青山商事 and its group company エム・ディー・エス announced that they will launch a full-scale system to collect used nobori flags and hanging banners, recycle them and process them into fabric. Collection will use the existing logistics network, and CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 55% versus the conventional process.
青山商事, based in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, and its group company エム・ディー・エス announced the collection and recycling initiative on 16 October. They will collect nobori flags and hanging banners after they have been used as promotional materials and recycle them into fabric, with the system scheduled to launch on a full-scale basis from 20 October.
The initiative will use the existing logistics network for collection and include a process in which employees of a special subsidiary manually remove the metal fittings. Initially, used textile products from other companies will also be eligible for recycling, with plans to eventually use the system to collect and recycle 青山商事's own nobori flags.
The companies plan to manufacture new nobori flags from the recycled yarn, and CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 55% versus the conventional process.