We are pleased to announce that a "horizontal recycling box" for bottle-to-bottle recycling of used PET bottles will be installed at Kashima Soccer Stadium from Sunday, September 24th, at the 2023 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Section 28 match against Yokohama F. Marinos. This initiative aims to promote "bottle-to-bottle" horizontal recycling of PET bottles at Kashima Soccer Stadium.
This initiative is being carried out by Kashima Antlers F.C. Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Fumio Koizumi; hereinafter "Kashima Antlers") in collaboration with Kashima City (Mayor: Shinichi Taguchi), its hometown, Suntory Foods International Limited (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Makiko Ono) and Suntory Holdings Limited (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; President and Representative Director: Takeshi Niinami) of the Suntory Group, an official partner, and Glass Resourcing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Osamu Akasaka), a member of ANTLERS BUSINESS CLUB (*1). The aim is to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through the circular use of resources from used PET bottles. In addition, in collaboration with Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Kazuo Otsuka), a club partner, we will also promote the collection and effective utilization of PET bottle caps.
"Bottle-to-bottle" horizontal recycling is an initiative to regenerate collected used PET bottles into new PET bottles as raw material. At the Yokohama F. Marinos match on September 24th, horizontal recycling boxes for PET bottles will be installed at a total of three locations within Kashima Soccer Stadium: the main stand on the 2nd floor concourse, the south goal area, and the back stand. PET bottles used and consumed at Kashima Stadium will be 100% horizontally recycled into Suntory PET bottles in collaboration with each company, aiming to raise visitors' awareness of recycling and reduce CO2 emissions under Suntory's slogan, "Bottles are resources! To sustainable bottles."
*1) ANTLERS BUSINESS CLUB is a membership organization of Kashima Antlers that works with companies aiming for regional revitalization. Currently, 75 companies are members.
Image of the horizontal recycling box
Going forward, we will install horizontal recycling boxes at Kashima Antlers clubhouses, academy-related facilities, and other locations to promote "bottle-to-bottle" horizontal recycling of PET bottles. In addition, we plan to utilize the Antlers Business Club's philosophical sponsorship funds (*2) to install horizontal recycling boxes in public facilities in Kashima City and the five cities of the Hoko region.
*2) What is philosophical sponsorship?
A portion of the membership fees for the ANTLERS BUSINESS CLUB will be allocated as "philosophical sponsorship funds" to activities aimed at regional and social contribution.
Framework for Kashima City and each company's collaboration
