IDEAS FOR GOOD held event “Global trends in plastic regulations: Corporate behavior and consumer needs for plastic-free society”

IDEAS FOR GOOD, a web media that collects ideas for making society better, held an online event “Global trends in plastic regulations: Corporate behavior and consumer needs for plastic-free society” on December 6, 2023, jointly with Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Members Co..

Climate change and plastic waste issues are recognized as common social issues worldwide. In Japan, the “The Plastic Resource Circulation Act” has been formulated to realize a carbon-neutral society by 2050. The strategy includes milestones such as a 25% reduction of single-use plastic emissions by 2030 and the introduction of approximately 2 million tons of biomass plastic by the same year.

Intergovernmental negotiations for a global convention to prevent plastic pollution are ongoing. The third round (INC-3) was recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 13 to 19, 2023. Countries worldwide are also implementing their own plastic regulations in response to these efforts.

Therefore, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., which aims to realize regenerative lifestyles by “changing the world from the bare essentials” through biomass conversion and recycling, Members Inc. and IDEAS FOR GOOD jointly held an online seminar to learn about global trends.

Experts from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) were invited to the seminar to share the latest discussions at INC-3 as well as the latest information on plastics regulations in the EU, US, and other countries. In addition, Yuri Matsunaga of Mitsui Chemicals’ Green Chemicals Business Promotion Office, Professor Aoki, who is currently a visiting researcher at Aalborg University in Denmark, and Harch Europe members of IDEAS FOR GOOD, who live in Europe, also participated to provide their voices from the viewpoint of European residents.

The event attracted individuals interested in the current plastics issue, corporate material procurement, brand management, sustainable product development, and global trends.

Event Details

• Opening
• Understanding the plastic issue by grasping the movement of international convention review and regulation: Tatsuno from IGES
• Talk session: IGES, Prof. Aoki, Harch Europe, Mitsui Chemicals
• Mitsui Chemicals’ initiatives to convert and recycle plastics into biomass: Mitsui Chemicals
• The Future We Want to Realize through Biomass Plastics : Mitsui Chemicals
• Q&A Session
• Closing

Target Audience (Recommended for the following people)

• Companies aiming for or practicing sustainable management
• Brand managers and people in charge of product planning departments
• Those who are interested in plastic issues in a carbon-neutral society
• Those who want to learn more about biomass plastics
• Those who want to collect case studies of advanced European companies on biomass plastics.
• Those who are interested in sustainable product development
• Individuals seeking alternative approaches to plastic reduction beyond material conversion.
• Those who are interested in IDEAS FOR GOOD events.

[Reference] “Global Trends in Plastic Regulations: Corporate Behavior and Consumer Needs for Plastic-free Society” will be held on 12/6 | IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)
[Related Site] IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)
[Related Site] Members Co. (in Japanese)