Miyagi Co-op to Build New Recycling Center

On December 2, 2005, Miyagi Co-op, a consumer cooperative in Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan, signed an agreement with Food Management System Laboratory (FMSL), Inc. to jointly establish the Miyagi Co-op Recycling Center (tentative name). Under this agreement, the co-op will collect several kinds of waste, including food residue and waste plastic, from its 43 stores for recycling. FMSL, on the other hand, will be in charge of the setup and management of the center. Miyagi Co-op aims to reduce collection and transportation costs by gathering waste through its own physical distribution system, and as a business entity, hopes to contribute to the creation of a recycling-based society.

The recycling center, to be located in Ohira Village in Miyagi Prefecture, will have a compost facility capable of processing 4 tons of food waste per day, compactors for waste paper and plastic, and a Styrofoam-melting machine. The center is expected to be operational in late August 2006.

Miyagi Co-op, with its 540,000 member households, generated 3,160 tons of food waste in fiscal 2004. Although part of the waste was converted into animal feed, only 855 tons or 27 percent of the total was recycled. Through the operation of the center, the co-op intends to raise its recycling rate to 72 percent by composting an additional 1,440 tons of food waste, including vegetable waste and expired food products. The resulting compost will be supplied to local farmers, and the vegetables grown using this compost will be sold by the co-op.

The recycling center is part of the Miyagi Food Management System Project promoted by Miyagi Prefecture. FMSL is a quasi-public corporation that provides promotion and support services to the local food industry.



Posted: 2006/05/05 09:41:28 PM
Japanese version