News Release

News Release

Mitsui & Co. Real Estate, IINO Kaiun and Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan take the initiative in promoting awareness and sorting of PET bottle recycling at Hibiya Fort Tower
Install an automated PET bottle collection machine for contributing to the achievement of SDGs

Oct 26, 2021
Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.

Mitsui & Co. Real Estate Ltd.
IINO Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd.
Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.


Mitsui & Co. Real Estate Ltd. (Headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO Shin Tsuchihara; hereinafter “Mitsui & Co. Real Estate”); IINO Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. (Headquarters in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President Hiromi Tosha; hereinafter “IINO Kaiun’’), Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. (Headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President Calin Dragan; hereafter “CCBJI”)  have launched a joint initiative to promote awareness and separation of PET bottle recycling at Hibiya Fort Tower (Minato-ku, Tokyo).  As a part of this initiative, an automated PET bottle collection machine has been installed within Hibiya Fort Tower and launched their operations as of today, October 26. 

Hibiya Fort Tower office building opened on this past June 30 aims to contribute to the achievement of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) within the building as a whole. (*Note 1). As part of the SDGs promotion, the building owners Mitsui & Co. Real Estate and IINO Kaiun, together with CCBJI, responsible for the installation and management of drink vending machines of the building, have jointly installed an automated PET bottle collection machine at the Sky Lounge, located on the 11th floor of the same tower building. Sky Lounge is a common place located on the 11th floor, consisting of tenant company reception, rest areas, convenience stores, etc. Thus the automated PET bottle collection machine installed on this lounge can be used by outside visitors as well as tenant companies. This initiative is focused on promoting “collection of cleaner PET bottles’’ and “sorting of bottles, caps and labels.’’ These are the first-hand consumer actions required for the horizontal recycling of PET Bottles (“bottle-to-bottle” (*)), a process model of collecting used PET bottles and recycling into new ones. Through the promotion of various efforts, the joint initiative aims to contribute to the realization of a recycling-oriented society.   
(※) Bottle-to-Bottle initiatives are to collect and recycle used PET bottles and reuse as new PET bottles for drinks.

■ Automated PET bottle collection machine installed at Sky Lounge on the 11th floor


Automated PET bottle collection machine installed at Sky Lounge on the 11th floor of Hibiya Fort Tower

 

Collect cleaner recyclable PET bottles by utilizing automated PET bottle collection machine
The automated PET bottle collection machine sends an error message when someone tries to throw in a PET bottle with leftover drink in it or something other than PET bottles, so that it does not allow dirty used PET bottles to be collected. In addition, the machine also compresses the bottles and significantly reduces the volume, which contributes to the improvement in loading ratios when transported to recycling plants. 

To promote the use of automated PET bottle collection machine, reward point is granted to users
In an effort to promote the use of automated PET bottle collection machine, a user of the  machine will earn a reward point “yell’’ (one reward point, equivalent to 1 yen) for each PET bottle from “WellCho’’ (meaning Wellness Savings) (Note 2). Points earned can be used to purchase products and pay for services at wellness-related facilities, such as Sakurada Dental Clinic and Saladice (a restaurant specialized in salad) located in the building, and is expected to improve the recycling rate of PET bottles but also to contribute to the wellness activities of users.

■ Effort to promote awareness about PET bottle recycling and PET bottle sorting has also launched outside the 11th floor Sky Lounge
A recycling box with features to raise awareness about PET bottle sorting is set up next to the vending machine shared by different tenants




A PET bottle recycling box, with strong appeal and high visibility for more effective recycling, has been placed next to the vending machine in common areas of Hibiya Fort Tower. The recycling box with inserting slots to separate PET bottle, label and cap, has a message board on the back to promote proper sorting in PET bottle recycling. In addition, in order to prevent foreign matters from mixing in the recycling box, the box is semi-transparent so that the used bottles thrown inside the box become visible. Installation of this recycling box is designed to help enhance users’ recognition about the importance sorting plays in recycling.

■Objectives for the three companies (Mitsui & Co. Real Estate, IINO Kaiun and CCBJI) in this initiative

When opening Hibiya Fort Tower, Mitsui & Co. Real Estate and IINO Kaiun believed that, for the building’s contribution to the achievement of SDGs to be realized, it takes sustainable initiatives to be carried out not only by the building owners but also by tenant companies as well as visitors; they were looking for initiatives that many can quickly implement in order to contribute to creating a recycling-based society. CCBJI, on the other hand, has been working on the initiatives to collect PET bottles in an equivalent quantity to the one it sells by 2030 and building a solid scheme for bottle collection and recycling with partner companies under the Coca-Cola system’s “2030 Packaging Vision” (Note 3). Accordingly, the joint initiative was launched based on the collaboration of the three companies; they expect to make effective use of the office building, the asset owned by Mitsui & Co. Real Estate and IINO Kaiun, and the expertise owned by CCBJI on the collection of used PET bottles.

Mitsui & Co. Real Estate, IINO Kaiun and CCBJI will contribute to recycling of used PET bottles through this initiative.

(Note 1)
In addition to the efforts with CCBJI, the building engages in an environment-friendly effort to provide some toilets in the building with medicated hand soap recycled from waste cooking oil disposed by tenants including restaurants and convenience stores within Hibiya Fort Tower.
http://www.hamadakagaku.co.jp/news_det.php?sn=79

(Note 2) About “WellCho” (https://wellcho.com/service)
“WellCho,’’ meaning “Wellness Savings,’’ is a reward points program that allows consumers to earn "yell" points by purchasing products and services provided by the “Wellness Supporters” through a special app. “yell” collected can be used at various locations designated as Wellness Station, which offer products and services that help maintain and improve wellness.

(Note 3) Coca-Cola system’s “2030 Packaging Vision”(https://www.ccbji.co.jp/csv/environment/?id=tab3
CCBJI Coca-Cola aims to use recycled PET resin and other sustainable materials for all of its PET bottle products by 2025; collect used PET bottles in an equivalent quantity to the ones we sell by 2030; and build a solid scheme for bottle collection and recycling with partner companies.

■ Overview of Hibiya Fort Tower
Address: 1-1-1 Nishi Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Total site area: 7,688.50㎡
Total floor area: 105,609.21㎡
Completion date: June 30, 2021
Number of floors: A building with 27 stories above and two under the ground
Access: 2-minute walk from Uchisaiwaicho station on the Toei Mita Line, 2-minute walk from Kasumigaseki station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Chiyoda Line, 3-minute walk from Toranomon station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, 5-minute walk from Kasumigaseki station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, 7-minute walk from Shinbashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, and Shinkotsu Yurikamome Line        

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