Sustainability Material Issue 1 Promoting Environmental Initiatives for a Sustainable Planet
Objective
Reduce CO2 emissions throughout business activities.
Objective
Reduce CO2 emissions throughout product lifecycles.
Objective
Achieve a CO2 emissions reduction effect in excess of Lion’s own emissions to help society become carbon negative.
Objective
Actively promote the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and renewable activities.
Indicators (2030) | Petrochemical-derived plastic use rate⇒70% or less |
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Progress (2023 results) |
96% (Japan) Rate of containers and other packaging using sustainable materials: 3.9% |
Globally Common Measures to 2030 |
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Objective
Reduce water usage throughout product lifecycles
The containers and packaging for our powder laundry detergents and other products are made with recycled paper containing recycled pulp.
Lion proactively uses recycled plastic in products and containers. Our liquid laundry detergent bottles and toothbrush blister packs are made with plastic recycled from disposable drink bottles(PET bottles for beverages) and other sources.
Type of plastic | Type of product | Product name | Parts using recycled plastic |
---|---|---|---|
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | Dishwashing detergent | CHARMY Magica | Bottle |
Liquid laundry detergent | TOP Clear Liquid Kaori Tsuzuku (Long-Lasting Frangrance) TOP Sweet Harmony |
Refill pack | |
Toothbrush | Clinica PRO Toothbrush Rubber Head | Blister dome packaging | |
Polyethylene | Fabric softener | SOFLAN Aroma Rich | Bottle |
Liquid laundry detergent | TOP SUPER NANOX For Odors Ultra-jumbo | Refill pack |
Includes limited quantity products
The containers and packaging of some Lion products are made with biomass plastic, made from plant-based raw materials such as corn and blackstrap molasses, a byproduct of refining sugarcane into sugar.
Products that utilize biomass materials
Type of plastic | Type of product | Product name | Parts using recycled plastic |
---|---|---|---|
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | Liquid laundry detergent | NANOX one | Bottle | Fabric softener | SOFLAN Airis | Body wash | Hadakara Body Soap | Dental rinse | NONIO Mouthwash NONIO Plus Whitening Dental Rinse CLINICA Quick Wash SYSTEMA EX Dental Rinse, etc. |
Toothpaste | CLINICA Advantage Toothpaste, etc. | Tube | |
Polyethylene | Liquid laundry detergent | NANOX one and NANOX one for Odors NANOX for Washing Machines with Automatic Detergent Dispensers, etc. |
Refill pack |
Bleach | Bright STRONG | ||
Hand soap | KireiKirei Medicated Hand Conditioning Soap | ||
Pocket Size KireiKirei Medicated Foaming Hand Soap | External bag | ||
Hand sanitizer | KireiKirei Medicated Hand Sanitizing (Gel Plus, Gel) | ||
Antiperspirant and deodorant | Ban Sweat-Blocking Roll-On and Stick |
Products that meet the requirements for certification by the Japan Organics Recycling Association are marked with the Biomass Mark. For details, please visit the website of the Japan Organics Recycling Association [Japanese].
To reduce container and packaging materials, Lion complies with the Lion eco-standard, which is designed to evaluate products over their entire lifecycles by examining each lifecycle 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.
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.
Efforts are made to ensure that the products offered by the Group are recycled in an appropriate manner after use.
Being a specified business entity operating under the Containers and Packaging Recycling System, we contribute recycling operation contract fees. For the most recent status of operations under this system, please visit the Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Association website.
The Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling AssociationAiming to achieve a continuous cycle of plastic use in society, and to go beyond recycling in existing social infrastructures to higher quality recycling, Lion is conducting pilot testing for the recycling of used products and containers and packaging in cooperation with household product manufacturers, recyclers, retailers and local governments.
Recyclable items | Activity name | Area | Main partners |
---|---|---|---|
Toothbrushes | Toothbrush recycling | Over 1,000 locations nationwide | TerraCycle |
Joint municipal toothbrush recycling | Sumida-ku, Itabashi-ku and Taito-ku | Takaroku Shoji Co. Ltd. | |
Refill packs | RecyCreation | Ito-Yokado’s Hikifune Store Welcia Pharmacy stores (parts of Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture) |
Kao Ito-Yokado Welcia Pharmacy Store Hamakyorex |
Kobe Plastic Next: Joining Forces to Recycle Refill Packs | 75 stores and 3 other facilities in Kobe City | Kobe City Household product manufacturers Distributors 18 recycling companies |
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Bottles | Making New Bottles from Used Bottles Collaboration among consumers, local governments, and companies Bottle Recycling Project for Everyone |
Higashiyamato City, Komae City, Kunitachi City | 3 household product manufacturers Veolia Japan G.K. digglue Inc. |
As of May 31, 2024
Promoting Circulation of Plastic Container 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.
These RecyCreation activities, along with related companies, have received the following commendations.
*“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
In-store Collection of Used Refill Packs—Recycling Field Testing
RecyCreation activities are under way at Ito-Yokado’s Hikifune Store (Sumida-ku, Tokyo) and 31 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 detergents and shampoos.
We have released a concept film of how to wash a used refill pack
Demonstration of the Horizontal Recycling of Refill Packs
On May 29 2023, the collaboration launched a recycled plastic version of the XXL refill pack for Lion’s TOP SUPER NANOX For Odors, a highly concentrated liquid laundry detergent. The materials used to create the refill pack consisted in part of recycled materials from used refill packs that had been collected. (Limited quantities available.)
This packaging incorporates 9% recycled materials derived from factory waste and 1% derived from recycled consumer products.
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 ProgramDomestic Group company Lion Pet Co., Ltd. is currently rolling out the Love Cats Love Earth Sakura Project, through which it donates cat litter boxes and cat litter sets to support people fostering rescue cats. The cat litter boxes are made from 10% recycled plastic from toothbrush recycling.
The Group has a wide array of frameworks in place and promotes activities to realize a resource-circulating society, a goal it cannot achieve on its own.
Name of Group or Organization | Title | Main Goal of Activities |
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Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance | CLOMA | Resolving problems regarding plastic waste in the ocean |
Circular Partners〔Japanese〕 | CPs | Promoting collaboration of industry, government and academia to create a circular economy |
Plastic Packaging Recycling Council〔Japanese〕 | PPRC | Promoting recycling of plastic packaging by collaborating with residents and local governments |
Ecosystem Society Agency〔Japanese〕 | ESA | Working with local governments and businesses to generate social value |
We have published a development case for an environmentally conscious package precedent search system known as “Plastic and Search” that the Plastic Packaging Recycling Council manages.
Environmentally-Conscious Package Precedent Search System “Plastic and Search”〔Japanese〕
Lion’s four domestic plants all achieved zero waste emissions*1 in 2002. All of Lion’s operating sites,*2 including research institutes and offices, achieved zero waste emissions in 2017.
*1 Our definition:The waste recycling ratio is 99% or more, excluding recycling residues
*2 Chiba Plant, Odawara Plant, Osaka Plant, Akashi Plant, Hirai Office Site, Sapporo Office, Sendai Office, Headquarters/Tokyo Office(Headquarters from April due to office relocation), 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
ESG Data EnvironmentWe will continue to advance initiatives to reduce waste going forward.
Maintenance and management information based on the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (Article 15-2-3, Paragraph 2) is made public.
Click here to see the maintenance and management status of Chiba Works.