A City Living with the Sea: Hakodate's Marine Waste Recycling Trajectory 2002-2025

A City Living with the Sea: Hakodate's Marine Waste Recycling Trajectory 2002-2025

Situation in 2002
In 2002, with the development of the seafood processing industry in Hakodate, Hokkaido, fish waste such as fish grounds and scallop scraps were becoming an issue. In response, New Paiyo Sangyo took the lead in developing a technology to recycle marine waste. This has led to the conversion of scallop skins, which had previously been discarded, into animal feed, and the use of fish grounds as compost. This attempt to avoid wasting marine resources was the first step toward protecting Hakodate's rich marine environment.

Progress in the 2020s
In the 2020s, this technology was further developed and a group of companies in Hakodate worked together to promote a recycling-oriented fishery industry. Hakodate Biotech Corporation successfully processed approximately 3,000 tons of marine waste annually to produce high-value-added fish meal and liquid fertilizer. The company has also expanded its scallop shell recycling business, establishing technology to utilize crushed shells as a building material for sick house syndrome prevention and as a soil conditioner for agriculture. What was once considered mere waste has been transformed into a recyclable resource.

In addition, several companies in the city have strengthened their recycling businesses, promoting the effective use of local fishery resources.

Major companies engaged in seafood waste recycling in Hakodate (as of 2025)

Sasaki Works Co.
Established in 1971, the company is headquartered in Kaji 2-chome, Hakodate. The company collects and transports industrial waste such as animal and vegetable residues from the food processing industry and contributes to local environmental preservation through proper disposal. The company supports the harmony between the city of Hakodate and the sea.

Econocol Corporation Hakodate Branch Office
Based in Nishikikyo-cho, Hakodate, the company engages in metal recycling and industrial waste disposal. The company has obtained a license to install industrial waste treatment facilities and a license to dispose of industrial waste, and contributes to local waste recycling. The company is committed to building a recycling-oriented society with its technology to recycle limited resources.

Kameda Cleaning Co.
Provides collection, transportation, and disposal of waste mainly in Hakodate and neighboring municipalities. The company aims to maintain a beautiful natural environment by providing a full range of services from the lending of waste bins to collection and recycling. A behind-the-scenes force that protects Hakodate's rich fishing port.

Furusei Shoten Co.
Headquartered in Hinode-cho, Hakodate, with an additional location at the Hakodate International Fisheries and Ocean Research Center. The company conducts research and development of small-scale, economical salmon aquaculture systems and works to make effective use of marine resources. The company is paving the way for balancing the fisheries industry and the environment.

Summary - A Sustainable Future for the Fisheries Industry
Between 2002 and 2025, Hakodate made dramatic progress in seafood waste recycling technology. Beginning with the utilization of fish grounds and scallop scraps, by the 2020s it has evolved to the production of fish meal and liquid fertilizer, and the use of scallop shells as building materials. Furthermore, with the cooperation of local companies, the cyclical use of marine waste has been enhanced, creating a sustainable system that both reduces environmental impact and revitalizes the local economy.

Hakodate has transformed itself into a city that lives with the sea, rather than merely utilizing its rich marine resources. This initiative is attracting attention as a sustainable model for Japan's fisheries industry, and further development is expected in the future.

Related Information

Hakodate City Companies Related to Marine Waste Recycling
- Sasaki Business Corporation (collection and transportation of industrial waste)
- Econocol Corporation Hakodate Branch (metal recycling, industrial waste disposal)
- Kameda Cleaning Corporation (waste collection, transportation, and recycling)
- K.K. Furusei Shoten (salmon farming and utilization of fishery resources)

Through these efforts, Hakodate's fisheries industry is attracting attention as a pioneering model for the realization of a sustainable, recycling-oriented society.