The Lion Group understands that the use of raw materials is the use of resources. We therefore work to reduce our use of raw materials by making product contents more compact, expanding our lineup of refill products and making containers lighter.
Raw Material Usage (Domestic Household Products)
The Lion Group is promoting a wide range of initiatives aimed at realizing a resource-circulating society. We aim to minimize the volume of resources used in business operations, collect resources after their use, and effectively reuse or otherwise employ those resources that retain utility in business operations.
To reduce container and packaging materials, Lion complies with the Lion eco-standard, which is designed to evaluate products over their entire life cycles by examining each life cycle stage, from raw material procurement to distribution and disposal. We are increasing the concentration of such products such as laundry detergents, fabric softeners and dishwashing detergents to make their containers more compact while using sophisticated design technology to make containers more lightweight.
In 2021, Lion’s total container and packaging material usage was around 57,100 tons, almost the same as the previous year.
Going forward, we will continue working to reduce container and packaging material usage through such means as making products more compact and developing innovative container structures.
Lion’s Container and Packaging Material Usage (Domestic Household Products)
Plastic bottles can be refilled and reused. Film packaging for refill packs can be produced using less material than product bottles, and because they weigh less and take up less space after use, they also help reduce household waste.
Going forward, we will work to minimize the use of plastic materials by both reducing and reusing.
Lion’s Use of Plastic for Packaging and Reduction Effects
Lion proactively uses recycled plastic in products and containers. Our dishwashing detergent bottles, liquid laundry detergent bottles and toothbrush blister packs are made with plastic recycled from disposable drink bottles and other sources.
Type of plastic | Type of product | Product name | Parts using recycled plastic |
---|---|---|---|
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | Dishwashing detergent | CHARMY Magica, etc. | Bottle |
Liquid laundry detergent | TOP SUPER NANOX | Bottle (including large sizes) | |
Liquid laundry detergent | TOP SUPER NANOX | Pop-up sticker | |
Hand soap | KireiKirei hand soaps | ||
Body soap | Hadakara liquid body soaps |
As of June 30, 2022
Aiming to achieve a continuous cycle of plastic use in society, Lion is conducting pilot testing for the recycling of used products and containers and packaging in cooperation with household product manufacturers, recyclers, retailers and municipalities.
Recyclable items | Activitie name | Area | Main partners |
---|---|---|---|
Toothbrushes | Toothbrush recycling | Over 1,000 locations nationwide | TerraCycle |
Sumida toothbrush recycling | Sumida-ku | Sumida-ku | |
Refill packs | RecyCreation | Ito-Yokado’s Hikifune Store Welcia Pharmacy stores (parts of Tokyo and Saitama) |
Kao Ito-Yokado Welcia Pharmacy Store Hamakyorex |
Kobe Plastic Next: Joining Forces to Recycle Refill Packs | 75 locations in Kobe City | Kobe City Household product manufacturers Retailers 19 recycling companies |
|
Bottles and refill packs | Collaborative Plastic Recycling Program | Higashiyamato City, Komae City, Joso City | 4 household product manufacturers |
“Getting healthy with the planet” JACDS Circular Economy Project (June–December 2022) | 31 locations in Yokohama City | Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores 3 Retailers 4 household product manufacturer TerraCycle |
As of June 30, 2022
Promoting Circulation of Plastic Containers and Packaging Resources through Partnerships
Kao and Lion are reaching out beyond their corporate groups in an effort to recycle plastic refill containers and packaging (film packaging), aiming to realize a resource-circulating society.
To accelerate the adoption of recycling, building basic systems for resource collection and developing recycling technologies are indispensable. At the same time, it is necessary to change mindsets across society in cooperation with stakeholders, including consumers, with regard to, for example, sorting plastic packaging after product use.
To this end, we are conducting the following four activities.
Through the above activities, we are working to improve the economic efficiency of collection and recycling as a whole. First, we are launching collaborative RecyCreation* activities to sort and collect film packaging and raise awareness in cooperation with local residents. By doing so, we are sharing information about the technological hurdles to plastic film packaging recycling.
