Toyoda Gosei acquires international certification in step toward increased rubber recycling

Kiyosu, Japan – Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has acquired ISCC PLUS certification,1 an international certification for sustainable products using recycled materials, which will help it to increase rubber recycling at its Morimachi Plant (Shizuoka, Japan).

To reduce waste material and CO2 emissions, Toyoda Gosei has been pursuing internal recycling of waste materials generated in the production of rubber automotive parts. This is done with original technology to regenerate rubber waste material so that it can be used as high quality raw material. By acquiring ISCC PLUS certification, the percentage of recycled materials used in company products is theoretically allocated to a proportion of products (mass balance approach), which can then be sold as recycled products with high environmental assessments. With ISCC PLUS certification, appropriate management of recycling in the company is guaranteed based on the mass balance approach. This will lead to greater recognition of the company’s technology from customers internationally. Toyoda Gosei will continue to takes steps toward the recycling of rubber waste, which could not be re-used in the past, in response to the rising demand for recycled products as environmental awareness rises.

This certification is for rubber automotive parts (weatherstrips) and recycled rubber sheets. It is the first case2 of certification in Japan for the use of internal waste from production.

1 Products using recycled materials, biomaterials, and other sustainable materials are more expensive than those made with fossil resources, even though their performance is the same, and so they may not be chosen. By granting an international certificate, this certification system raises the environmental value of products and facilitates their more widespread adoption.