Market Enterprise partners with Nakatsugawa City on the "Oikura" reuse platform

Market Enterprise announced on 24 September that it had entered into an agreement with Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, concerning the reuse of unwanted items and had begun an initiative using its “Oikura” reuse platform in the city. With this collaboration, the number of municipalities nationwide adopting “Oikura” has reached 350, the combined population of participating municipalities is approximately 62.6 million, and the population coverage rate is approximately 50.57%.

Nakatsugawa City has been promoting the sale of refurbished furniture, but the volume of waste generated exceeds the prefectural average and the city faces the issue of large amounts of bulky waste. Residents have been required to bring bulky waste to the Environmental Center or transport it to designated collection points, and the city has reportedly received requests for collection from residents’ homes.

“Oikura” allows users to request appraisals of unwanted items from participating reuse stores in a single submission and compare purchase prices, dates and times, and collection methods. Some stores also offer on-site purchasing and removal of items from inside the home. In addition to furniture and large items, products covered by Japan’s Home Appliance Recycling Law may also be eligible for purchase depending on their condition. Sale and handover can be completed on the same day at the earliest, and there are no user fees for residents or cost burden on Nakatsugawa City.

Information was posted on Nakatsugawa City’s website from 11:00 a.m. on the 24th, enabling residents to apply for a bundled appraisal of unwanted items. The city and Market Enterprise aim to reduce the disposal of unwanted items, promote the development of a circular economy through reuse, and reduce the volume and processing costs of waste handled by local governments.