Waste Plastic Reuse Plan for the Seto Inland Sea Coastal Area - March 2001

Waste Plastic Reuse Plan for the Seto Inland Sea Coastal Area - March 2001

March 2001

The Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI-Chugoku) has released an interim estimate exploring the possibility of reusing all of the waste plastic generated in the Seto Inland Sea coastal area as blast furnace material for steel mills in the region. This is an attempt to improve the efficiency of industrial waste disposal in the region and realize a recycling-oriented society. According to the survey, it was calculated that over 1 million tons of waste plastic is generated in this coastal area.

By reusing this waste plastic as a reductant or fuel in the blast furnace steelmaking process, it is expected to have multiple environmental and economic benefits, such as replacing fossil fuels, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and curbing waste disposal costs. Waste plastic is usually incinerated or disposed of in landfills, which has been a major burden for local governments, but this model will enable resource recycling within the region.

Future efforts will include experiments in the transportation of waste plastics using coastal vessels in cooperation with other central government agencies, local governments, and steel manufacturers. This is intended to build an efficient transportation system that takes advantage of the benefits of marine transportation while minimizing environmental impact, and is expected to accumulate empirical data and be reflected in system design.

This plan is attracting attention as an advanced example of environmental industrial policy at the regional level, and if realized, will enable the model to be expanded to other regions. Based on the results of this study, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has indicated that it intends to proceed with the formulation of a detailed action plan by the end of FY2001.

Related information:

JFE Steel Corporation has developed a recycling technology that uses waste plastic as a reductant in blast furnaces. Approximately 15,000 tons are reused annually, resulting in a reduction of approximately 42,000 tons of CO₂.
According to a report by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the use of waste plastic as a blast furnace material at steel mills is more effective in reducing CO₂ than conversion to cement material or RDF combustion.
Such blast furnace-based recycling has been gradually introduced at steel mills in various regions (especially JFE and Kobe Steel on the Seto Inland Sea coast) since the early 2000s.