Feasibility Study Launched for 'Kanto Region Recycled Plastic Aggregation Hub' to Ensure Stable Supply of High-Quality Recycled Plastics for Automotive Use

Nine companies—Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Takatoshi Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toko Kinzoku Co., Ltd., Refinverse Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, digglue Inc., Japan Polypropylene Corporation, Rhombic Corporation, and Toyota Motor Corporation (Domatics) as a collaborating partner—have launched a feasibility study (FS) aimed at establishing a stable supply system for high-quality recycled plastics suitable for automotive applications. This FS is intended to verify the entire process, including collection, sorting, recycling, material design, and traceability of used plastics. The project has been selected for the Ministry of the Environment's "FS project for establishing a stable supply system for recycled plastics for automotive applications" under the FY2025 supplementary budget.

In recent years, the automotive industry, particularly in Europe, has faced stricter regulations on the use of recycled materials, creating a need for stable supply chains for high-quality recycled components. In Japan, however, such systems are not yet mature, and recycled plastics are rarely utilized in automotive manufacturing. The nine companies aim to establish a business model that creates "recycled plastic aggregation hubs" using digital technology and AI to achieve high-precision sorting and ensure traceability. By maximizing the resource utilization of sorted plastics, they plan to provide high-quality recycled plastics to the market.

Outline of the FS Running until February 2027, the study will conduct the following: (1) Concretization of AI/digital technology concepts for high-precision sorting of plastic waste. (2) Feasibility study on the utilization of material-recycled components meeting automotive quality standards. (3) Feasibility study on utilizing plastic waste unsuitable for material recycling in chemical recycling processes. (4) Organizing data linkage requirements to ensure traceability. (5) Evaluation of economic rationality and estimation of the impact on expanding recycled plastic supply. (6) Creation of a roadmap for phased implementation.

Features of the FS 1. Integrated Supply Chain via Arterial-Venous Collaboration This project links "venous" companies (waste collection/sorting) with "arterial" companies (material design/compounding/supply). This allows for integrated consideration of quality, quantity, cost, and origin certification of recycled materials.

2. Combination of High-Precision Sorting and Material Design By combining advanced sorting technology with recycled plastic material design, the consortium aims to develop materials that meet the stringent quality requirements of the automotive industry.

3. Optimal Utilization of Material and Chemical Recycling By grading raw materials appropriately for either material or chemical recycling, the project will explore models that maximize the resource value of total plastic waste.

4. Enhanced Reliability through Traceability By utilizing a traceability infrastructure, the project will visualize material origins, processing steps, recycled content percentages, and environmental value, aiming to build a supply system that consumers can use with confidence.