Circular economy

Eliminating Waste and Circulating Limited Resources

For many years, the NKC Group has promoted the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) by reducing waste and reusing resources through continuous improvement and ingenuity at its production sites. Looking ahead, companies are increasingly expected to make more efficient and circular use of limited resources and to transition toward a circular economy that prevents waste generation and pollution at the source.

In addition to its existing initiatives, the NKC Group has begun taking on the challenge of environmentally conscious manufacturing (Japanese only) from the product design stage by using eco-friendly raw materials such as plant-derived biomass plastics and biomass rubber (Japanese only).

Waste reduction

‘Zero Emissions’ initiative ongoing since 2007

Under the slogan: “When separated, it’s a resource; when mixed, it’s just trash,” NKC Group’s domestic sites conduct thorough waste segregation into more than 20 categories. A key criterion in selecting waste disposal contractors is that materials must continue to be effectively reused as resources even after collection and intermediate processing. Through steady reduction efforts, such as repairing and reusing wooden pallets, promoting paperless operations, and reviewing excessive packaging in production sites, the Group has achieved zero emissions since 2007, maintaining a landfill waste rate of zero and a resource recovery (recycling) rate of 99%.

Initiatives Toward a Circular Economy

Food recycling loop in the head office cafeteria

Food waste generated in the head office cafeteria is placed into an on-site waste disposal equipment for primary treatment. The processed material is then collected by farmers for value through collaboration with an NPO and reused as fertilizer. The select rice cultivated by these farmers, grown with minimal use of chemical fertilizers, is purchased by NKC and served once again in the employee cafeteria, thereby creating a complete food recycling loop.

Utilization of wood chips for biomass power generation (Suda Corporation)

Aiming to reduce waste, Suda Corporation is working on supplying wood chips to biomass power plants. During the manufacturing process, wood is the main material used, but offcuts and defective products had previously been discarded as wood waste. To address this, the company now processes the discarded wood into wood chips that serve as fuel for biomass power generation. These chips are then transported to nearby biomass power plants, where they are used as fuel; helping to significantly reduce waste.