Reduction and Recycling of Container and Packaging Waste ("Downstream" Activities)

Container and packaging waste is an environmental problem that a product creates after entering society. Unlike environmental issues in the factory, this problem involves consumers and social systems, and calls for communication between the manufacturer and society.


We have set guidelines for environmentally-considerate product development

  • We recognize returnable containers as having the lowest environmental impact and strive to increase their use, but their percentage is gradually decreasing on a liquid volume base.
    • Change in percentage of returnable containers
    		FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
    Liquid volume base 15% 14% 13%
    Empty container weight base 37% 36% 39%


  • We are working to improve one-way containers for promotion of recycling.
    • Conversion of PETE bottles to EcoPETE Use of glass "Ecology Bottles" : 480 tons in FY 2000 (2.6% of one-way glass bottles by weight)


  • We are working to develop new sales methods, including bulk sales, which reduce environmental impacts.
    • Amount of bulk sales FY 1998 : 504kFY 1999 : 898k
    FY 2000 : 867k (equivalent of 320,000 2.7l PETE bottles of shochu, or 1.1%)


    We apply LCA to evaluation of containers and packaging
    We participate in the "Research Group for Comparing Containers by LCA Methods" and apply its findings,in order to objectively evaluate the environmental impacts of containers and packaging. One such finding is that returnable bottles are the form of container with the lowest impact when used 20 times or more. Even when used only 2.5 times, returnable bottles offer the second-lowest energy consumption, beaten only by paper cartons.


    We have introduced environmental accounting in our container recycling activities.
    Through environmental accounting, we apply analysis of total costs, including recycling costs not specified under the Container and Packaging Recycling Law, and develop strategies to reduce the social costs of container and packaging waste.

    FY 2000
    environmental costs by container type
    (unit: 1000 yen)
    		Paid under the Container and Packaging Recycling Law Estimated cost to Takara for recycling Total
    Returnable bottles 0 230,245 230,245
    One-way bottles 22,142 166,125 188,267
    Aluminum cans 0 19,467 19,467
    Steel cans 0 18,027 18,027
    PETE bottles 106,052 80,848 186,900
    Paper cartons 2,152 1,392 3,544


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