LOOP Japan to create model to reuse plastic containers for businesses

Loop Japan GK, based in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, has announced that from November, the company will start research on implementing a business model for the sale of commercial products with reusable containers via a new sales platform Loop Professional. This project is part of the “Innovative Business Model Project for Sustainable Use of Plastics”—an initiative put forth by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government aimed at implementing an innovative and business model in order to promote reducing waste, reusing materials, and closed-loop recycling. Loop Japan intends to cooperate with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in the project in return for receiving advice regarding related laws and regulations.

In the first phase, Loop Japan will conduct interview surveys to verify the needs and structure of business schemes. It will also conduct research and development of reuse containers and verify its business schemes. By doing so, it will specifically identify products that are easy to switch for reuse and clarify the advantages—or concerns—of switching them. It will then consider where they can make changes to the systems and containers already deployed in society through a B2C format.

Taking part in the survey are companies like Luv Waves of Materials, Tokyu Land Corporation, Fuji Bottling, and CxS Corporation. Also, Loop Japan is planning to interview the 31 companies that have announced their participation in Loop, which includes hotels, restaurants, cafes, and offices.

At the moment, Loop Professional is thinking of circulating continuously used commercial products, including hair-care products, foods, detergents, etc., used at hotels, restaurants, and office buildings instead of disposable containers. Presuming that these containers can be replaced by reusable ones, Loop Japan is now approaching companies for the survey.

The survey will be conducted until February 2022. After that, from the second phase in May, Loop Japan will start trial operations of delivering, cleaning, and refunding via Loop Professional in Tokyo. By the third phase in the fourth quarter of 2022, the service may be well underway, or at least that is what they are aiming for.

In recent years, the issue of disposable plastic has been attracting attention in the accommodation and restaurant industries. Tokyo is taking action toward “Zero Emission Tokyo”—the goal of reducing the amount of single-use plastics in large offices by 40% by 2030. Loop Japan hopes by starting their Loop Professional service, they can contribute to reducing disposable plastics in these industries.

Loop is a retail supplier that offers recyclable, reusable packaging around the world. Developed by recycling company TerraCycle, the service was first announced at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in 2019. Loop collects empty containers, which are then washed and used again, addressing the issue of single-use plastics. Shoppers are charged a fee upon collection that allows Loop to use and reuse the variety of returnable containers out in the market. Loop’s aim is to break away from the disposable culture, which is still the standard today. Since its announcement in January 2019, it has already been deployed in five countries around the world, including the U.S., France, the U.K., Canada and Japan. Australia and Germany are two other countries that are planning to join the group in the near future.