Countermeasures (Reducing plastic usage, etc.) / Leading Project Support Subsidy*2” publicly solicited by Hiroshima Prefecture. The project aligns with the subsidy’s aim to socially implement the reduction of single-use plastics and the expansion and advancement of renewable plastics, and has been realized through mutual collaboration. The project period of this subsidy is until March 31, 2025.

Green Planet is a biodegradable polymer developed by Kaneka based on its desire to provide environmentally friendly solutions that do not depend on petroleum resources. Normally, vegetable oil is used as the raw material for Green Planet, but in order to diversify the raw materials, Kaneka has established a technology to produce Green Planet from used cooking oil.

The demonstration project will utilize this technology to produce Green Planet straws from used cooking oil released from the SOGO Hiroshima store as part of the raw materials. Not only the straws will be used at Hatsukaichi municipal elementary schools and junior high schools and Rockfield’s VEGETERIA at SOGO Hiroshima store, they will be introduced in educational activities for children and citizens. Hatsukaichi Municipal Yoshiwa Elementary and Junior High School, the model schools of this project, will demonstrate an on-site biodegradation model; the first demonstration model of an on-site composting of Green Planet straws in western Japan.


                                     

                                                                                                        Project Overview  

*1. Green Planet is a 100% plant-derived biodegradable polymer developed Kaneka. It has excellent biodegradability in a wide range of environments and is easily decomposed in soil and seawater to return to CO2 and water, thus contributing to solving environmental pollution problems caused by plastics.

*2. Hiroshima Prefecture, in an aim to stop new plastic waste discharged in the Seto Inland Sea by 2050, provides subsidies to leading companies and organizations who implement initiatives using the prefecture as a demonstration site, in order to form leading projects that socially implement the reduction of single use plastics, promotion of alternative plastic materials usage, and expansion and advancement of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and renewable plastics.

【About Kaneka Corporation】
Based on our mission of "KANEKA thinks Wellness First.", we will carve out a rich future by providing solutions to the three crises the world is facing: environment/energy, food and health, from various angles.
Company Name: Kaneka Corporation
Headquarters: 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo (ARK Mori Building)
Representative: Kazuhiko Fujii, President
URL: https://www.kaneka.co.jp/en/

【About Sogo & Seibu Co., Ltd.】
Sogo & Seibu promotes efforts to achieve the goals of the SDGs by providing mechanisms and places where customers, business partners, local residents, government, schools, NPOs, and others can connect with each other, and by building on the activities of each employee with a high level of awareness.
Company Name: Sogo & Seibu Co.
Headquarters: SEIBU Ikebukuro Main Store Books Building, 1-18-21 Minami Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Hiroto Taguchi, Director, Executive Officer and President
URL: https://www.sogo-seibu.co.jp/

【About Hatsukaichi City】
Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, declared itself a "Zero Carbon City" in June 2022, is working to realize future vision of the Hatsukaichi City Environmental Basic Plan: “Hatsukaichi, an environmentally creative city where the sea and people thrive” . One team, “All Hatsukaichi”, with citizens, business owners and municipal services are working together to achieve “carbon neutrality by 2050”
Name of Municipality: Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Location: 1-11-1 Shimohera, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Representative: Taro Matsumoto, Mayor
URL: https://www.city.hatsukaichi.hiroshima.jp/

【About Rock Field Co., Ltd.】
With a corporate philosophy of contributing to the "creation of a fulfilling lifestyle " through our passion for SOZAI and self-actualizing actions, the company operates 314 stores (as of the end of April 2024) with six store brands including "RF1" in department stores and station buildings nationwide, and the frozen food brand "RFFF”.
Company Name: Rock Field Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 15-2 Uozakihama-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Representative: Takashi Furutsuka, President and Representative Director
URL:https://www.rockfield.co.jp/eng/