Telegram. Be more creative in business. Learning from project examples to realize circular economy

On November 9 and 10, 2021, Dentsu Japan Network Sustainability Office and Dentsu TeamSDGs held a webinar on "realizing the New Cooperation and Business potential of the Global economy".

Based on empirical experiments and examples jointly implemented by various enterprises and autonomous bodies, this webinar introduces the possibility of cooperation and commerce in the future. In the network telegram, its contents will be introduced in the form of a summary for three times. In the last episode, we will convey the content of the conversation to you on the three projects jointly created by Dentsu Group and the enterprise.

これまでの記事はこちら・「サーキュラーエコノミー」で、消費や社会はどう変わる？・企業がサーキュラーエコノミーに取り組むべき4つの動機

Develop 100% plant-derived plastics. Circular economy starting from materials

First of all, I would like to introduce the conversation between eggplant Kawahito, chairman of the career innovation partner, and Dentsu Technology, Hudu Shengo. The MC is held by Dentsu Technology Shi Zeyuan. Business Innovation partner is the first company in the world to successfully develop and manufacture bioplastic materials based on hemicellulose. Hemicellulose is about 20% of the polysaccharides in wood. the global wood production is 1.8 billion tons per year, and the output is about 500 million tons. But it is difficult to use effectively, the utilization rate is less than 1%, and it is almost waste material. On the other hand, the biodegradability in the sea is very high and special. Because it helps to reduce CO2 emissions, the use of hemicellulose-derived bioplastics developed by the company can be expected to have greater environmental effects.

Dentsu Technology is responsible for manufacturing, including manufacturing within the Dentsu Group. In recent years, with the increasing demand for sustainable customers, it has engaged in a lot of recycled and environmentally friendly products.

This time, the two companies joined forces to challenge the development of original environmentally friendly plastics.

Career innovation partner eggplant Sichuan on the reasons for cooperation: "Resin material manufacturers have technological advantages, in any case, it is easy to have out-of-product ideas." On the other hand, Dentsu Technology is good at taking customers as the starting point of the market idea, so I think through in-depth exploration of the customer needs of our products, we can open up a new way out. "

Hudu of Dentsu Technology also realized: "in the process of material development from Sichuan to Sichuan supply chain, there will be cost and versatility problems and will not be adopted." Dentsu Group is good at marketing from the starting point of market and life demand, or from the topics and insights of multiple customers, what kind of products, technologies, materials, etc., from downstream areas. "

The material produced by the collaboration between the two companies is "PLANEO planets". "PLANEO plastics" are 100% plant-derived plastics with high manufacturing versatility. Compared with traditional 100% plant-based bioplastics, it has higher fluidity, higher molding speed and design reprintability, which can not only reproduce fine design, but also reduce manufacturing costs.

Hudu said, "We know that things made by injection molding (injection molding) can be made to some extent even by PLANEO tools, such as tableware, cutlery, and, of course, hand-made toys." It explains what can be done with subtle shapes that bioplastics were not good at before.

"Dentsu technology is part of customer promotion, and there are many opportunities to make tableware such as spoons and forks, so it makes a lot of sense to deal with the environment as much as possible," Shize said. "

Finally, eggplant Chuan and Hudu respectively commented on the role of environmentally friendly materials in the global economy.

Eggplant Kawakawa said, "it is not only countries like Japan that achieve high recycling rates, but when they can no longer be used, they decompose in the soil and sea to make materials back to natural materials." it is very meaningful for the establishment of a circular economy and society. "

"PLANEO plastics are 100% plant-derived biodegradable plastics that can restore nature once they are turned into plastics and reduce CO2 emissions compared with petroleum-derived plastics," Hudu said. I think the material itself is circular, which has great potential for the realization of circular economy. "

PLANEO™️について詳しく知りたい方は、下記の記事もご参照ください。・植物由来プラスチックの開発って、どこまで進んでいるの？

A new form of regional cycle combining food residues and biodegradable materials

Next, there is a conversation between Okihito Okihito, the value design department of NTT business solutions, and Tetsuya Kobayashi, manager of the market development department of Mitsubishi Chemical Sustainable Polymers. Toshiko Horida served as MC and discussed the work of "New Regional Circulation with the combination of Food residue (Sa) and Biodegradable Materials".

