Idemitsu Kosan and Chemical Recycle Japan Participate in Demonstration Experiment to Oil-Chemically Recycle Plastic Cups Collected at 'CENTRAL MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 2026'
Idemitsu Kosan and Chemical Recycle Japan are participating in a demonstration experiment to oil-chemically recycle plastic cups collected at the 'CENTRAL MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 2026'. In cooperation with Sony and Mitsubishi Corporation, the recycled plastic cups will be transformed into raw materials for festival merchandise and Sony products, establishing a visitor-participating resource circulation model.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 22:11
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:02 (12h 30m after Collected)
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Noriaki Sakai; hereinafter "the Company") and its subsidiary Chemical Recycle Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Hito Kamura; hereinafter "CRJ") will participate in a demonstration experiment (hereinafter "this initiative") to recycle renewable plastic cups (hereinafter "plastic cups") used and collected at the urban music festival "CENTRAL MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 2026" (held from April 3rd to 5th, 2026 in Yokohama; hereinafter "CENTRAL").
In this initiative, in cooperation with Sony Corporation (hereinafter "Sony"), Mitsubishi Corporation (hereinafter "Mitsubishi Corporation"), and other related companies, we will consider transforming plastic cups used by visitors into festival merchandise and Sony products for next year's festival. We aim to create new environmental value through the event as a "visitor-participating resource circulation model."
Image of this initiative
At "CENTRAL," alcoholic beverages were served in plastic cups made from renewable plastic produced using the mass balance method*2. Approximately 390kg of used plastic cups were collected at the recovery booths set up at the venue with the cooperation of visitors, and these were collected by CRJ.
Going forward, the collected plastic cups will be recycled into CR oil*4 using CRJ's oil-based chemical recycling*3 equipment at its Ichihara plant (Location: Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture). Using this CR oil as a raw material, "chemical recycling chemicals" will be manufactured by applying the mass balance method and utilizing the Company's oil refining and petrochemical equipment. Subsequently, in cooperation with Sony and Mitsubishi Corporation, we will consider applying the chemical recycling products as raw materials for festival merchandise and audio-visual products. This demonstration experiment will comprehensively consider material selection, collection, and recycling to verify the effectiveness of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of plastic cups for events.
This initiative is part of "Creating NEW from reNEWable materials*5" promoted by Sony and Mitsubishi Corporation. Various companies in the supply chain, including CRJ, are collaborating to consistently promote the introduction and recycling of renewable plastics.
The Company and CRJ will continue to promote the recycling of used plastics and aim to realize a circular society.
*1 Renewable plastic: Plastic made from renewable biomass resources instead of petroleum.
*2 Mass balance method: A method for assigning the characteristics of specific raw materials, such as bio-based raw materials, to a portion of the product when they are mixed with non-characteristic raw materials during the distribution and processing of raw materials into products, in proportion to the amount of characteristic raw material input.
*3 Oil-based chemical recycling: A recycling method that produces "chemical recycling chemicals" from CR oil produced by liquefying used plastics.
*4 CR oil: Chemical Recycle Oil. Light crude oil equivalent produced by liquefying used plastics.
*5 "Creating NEW from reNEWable materials" promoted by Sony: Details here.
[Reference]
Press Release: Building a global supply chain for renewable plastics using biomass raw materials for Sony's high-performance products (February 6, 2026)
Press Release: Completion of oil-based chemical recycling facility contributing to the realization of plastic resource circulation (January 19, 2026)
In this initiative, in cooperation with Sony Corporation (hereinafter "Sony"), Mitsubishi Corporation (hereinafter "Mitsubishi Corporation"), and other related companies, we will consider transforming plastic cups used by visitors into festival merchandise and Sony products for next year's festival. We aim to create new environmental value through the event as a "visitor-participating resource circulation model."
Image of this initiative
At "CENTRAL," alcoholic beverages were served in plastic cups made from renewable plastic produced using the mass balance method*2. Approximately 390kg of used plastic cups were collected at the recovery booths set up at the venue with the cooperation of visitors, and these were collected by CRJ.
Going forward, the collected plastic cups will be recycled into CR oil*4 using CRJ's oil-based chemical recycling*3 equipment at its Ichihara plant (Location: Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture). Using this CR oil as a raw material, "chemical recycling chemicals" will be manufactured by applying the mass balance method and utilizing the Company's oil refining and petrochemical equipment. Subsequently, in cooperation with Sony and Mitsubishi Corporation, we will consider applying the chemical recycling products as raw materials for festival merchandise and audio-visual products. This demonstration experiment will comprehensively consider material selection, collection, and recycling to verify the effectiveness of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of plastic cups for events.
This initiative is part of "Creating NEW from reNEWable materials*5" promoted by Sony and Mitsubishi Corporation. Various companies in the supply chain, including CRJ, are collaborating to consistently promote the introduction and recycling of renewable plastics.
The Company and CRJ will continue to promote the recycling of used plastics and aim to realize a circular society.
*1 Renewable plastic: Plastic made from renewable biomass resources instead of petroleum.
*2 Mass balance method: A method for assigning the characteristics of specific raw materials, such as bio-based raw materials, to a portion of the product when they are mixed with non-characteristic raw materials during the distribution and processing of raw materials into products, in proportion to the amount of characteristic raw material input.
*3 Oil-based chemical recycling: A recycling method that produces "chemical recycling chemicals" from CR oil produced by liquefying used plastics.
*4 CR oil: Chemical Recycle Oil. Light crude oil equivalent produced by liquefying used plastics.
*5 "Creating NEW from reNEWable materials" promoted by Sony: Details here.
[Reference]
Press Release: Building a global supply chain for renewable plastics using biomass raw materials for Sony's high-performance products (February 6, 2026)
Press Release: Completion of oil-based chemical recycling facility contributing to the realization of plastic resource circulation (January 19, 2026)