Japan Productivity Center
Eco-Management Center
Chief of Eco-Management Center

Mr. Kazunori Kitagawa

For more 20 years, engaged in research and consulting related to the environmental policy of the Government and companies.
Member of Industry Circular Economy Vision Study Group (FY2018-FY2019) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, NEDO Technical Committee Member, ISO TC323 Circular Economy WG1 Expert and its Domestic Committee Member (2019-2023).
Major publications include A New Economy Created by Environmental and Welfare Policies published by Iwanami, "Circular Economy: Circular Economy Transforms Business" Keiso Shobo, "Plastic Environmental Technology" Joho Kiko, "Encyclopedia of Material Recycling Technology" Nihon Kogyo Shuppan, "Plastic Chemical Recycling Technology" MC Publishing.

Since EU second Circular Economy Action Plan, the focus has been shifting from waste recycling to the use of recycled materials in manufacturing. Plastics are particularly vulnerable to this policy shift. For example, the draft of End-of-Life Vehicle regulation stipulates that 25 percent recycled plastic content will be mandatory from around 2030. To achieve this goal, not only efforts on the venous side are required, but also the arterial side is required to convert most of the products manufactured into products that can be recycled. In other words, the idea of plastic products as a source of recycled plastic raw materials is emphasized. In response to the ever-increasing demand for recycled plastics, it is an urgent issue how to improve and develop the arterial-venous supply chain.

Toray Industries, Inc.
Chemicals Research Laboratories
Chief Research Associate

Mr. Shunsuke HORIUCHI

PPS resin is widely used in automotive parts and electronic devices, but waste disposal remains a significant challenge. Unlike the recycling of other common resins, recycling PPS resin requires overcoming the issue of mechanical strength degradation due to the breakage of glass fibers.
To address these challenges, Toray has developed a material recycling pellet by utilizing their proprietary compounding technology, incorporating specially reinforced fibers into PPS resin.
This session will introduce Toray’s innovative technology and specific initiatives towards resource circulation, sharing strategies aimed at achieving a sustainable future.

Sony has launched SORPLAS a flame-retardant recycled resin and is promoting various products. By developing resource utilization technology, Sony aims to reduce the environmental impact in the future.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
SORPLAS Business Office System Solutions Business Division
Chemical Engineer

Mr. Akito Kuriyama

Sony has commercialized "SORPLAS" a flame-retardant recycled polycarbonate resin that uses collected resources and Sony’s original flame retardant PSS-K to achieve a recycled material rate of up to 99%, and is promoting its use in products both inside and outside the company. In addition, by controlling the molecular weight of collected resources, we are also developing technologies that will allow them to be reused as raw materials for various applications, with the aim of expanding the uses for resource reuse and reduce the environmental impact in the future.
In this presentation, we will introduce the feature of SORPLAS, which is being increasingly introduced both inside and outside the company, the technology for effective use of collected resources, and future developments.

ADEKA Corporation
Polymer Additives R&D Laboratory
General Manager/Head of R&D

Mr. Shinichi ISHIKAWA

ISHIKAWA has more than 30 years of experience in Polymer Additives field. Recent 5 years, I was a President and CEO of Amfine Chemical Corporation which is ADEKA’s affiliate in the U.S. My current role is General Manager/Head of Polymer Additives R&D laboratory of ADEKA Corporation Japan. I am now leading R&D activities for new products such as nucleating agent, clarifier, halogen free flame retardants etc. and technologies for carbon neutrality, GHG reduction.

As a measure to materialize the circular economy, the importance of plastic recycling has been getting higher and higher and the various approaches has been taking place. The utilization of polymer additives is one of the solutions to achieve this goal. With small dosages, the additives can improve the stability of recycled plastics, thereby extending its durability and enhancing its mechanical properties etc. can be materialized. This approach enables the recycled resins to displace the virgin resin or increase the ratio of recycled resin to achieve the target properties. It can also lead to the expansion of adaptable applications. In this paper, we would like to introduce the additive solutions which can promote the material recycling as the contribution to a sustainable society.