NTT Business Solutions has been providing local food resource recycling solutions since 2019 as part of activities that contribute to community development. The equipment for decomposing food residue fermentation to regional food-related operators is rented out in a sub-model, from which a fermented product is completely composted at the recycling center of each base. By providing compost to contract farmers in the area, a "recycling cycle" is constructed to restore it to crops. By providing solutions that are lower than previous waste disposal costs, costs can be reduced, the environmental burden can be reduced, and the local economy can be further revitalized.

Mitsubishi Chemical began to develop biodegradable resins in the 1990s. In 2017, it began to produce and sell "BioPBS waste bags", which can be used in composting garbage bags, disposable tableware, packaging materials, etc. Compared with other biodegradable resins, it has excellent formability, heat resistance and biodegradability in the natural environment, so it is a material to reduce the environmental burden.

As a means to further develop the food cycle and biodegradable resins in these areas, Dentsu has an advantage in creating contact points in sports, distribution and branding, including applications, in the field of sports.

In order to create a common impact through the cooperation of these three companies (in cooperation with various enterprises and local governments), we have launched a new regional recycling initiative that combines food residues and biodegradable materials. Provide provincial and local governments with B to G, B to B for catering and food-related industries, as well as solutions for a wide range of areas such as sports and sports events.

For example, in an empirical experiment in partnership with Giravanz Kitakyushu of the J-League, paper cups of "BioPBS garbage" were used in stadiums and recycled for composting. After that, we will use some compost to grow vegetables in local high schools, and will start selling harvested vegetables in stadiums from the spring of 2022.

三菱ケミカルが開発した生分解性プラスチックを使用した紙コップを、ギラヴァンツ北九州のイベントで提供。回収した使用済み紙コップを、NTTビジネスソリューションズとウエルクリエイト社が「食品残渣発酵分解装置（フォースターズ）」で食品残渣物などと一緒に堆肥化。その後、堆肥の一部を地元の高校で野菜の栽培に活用し、収穫された野菜をスタジアムで販売する。このサッカースタジアムを起点とした地域食品資源循環型システムの実証実験には、他にも、飲料メーカーや自治体など、15の企業・団体が参加している。

ギラヴァンツ北九州の実証実験について詳しく知りたい方は、下記の記事をご参照ください。・紙コップが野菜に!?北九州市発、コレクティブインパクト

As an extension option, the solution deploys a "mobile recycling vehicle". NTT Business Solutions conducted a "takeout course" in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, using a recycling truck to recycle food residue from school meals, so that children can see the device undergo a fermentation and convey the importance of SDGs.

"the children were very interested and the teacher said, 'because it gives people a specific impression of SDGs, I want not only students but also parents to participate," recalls Miyao of NTT Business Solutions.

The recycling truck can decompose the food residue while recovering it, and it can also move to sell vegetables made from compost. "in general, families, supermarkets, restaurants, etc., buy vegetables when recycling residue. In one area, our goal is to create a food cycle in the region by connecting farmers and people who grow vegetables using compost to shops, "Miyao said." "it seems that it can also be used in limited activities during the period," Dentsu's Horida said expectantly.

In addition, as the development of B to B, it adopts the structure of food cycle such as social food and catering chain stores of enterprises including NTT West Japan Group. For example, Imperial Palace High-end OUTLETS compost the residue in the mall and use it in flower beds, with the aim of greening the mall. Mitsubishi Chemical's Kobayashi explained the main points of the effort: "in the future, not only food, but also paper plates and tableware in the food square are also made of biodegradable resin, which can be composted with food residues."

Finally, Mr. Miyao and Mr. Kobayashi expounded their prospects for the future.

"by connecting with Mitsubishi Chemical's biodegradable resin, restaurants, food areas, etc., so far mixed with paper plates and tableware, the reuse of food residues that are difficult to reuse has created a great possibility. In this way, the circle of companions who will work together to solve problems will continue to expand, and the realization of the global economy will continue to work. "Mr. Miyao.

