Möbius Packaging Co., Ltd., a consolidated subsidiary of Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Co., Ltd., launched a pilot project at the end of June 2026 to voluntarily collect and recover used compressible plastic bottles — foldable containers used in restaurants and food-service outlets for sanitising alcohol and cleaning agents (hereinafter “compressible bottles”) — and to recycle them into new compressible bottles containing at least 25% recycled content. The pilot will identify challenges in building a material recovery scheme and evaluate its economic viability, with the goal of achieving closed-loop (bottle-to-bottle style) recycling for commercial compressible bottles.
This pilot was selected as a collection and recycling business under the Ministry of the Environment’s fiscal year 2026 Advanced Social Implementation Model Development Support Programme for Plastic Resource Circulation (a competitive grant programme supporting innovative plastic recycling initiatives).
Compressible bottles are made from a single colourless material that is easy to clean, making them well suited for recycling. However, although they are designated for collection as industrial waste or as a recoverable material with residual value, in practice most are processed as general municipal waste, and recycling rates have remained insufficient. Against this backdrop, Möbius Packaging has been working to establish a collection and material recovery system for compressible bottles, and is now conducting a pilot to build a material flow in cooperation with Watami Co., Ltd. and Daisei Jushi Co., Ltd.
The pilot will run from the end of June 2026 through February 2027. Under the scheme, Watami will collect used compressible bottles from selected food-service outlets in the Greater Tokyo (Kanto) region using return legs of existing materials-delivery routes; Daisei Jushi will carry out material recovery; and Möbius Packaging will use the recovered material to manufacture and supply new compressible bottles. The roles of each company are as follows.
- Möbius Packaging: Organising the resource circulation system and creating and overseeing the operational scheme; developing and manufacturing compressible bottles containing recycled content
- Watami: Directing and managing primary collection (from individual outlets to logistics hubs); temporary storage at each outlet, simple rinsing, and removal of labels and caps
- Daisei Jushi: Secondary collection (consolidated collection from logistics hubs to the material recovery facility); bale production; label and cap removal; sorting, washing, and shredding (into flakes)
The compressible bottles to be developed and manufactured will contain at least 25% recycled content, and the company is also considering obtaining a trademark from an environmental voluntary organisation. By organising the collection and material recovery scheme to secure a stable supply of recycled material, the company aims to offer the bottles at prices comparable to current bottles made from virgin materials.
Möbius Packaging indicated that it intends to establish this project as a model business for the voluntary collection and material recovery of compressible bottles, and to use the results as a basis for expanding the scheme to other regions and industries. The company also stated that it will work with industry associations to develop guidelines for environmentally conscious product design, contributing to the wider adoption of sustainable product design practices.
【Press Release】Möbius Packaging Launches Pilot towards Closed-Loop Recycling of Commercial Compressible Plastic Bottles — Selected under Ministry of the Environment Public募 Programme as a Collection and Recycling Business —
【Press Release】Möbius Packaging Launches Pilot towards Closed-Loop Recycling of Commercial Compressible Plastic Bottles
【Reference】Announcement of Projects Selected under the Fiscal Year 2026 Advanced Social Implementation Model Development Support Programme for Plastic Resource Circulation
【Related Article】Ministry of the Environment Selects Eight Projects for Advanced Plastic Resource Circulation Programme, Expanding Pilots in Construction and Retail Sectors with Cainz, Shimizu Corporation and Others
