Japanese firms successfully recycles post-consumer plastic for construction

Five Japanese companies, including Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. and Takenaka Corporation, have successfully produced recycled plastic from post-consumer waste for use in construction materials. The collaboration established a resource circulation scheme that converts collected plastic waste into high-quality components for building interiors. The resulting material maintains a quality level equivalent to plastics derived from fossil fuels.

The production process involves several stages of chemical recycling. Chemical Recycle Japan , a subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan, used proprietary oilification technology to transform post-consumer plastic waste into chemical recycle (CR) oil. Idemitsu Kosan then utilised this oil to manufacture chemicals using a mass balance approach. Subsequently, Prime Polymer Co., Ltd. used these chemicals to produce post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.

Fukuvi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. successfully integrated this recycled plastic into the support legs of its “Free Floor CP Series,” a dry sound-insulating double floor system. The company confirmed that the material meets all technical requirements for construction use. Takenaka Corporation intends to deploy these materials for its “Circular Design Build®” concept, an architectural method that aims to eliminate waste by focusing on the lifecycle of building components.

The five partners plan to further develop the resource circulation scheme to include the recycling of plastic waste generated directly at construction sites, pushing the Japanese building industry towards a circular economy.