Kobayashi said: "precisely because social issues are complicated, there are problems that are difficult to solve in an enterprise or an industry, so we hope that a variety of people can bring advantages and work hard in a larger circle."

The cycle model of food resources created by local government × regional residents × enterprises

Finally, the introduction is about the autonomous body × area residents × enterprises to create a food resources cycle model "eco-wa-ring Kawasaki (Ecological China Forest Kawasaki) Project" talk. Kawasaki Environment Bureau living and Environment Department weight loss promotion Yasukawa Hirota Yasukawa, local Bicycle Chairman Taira Yoshiko and Dentongkou Dengzi attended the meeting.

"eco-wa-ring Kawasaki" is Kawasaki's food cycle plan. The challenge is to put household waste into composting containers to make compost and to cultivate a cycle of eating vegetables to be built in urban areas.

The career is roughly divided into "self-service food cycle" and "co-help food cycle". The former takes enterprises as the main body and runs community gardens with local residents. The observatory in Musashi Toshiji Square and the large-scale facilities of King Johannes Monastery were carried out in the community garden. The latter takes regional plantations as the main body, uses compost brought by residents to cultivate vegetables, and aims at the cycle of local consumption food purchased by local residents. It is currently cooperating with nine plantations in the city.

In addition, we have established and tested a platform through the application, which can earn points according to individual ecological activities (bringing composting, participating in activities, etc.) and get incentives from cooperative enterprises. We have developed a mechanism to visualize, evaluate individual actions, and encourage next steps.

The project is co-ordinated by Kawasaki City, community garden operation and composting, etc., as an expert in the recycling of domestic waste, participated by local food bicycles. Dentsu is responsible for the operation and promotion of the project, and Trastridge, which operates ELEMINIST and other companies, is responsible for promoting the business, which is a common project composed of a variety of players.

In the conversation, we discussed the significance of the project from different angles.

Kawasaki's Yasukawa said, "as a future city of SDGs, we should not only take the lead in devoting ourselves to a variety of regional issues. By creating Kawasaki's circular communities and activating regional communities, we can not only achieve the reuse of domestic waste, but also solve the problems of other departments."

Local food cyclist Dara said: "can I have my daughter safely continue to eat vegetables in the future?" Starting from this question, compost that can simply recycle domestic waste even in cities has been developed. I think this project is challenging in urban design to recycle organic matter back to the soil. "

Dentsu's Kouyu said: "for me, it is the advantage of Dentsu, the power to connect all kinds of players to start from scratch and continue." First of all, I want to do this between social contribution and environmental contribution. Moreover, people in many enterprises want sustainable efforts, but in fact, they also have money but not sustainable topics, from the idea that "sustainable activities should be sustainable", regional enterprises and autonomous bodies can reluctantly participate. Individuals have also decided to create the structure of the next action through ecological action to become a 'credit', "describing the process of project development."

Although the project has just begun, the response of the participants is needless to say, and there are many residents who are interested in consulting. "many people in the younger generation are motivated to use domestic waste compost for gardening and growing vegetables, so I look forward to being interested in recycling and garbage sorting," Yaskawa said. "

Taira also talked about the expectation of the ripple effect. "people living in cities are connected to people on the plantation through this project, and the shopping methods and choices usually change when shopping in the supermarket."

"I have received a lot of advice from enterprises and local governments, and I think many people are looking for opportunities to contribute to society," Kouyu said. Just like this time, it is not that simple for the three companies involved today and the public relations director Torres Torrich to get together to push things forward. In spite of this, I still cooperate with each other with a common vision, and the most important thing is to design the experience that users can enjoy, which is the driving force to keep the activity going, "explained the main points of the implementation of the project and ended it.

With regard to the global economy, this webinar was widely introduced about the direction of corporate goals, how consumption and society changed, and current work examples, and exchanged a variety of views. The development trend of the global economy has accelerated around the world, and various actions have emerged in China. Dentsu Japan Office for Network Sustainable Development and Dentsu TeamSDGs will also convey their views on achieving a sustainable society in webinars and this series in the future.