Contributing to Environmental Protection : Review of Activities during FY2020
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- Review of Activities during FY2020
Targets for 2030 and Progress in FY2020
The table below shows the progress we made in fiscal 2020 based on the Eco Action Plan 2030.
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Evaluation: ★★★Achieved ★★Nearly achieved ★More effort needed
Environmental Vision | FY2020 Results (Major Initiatives) | Evaluation | |
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Targets of Eco Action Plan 2030 | |||
Zero-Carbon Society |
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★★★ |
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Zero-Waste Society |
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★★★ |
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Society Coexisting with Nature |
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★★★ |
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- Note:
- 1.An exhaustible resource is a natural resource that is not replenished by natural processes as fast as humans consume it.
- 2.Fossil resources include crude oil and natural gas.
Environmental Impact of Business Activities
We monitor the amounts of material input and output of the entire group to reduce the environmental impact of our business activities.
FY2020 Material Flow of Domestic Operations of Toyo Seikan Group
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Toward a Zero-Carbon Society
As part of our efforts to address climate change, we have initiated several measures to achieve carbon neutrality. In fiscal 2021, we started a multifaceted review of sourcing and use of energy at the Osaki Forest Building (Shinagawa, Tokyo), where Toyo Seikan Group Holdings and other major group companies are headquartered, and at the Corporate R&D (Yokohama, Kanagawa), the basic research lab of the Group.
CO2 Emissions from Operations (Scope 1 & 2)
In fiscal 2020, total carbon emissions from the Group’s facilities in Japan and abroad decreased 8% from the previous year to 1,381 thousand tons.
The emissions from the domestic facilities declined by 111 thousand tons from the year earlier as a result of lower production, replacement of air compressors, periodic repair of melting furnaces and other energy-saving activities, while those from overseas facilities decreased by 2 thousand tons year on year.
We continue to engage in cutting carbon footprint in fiscal 2021 through energy-saving efforts, including replacing equipment, streamlining production lines and improving production efficiency.
Changes in CO2 Emissions from Operations(1)(2)(3)
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- Note:
- 1.In May 2021, we raised our reduction targets.
- 2.The 35% reduction compared to FY2019 is equivalent to a 45% reduction compared to FY2013 (the previous 30% reduction target was compared to FY2013).
- 3.The figures for the previous years have been retroactively revised due to a change in the electricity grid emissions factor and the addition and correction of data for certain facilities.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Supply Chain (Scope 3)
The Toyo Seikan Group calculates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the upstream and downstream of the supply chain (Scope 3) as well as the amount of emissions from its operations (Scope 1: direct emissions from fuel combustion, and Scope 2: indirect emissions from electricity consumption). Under our environmental vision Eco Action Plan 2030, we aim to reduce the Scope 3 emissions 20% by fiscal 2030 compared to fiscal 2019.
In fiscal 2020, the Scope 3 emissions associated with our domestic operations accounted for approximately 80% of the total emissions from the Group’s domestic operations and supply chain. Of the total Scope 3, the emissions from purchased products (Category 1) accounted for approximately 73%, followed by disposal of sold products (Category 12) and capital goods (Category 2). This indicates that reducing emissions related to purchased products (e.g. material procurement) is becoming more and more important. We will continue to work together with material suppliers on reducing product weights and using more recycled and plant-based materials.
GHG Emissions from Supply Chain (FY2020)
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Please refer to the Environmental Performance Data for details regarding the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
More Use of Renewable Energy
As part of our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from operations, we have been introducing solar power systems to our facilities. Two domestic facilities, Tokan Kogyo's Komaki Plant and Toyo Kohan's Kudamatsu Plant, began to operate the system in December 2020 and in February 2021, respectively. Outside Japan, Toyo Filling International in Thailand launched the system in August 2020. We will step up the introduction of renewable energy as a key measure to address global warming going forward.
Installation of solar power systems (excluding systems for electricity business) As of April 2021
Installation of solar power systems (excluding systems for electricity business)
As of April 2021
Company/plant | Operation started | Annual CO2 reduction (ton-CO2) |
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Nippon Closures / Komaki Plant |
March 2019 |
360 |
Toyo Seikan (Thailand) |
October 2019 |
280 |
Toyo Filling International (Thailand) |
August 2020 |
100 |
Tokan Kogyo / Komaki Plant |
December 2020 |
240 |
Toyo Kohan / Kudamatsu Plant |
February 2021 |
80 |



