Ishizaka Inc. and Toyota Boshoku CorporationSign Agreement to Promote the Use of Construction-Waste Plastic in Automotive Parts

“We aim to achieve precise sorting of construction-related plastic waste—long regarded as difficult to recycle—and convert it into high‑quality automotive components.”

Ishizaka Inc. and Toyota Boshoku Corporation jointly implemented the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “FY2025 Project to Accelerate Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration for Establishing a Resource-Self-Sufficient Economy (Demonstration Project to Expand the Use of Recycled Resources in Areas Where Advanced Recycling Is Difficult)” (contracted to Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.). Following the completion of this project, the two companies have signed an “Agreement on Promoting the Application of Construction-Related Waste Plastics in Automotive Parts.”

Under this agreement, the two companies will continue to collaborate voluntarily to explore the advanced recycling of construction waste plastics and their application in automotive parts.

Background of the Agreement and Future Outlook

In Japan, a large portion of domestically generated waste plastic is used for energy recovery or as a substitute for fossil fuels. Construction‑related waste plastic has long been regarded as an area where advanced recycling is difficult. Building on the insights gained through this joint demonstration project, the two companies will work together within a “Circular Manufacturing” (*1) framework to:

• collect and precisely sort construction‑related waste plastic;
• evaluate its potential application in automotive parts, including material assessment and prototyping; and
• examine the technologies and supply systems required for mass production and commercialization.

Through these efforts, the companies aim to establish a new resource‑circulation model that contributes to the realization of a circular economy.

Toyota Boshoku’s Initiatives

Toyota Boshoku is a global interior system supplier and filter manufacturer, operating 90 locations across 23 countries and regions, guided by the vision of “creating tomorrow’s mobility interior spaces that inspire customers around the world.”
To contribute to the conservation and restoration of the global environment, the Toyota Boshoku Group has identified global warming mitigation, resource circulation, and coexistence with nature as key priorities and is actively promoting initiatives in these areas.
In the field of resource circulation, following the proposal of the draft European ELV (*2) regulation (July 2023), which mandates a minimum recycled plastic content in automobiles, securing a stable supply of high‑quality recycled materials has become an increasingly urgent issue.

Ishizaka’s Initiatives

Ishizaka is a company dedicated to “designing circularity,” with a vision of “Zero Waste Design.” The company aims to reduce the consumption of natural resources and realize a society where waste is not treated as waste. In the intermediate treatment of industrial waste, we conduct thorough sorting and grading, achieving an industry-leading waste reduction and recycling rate of 98%.

*1) “Circular Manufacturing” refers to cooperation between manufacturing and recycling industries.
*2) ELV (End‑of‑Life Vehicle): A vehicle that is treated as waste at the end of its service life.