Going forward, we will advance RecyCreation activities. Furthermore, we are investigating ways to make containers more recyclable and developing technologies for the horizontal recycling of film packaging into new packaging with the aim of achieving a continuous cycle of plastic use.
These RecyCreation activities received the Selection Committee Chairman’s Commendation in the fiscal 2021 Good Practices of Consumer-Oriented Management Awards.
*“RecyCreation” denotes upcycling through which more enjoyable and improved products are developed and resulting in new value creation, rather than recycling materials for the purpose of reproducing the same types of materials. The concept of this initiative is “Throwing it away after use. We want to change this common practice.”
We have released a concept film presenting these initiatives
Youtube (Japanese)
In-store Collection of Used Refill Packs—Recycling Field Testing
RecyCreation activities launched at Ito-Yokado’s Hikifune Store (Sumida-ku, Tokyo) have now been expanded to 30 Welcia Pharmacy stores with the aim of field testing the sorted collection of film packaging from used refill packs. Under this initiative, a special collection box has been installed at the store to collect customers’ used refill packaging for such products as laundry detergents and shampoos. Going forward, we will continue to expand the scope of the project by collaborating with more municipalities, businesses and stores.
We have released a concept film of how to wash a used refill packs
Youtube (Japanese)
Toothbrush Recycling Program
Since 2015, Lion has been implementing an initiative to collect and recycle used toothbrushes in cooperation with TerraCycle Japan. Many municipal governments and schools across Japan have taken part in this initiative. We will continue developing toothbrush recycling technologies and applications to expand the possibilities of recycled plastic.
Program participation is very easy and free.
Participants receive points according to the weight of the toothbrushes that they send. The points can be exchanged for plastic products produced through TerraCycle's recycling program or donated to a charity of the participant’s choice.
Toothbrush Recycling ProgramThe containers and packaging for our powder laundry detergents and other products are made with recycled paper containing recycled pulp.
The containers and packaging of some Lion products are made with biomass plastic, made from such plant-based raw materials as corn and blackstrap molasses, a byproduct produced in the process of refining sugar from sugarcane.
Type of plastic | Type of product | Product name | Parts using plant-based plastic |
---|---|---|---|
Polyethelene terephthalate | Body soap | Hadakara liquid body soaps | Bottle |
Toothpaste | CLINICA Advantage NONIO, etc. | Tube | |
Polyethylene | Liquid laundry detergent | TOP SUPER NANOX | Refill pack |
Laundry bleach | Bright STRONG Gel | ||
Hand soap | KireiKirei Medicated Hand Conditioning Soap |
As of June 30, 2022
Lion’s four domestic plants all achieved zero waste emissions in 2002. All of Lion’s operating sites,* including research institutes and offices, achieved zero waste emissions in 2017.
Despite efforts to ensure thorough waste sorting and the conversion of waste into resources, total waste generated by the domestic Group in 2021 was down year on year, and down 49% compared with 1990. The domestic Group’s total waste consigned to final disposal in landfills in 2021 was down 99.9% from 1990.
* Chiba Plant, Odawara Plant, Osaka Plant, Akashi Plant, Hirai Office Site, Sapporo Office, Sendai Office, Headquarters/Tokyo Office, Nagoya Office, Osaka Office, Fukuoka Office, Lion Chemical Co., Ltd. Fine Chemical Production Site, Lion Chemical Co., Ltd. Oleochemical Production Site, Lion Specialty Chemicals Co., Ltd. Yokkaichi Plant, Lion Specialty Chemicals Co., Ltd. Ono Plant
Total Waste Generation
(Domestic)
Total Waste Consigned to Final Disposal in Landfills (Domestic)
Total Resources Recovered
(Domestic)
Total waste generation overseas in 2021 was down year on year as a result of initiatives to promote recycling. We will continue to advance initiatives to reduce waste going forward.
Total Waste Generation
(Overseas)
Total Waste Consigned to Final Disposal in Landfills (Overseas)
Total Resources Recovered
(Overseas)
All overseas consolidated subsidiaries