Promoting Modal Shift - Recognized as Eco Ship Mark Certified Business
We have committed ourselves to more efficient transportation with less environmental impact by making active efforts to build an efficient truck transportation system and promote modal shift.
In April 2021, Toyo Seikan and Toyo Mebius have been certified as Eco Ship Mark Businesses for 2020 in the Eco Ship Modal Shift Project, led by the government and shipping companies in Japan. The project gives certifications to shippers and logistics companies that are actively engaged in reducing emissions by shifting to ocean transport, which is highly efficient and environmentally friendly. In 2020, the two group companies were recognized for changing the transportation method from truck to ocean for part of their product shipments (approximately 400 truckloads annually) between the Kansai and Kyushu areas in Japan.

Our Previous Efforts
October 2015 |
Toyo Glass Logistics |
Start using 31-foot large containers to achieve efficient transportation |
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December 2017 |
Toyo Seikan |
Start using 31-foot large containers |
November 2018 |
Toyo Mebius |
Receive the 5th Grand Prize in the Award for Excellent Business Entities Working on Modal Shift |
September 2019 |
Tokan Logitech |
Certified in Planning for Integration and Streamlining of Distribution by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism under the Act on Advancement of Integration and Streamlining of Distribution Business |
April 2021 |
Toyo Seikan |
Recognized as a certified business under the Eco Ship Modal Shift Project for 2020 |
We as a whole group will continue to advance our commitment to reducing environmental impact for the creation of a sustainable world.
Achieving a Zero-Waste Society
Our group companies produce packaging containers and materials by processing raw materials from exhaustible resources, such as metal and petroleum. We therefore believe we have a great responsibility for an efficient use of resources through reducing material input and waste and recycling materials. Under the Eco Action Plan 2030, we are taking measures to achieve the 30 % reduction target for the use of exhaustible resources toward a zerowaste society.
In addition to our ongoing efforts to develop more lightweight containers, we are also working on expanding the use of recycled materials. Using more recycled metals in our cans and more recycled or plant-derived resins in our plastic containers will help us achieve the targets of the action plan and eventually help solve social issues. These activities should not only lead to an effective use of resources but also reduce emissions from the material production process, and they are also important from the perspective of combating climate change.
Certification of Eco-friendly Products
The Toyo Seikan Group has been working on developing, manufacturing and selling low environmental impact products, considering their entire lifecycle. We have certified several products of the Group as Eco-friendly Products based on our group-wide standards for evaluation in the stages of raw material procurement, production, transportation, consumption and disposal/recycling. As of the end of September 2022, a total of 70 items have been certified as Eco-friendly Products.
Click here for the list of our Eco-friendly Products (available only in Japanese).
Going forward, we expect that the development and commercialization of eco-conscious products will contribute to achieving the targets of Eco Action Plan 2030. We will strive to develop products keeping in mind the reduction of waste and recycling at their end of life so that they will be widely accepted in the market.

Achieving a Society Coexisting with Nature
Risk Management of Production Facilities
Harmful substances and waste liquid that flow out of plants have a long-lasting adverse impact on the surrounding environment. While group companies have been individually implementing risk management with their environment management systems, we are now further enhancing our risk management framework. We identify equipment and facilities that carry high risks of environmental accidents based on the degrees of deterioration in facilities and the characteristics of substances handled by individual plants. The management of piping and storage tanks are given special attention since a leakage from such equipment would have a material impact.In fiscal 2021, we established environmental risk management guidelines common to all group companies to launch a group-wide risk management system.
Addressing Marine Plastic Pollution
Engagement through Clean Ocean Material Alliance
In January 2019, the Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA) was established with a wide range of business operators participating to address marine plastic pollution, an emerging global challenge. The CLOMA is aimed at promoting a new 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) initiative toward more sustainable use of plastic products and the development and introduction of alternative materials through public-private collaboration. Toyo Seikan Group Holdings has joined the alliance as a managing partner since the preparation phase and has been working as a key member of a subcommittee of CLOMA to share information and enhance the network with partners from across industries.
In 2020, CLOMA formulated an action plan to advance plastic recycling as a countermeasure against marine plastic pollution. Another four companies of our group: Toyo Seikan, Tokan Kogyo, Nippon Closures, and Mebius Packaging, have also joined the alliance to implement measures to achieve the action plan. In working groups that are relevant to their business domains, the companies are tackling new challenges to reduce additional marine plastic litter to zero by 2050.
Strong Commitment to Plastic Pellet Loss Prevention
Plastic pellets with a size of several millimeters, which are used to make plastic products, could become marine plastic litter if they escape from the plant site. We have been taking measures to prevent the particles dropped on the ground from flowing out the site, including placing metal net on the storm drain. In 2019, to further ensure appropriate pellet management aimed at zero pellet loss, we formulated the Group’s Guidelines for Preventing Plastic Pellet Loss. The relevant group companies have started implementing the guidelines under their respective environment management systems by identifying potential leakage points, taking preventive measures, and conducting daily management processes and auditing.

