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Lion Corporation (Representative Director, President and CEO: Masayuki Takemori) is promoting plastic recycling through its toothbrush recycling initiative, which aims to reduce the use of plastic resources by encouraging people to recycle their toothbrushes instead of throwing them away.
As part of the Saitama Prefecture Circular Economy Promotion Project, which began in May 2025, we have joined with Saitama Prefecture and Community Net Inc. in implementing a toothbrush recycling initiative at private kindergartens and accredited childcare centers across Saitama Prefecture. Specifically, Lion is providing children with opportunities to learn the importance of health and the environment from an early age and offering hands-on experience through the use of typical, everyday toothbrushes. As a collaborative undertaking involving industry, government, academia, and the private sector, our toothbrush recycling initiative launched this initiative with the cooperation of 10 private kindergartens and accredited childcare centers in 2025 with the aim of expanding throughout Saitama Prefecture by 2027 and an eye to promoting a sustainable future.
Collaborative structure of this initiative
Top left: the Saitama Private Kindergarten Federation;
Top right: Saitama Prefecture (Saitama Prefecture mascot “Kobaton”),
Bottom left: Community Net Inc.; Bottom right: Lion Corporation;
■Background
Lion has long served as a leading oral healthcare company through the provision of not only products and services but educational activities and information aimed at helping consumers maintain healthy teeth and mouths. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the toothbrush recycling initiative, an initiative that has been in place since 2015. To date, we have promoted initiatives for consumers and initiatives co-developed with local governments. We have now begun to bring these efforts to educational settings for the purposes of promoting health and the environment as well as the creation of healthy living habits. With a focus on tooth brushing, we provide health and environmental education and hands-on experiences that help children develop healthy habits while discouraging wasteful disposal practices, thereby raising their health awareness at an early age and making recycling resources a natural part of their daily lives.
■Summary (FY2025)
Conduct at 10 private kindergartens in Saitama Prefecture (Kawagoe City, Koshigaya City, Saitama City, Soka City)
・Collection of used toothbrushes
・Providing educational activities* regarding health (oral hygiene) and the environment (resource-circulating)
*Kamishibai (picture-story shows), dance videos, on-site lectures
・Conduct a survey on behavioral changes
■Comments expressing hopes for the toothbrush recycling initiative
(From the All Saitama Private Kindergarten PTA Promotion Convention held on November 29, 2024)
・“It's such a wonderful initiative. I hope the preschool my child attends will implement it soon."
・“I'd love to see it implemented in elementary schools as well."
・“I believe this will provide an opportunity for families to talk about the environment."
The All Saitama Private Kindergarten PTA Promotion Convention held on November 29, 2024
Left: Symposium. Right: Toothbrush collection.
Approximately 8.7 kg (about 800 toothbrushes) were collected.
■Outlook
This initiative, which began with 10 private kindergartens/accredited childcare centers in 2025, will be gradually extended throughout Saitama Prefecture by 2027. The collected toothbrushes will be recycled into high-quality resin for technological development and future business development.
■Reference: Toothbrush Recycling Process
(1) Extraction (2) Crushing (3) Separation and washing
(4) Dehumidifying and drying (5)Dissolving and granulating (6) Coloring (7) Molding
Related information
In June 2019, the Company established LION Eco Challenge 2050 as its goal to promote corporate activities to achieve a decarbonized and resource-circulating society (advanced resource-circulating of plastics and sustainable water use). Together with consumers, we will continue to promote co-creation with society and innovation in recycling technology to contribute to a healthy future for people and the planet.
◆Lion's toothbrush recycling initiative [Japanese]:
https://www.lion.co.jp/ja/sustainability/toothbrush-recycling/
◆LION Eco Challenge 2050 Long-Term Environmental Objectives
https://www.lion.co.jp/en/sustainability/env/ecovision2020/#ecochallenge2050
◆Recycling Resources
https://www.lion.co.jp/en/sustainability/env/resources/activity01.php
◆Lion Group Plastics Environmental Declaration
https://www.lion.co.jp/en/company/governance/policies/plastics-environment.php