Upcycling of LIMEX

Launch of the business

Currently being implemented in some regions in Japan; we will accelerate our efforts in line with the start of operation of our own LIMEX and plastic recycling plant scheduled for 2023.

Description of technology and business model

The first product made by LIMEX is a business card, which was launched in 2016. Currently, LIMEX is used as an alternative to plastic and paper in a wide range of applications from general consumer goods to commercial materials. LIMEX, which uses limestone as its main raw material, is manufactured using our proprietary technology in a formulation that allows highly efficient recycling with a low rate of degradation of physical properties. Taking advantage of this feature, we aim for efficient use and recycling of resources by upcycling used LIMEX as raw material.

Achievements and goals

(1) Upcycling coffee shop menu lists into trays for restaurants

Since June 2020, Seven & i Food Systems, Ricoh, and TBM have been working together to establish a resource recycling model for LIMEX products. The LIMEX menu lists used at Kojimachi Coffee, a café operated by Seven & i Food Systems, are collected, and processed into pellets. The trays made from the pellets are then used at Denny's restaurant.

(2) Upcycling shopping bags distributed at convenience stores into lunch plates for children's homes

We worked with Seven-Eleven Okinawa Co., Ltd. on recycling through upcycling of LIMEX products.

In July 2019, Seven-Eleven Okinawa used Bio LIMEX Bag, which is made mainly of limestone and also contains plant-based resin, for the opening gift bags. The bags were collected at stores, processed into pellets, and lunch trays made from the pellets were donated to nine orphanages in Okinawa.

URLs

(1) Seven & i Food Systems, TBM, and Rico Japan collaborate to launch LIMEX resource recycling model

https://tb-m.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200603_tbm_press-release.pdf

(2) Upcycled and remanufactured "LIMEX lunch plates" from Bio LIMEX bags used at Seven-Eleven Okinawa were donated to orphanages.

https://tb-m.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200626_tbm_press-release.pdf