Cleanup Efforts with Litter Picking App “PIRIKA“
For communicating our cleanup efforts, we have used a litter collection app “PIRIKA” to post articles about our activities on the web since fiscal 2019. In fiscal 2020, a total of 457 people across the Group joined the program and picked up 3,909 liters of waste. In addition to the activities in the surrounding areas of our facilities, we also joined programs led by local communities and organizations. Ryukyu Seikan, a group company in Okinawa, joined the “Beach Cleanup” organized by the Tourism Association in Nago City, and was certified as a community contributor. Meanwhile, Toyo Seikan Group Holdings participated in the “Arakawa River Clean Aid” in Tokyo for the first time.
We will continue with our commitment to cleanup activities more related to the communities in which we operate, in cooperation with regional partners.
PIRIKA activity report on website: https://www.pirika.org/u/5256552586149888


FY2020 Topics
Investing in Plastic Recycling Venture, R Plus Japan
Toyo Seikan Group Holdings has set up a joint venture, R Plus Japan Ltd., together with 12 companies from the plastics value chain, including Suntory MONOZUKURI Expert Ltd., TOYOBO CO., LTD. and Rengo Co., Ltd., for plastic recycling business. The new company started up in June 2020, aiming to create and commercialize an eco-friendly, efficient plastic recycling system that is under development based on the technology of Anellotech Inc., a US biochemical venture. R-Plus Japan is working toward practical application of the system by 2027 through the cross-industry cooperation.
The company mainly serves three functions in this project: fundraising, supporting development activities, and driving commercialization. It has increased the number of investing partners to 29 (as of July 2021) to secure funds, while working on development support activities, including analyzing materials and sending the samples to Anellotech as well as sharing information on competing technologies. The Toyo Seikan Group is supporting the project by joining the taskforce for technology to conduct technical research and other activities.
Combining the technologies we have developed across the Group over many years, we will fulfill our responsibility as a member of the value chain to contribute to solutions to plastic issues, working toward a sustainable future.
Participation in Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Toyo Seikan Group has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in the United Kingdom as the fourth Japanese company and as the first packaging manufacturer, aiming to gain knowledge about the circular economy and to explore opportunities to collaborate with other corporations. The EMF is a charity founded in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the global transition to a circular economy through partnerships with businesses, governments and research institutions.
Through workshops hosted by the EMF and joint projects with member companies, we will make proposals for various packaging solutions suited for different regions and countries by taking advantage of our strengths as a comprehensive packaging company, thereby contributing to the realization of a circular economy. We are currently working on a proposal for “aTULC Compact Line,” a can making system that requires less space for installation and has less impact on the environment.
Please refer to the details of aTULC and the aTULC Compact Line through the following link.
Toyo Seikan Receives Appreciation from Saitama Government for Zero Carbon Commitment
Toyo Seikan's Kuki Plant and Saitama Plant jointly received a letter of appreciation from the Saitama prefecture government for their contribution to "Zero Carbon Saitama," a carbon offsetting initiative in the prefecture.
Through its activities to upgrade equipment and improve production efficiency during the period from 2011 to 2014, Toyo Seikan has obtained carbon credits (net reduction in emissions) of approximately 159 thousand tons of CO2 equivalent, far exceeding the reduction target set in the initiative, and decided to donate these credits in response to the call of the local government. The company will continue with its efforts to be a corporation that helps create a sustainable society.

