Contribute to Recycling Resources
Circular System for Plastics
Examples of Initiatives
Toward a circular system for plastics, it is important to make an effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle (material recycling and chemical recycling) at each stage of the plastic value chain.
■ Overall Picture of Circular System for Plastics
Exhaustible
resources

ReduceFossil resources

Reuse

Plastic products

Biomass

Horizontal recycling

Renewable organic
resources

Secondary products

Chemical recycling

Downgrade

Material recycling

Tertiary products

Since the plastics arerecycled by decomposing intomolecules, materials can berecovered to the same level ofquality as virgin materials.

Energy recovery

While horizontal recycling
with almost equivalent quality
is possible, quality generally
degrades gradually overmultiple cycles of recycling.

Material Recycling
As one of our material recycling initiatives, Sumitomo Chemical and REVER CORPORARION have concluded a business allianceagreement for material recycling of waste plastics derived from end-of-life vehicles. Through this alliance, the two companies will
work to build a circular system for recycling waste plastics that includes the whole process, from collection to sorting to recycling
into useful plastic resources, and to accelerate business development for plastic recycling.
■ Circular System

Automotive and automotive
parts manufactures

Molding andassembly

Collection,
dismantling,crushing, andsorting

Dismantling andcrushing company

Pelletizing andcompounding
Material manufacturer
In September 2022, we made a decision to introduce a pilot-scale mechanical waste
processing facility that performs an integrated process of high-precision sorting andremoval of foreign matter according to the type and characteristics of waste plastics.

In addition, we will work towards the acceleration of business development, and aim tobeing able to supply samples to automotive-related manufacturers in FY2023.

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Contribute to Recycling Resources

Chemical Recycling
Sumitomo Chemical promotes development of chemical recycling technologies through multiple routes in parallel, by combining our catalyst design and chemical process design technologies, in collaboration with external parties. Utilization of thesetechnologies will reduce fossil resource use and plastic waste emissions, as well as GHG emissions from plastic waste incineration.
Chemical Recycling System for Acrylic Resin
Sumitomo Chemical has jointly developed with The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. a technology for pyrolyzing acrylic resin and recycling
it, with high efficiency, into MMA monomer, which is a raw material for acrylic resin (polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA). We havebuilt the new pilot facility at Ehime Works and aim to supply samples in the fall of FY2023.
Note: PMMA made from recycled monomers reduces GHG emissions throughout the product lifecycle compared to products derived from fossil resources.

■ System for PMMA Chemical Recycling

Polymerization

MMA monomer

Acrylic resin

Pyrolysis

Molding

PMMA Chemical Recycling
Pilot Facility

Use
PMMA Waste

Molded productsamples madefrom chemicallyrecycled MMAmonomer

Molded article

Started Sample Production of Ethanol-Based Ethylene for Environmentally-Sustainable Polyolefin
Sumitomo Chemical completed the construction at its Chiba Works of a pilot facility to manufacture ethylene using renewableethanol as a raw material, ethanol produced from waste by SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (SEKISUI CHEMICAL), and bio-ethanol
derived from biomass, such as sugarcane and corn, and started manufacturing samples to develop the market, with the aimof contributing to creating a circular economy. We aim to commercialize ethanol-based polyolefin in FY2025 as an example ofour efforts to build a new recycling model for plastic cosmetic containers through collaboration among the three companies,
SHISEIDO CO., LTD. (SHISEIDO) and SEKISUI CHEMICAL.
■ Circular Economy Image of Initiatives

RecycleCollecting used containers and use
polyolefin for cosmetics containers
Shiseido

Pilot facility to produce ethylene fromrenewable ethanol

Generalcombustible
waste

CircularEconomy
Conversion
Manufacturingpolyolefin fromethanol

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Sumitomo
ChemicalSEKISUICHEMICAL

Resource
Converting
combustible waste
into ethanol

Contribute to Recycling Resources

Reduction of Plastic Used in Product Packaging and Use of Recycled Materials
With regard to feasible cases, including products, raw materials, production sites and other materials, Sumitomo ChemicalGarden Products Inc. is working as swiftly as possible to adopt materials that reduce environmental burden and aims toswitch over to 100% environmentally friendly products by 2030.
Soft packaging

Recyclable materials

The company is contributing to the reductionof the use of plastic.

The company is using recyclable PET.
The company is acting asa registered member ofPlastics Smart (use andreduce plastic containers).

Initiatives of Sumitomo Chemical Garden Products for sustainability (Japanese only)
https://www.sc-engei.co.jp/sustainability/initiatives.html

Looking Ahead
Sumitomo Chemical identified contributing to recycling resources as a material issue to be addressed as management priorities. Going forward, to achieve greater progress, we will continue to further promote initiatives aimed at developing resource
recycling technology and promoting practical, socially beneficial applications by leveraging the technological capabilities andinsights we have cultivated as a diversified chemical company.

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