Marine Litter Cleanup on World Natural Heritage Site Shiretoko Peninsula

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo; President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) and Hokkaido Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Hokkaido; President & CEO: Hiroshi Ishimoto) ran a marine litter cleanup with Shari Town, Ministry of Environment and local fisheries cooperatives on October 22, 2019, along the Rusha bay of Shiretoko, core area of the World Natural Heritage Site. The cleanup saw a total of 34 persons collect marine litter that had drifted ashore or been left on the beach. Trash recovered by members included fishing nets, buoys and other fishing gear, as well as marine litter that had drifted over from elsewhere in Japan and abroad, such as plastic packaging. We collected eight large flexible container bags’ worth of waste – totaling approximately 8 m³ in volume.

Since 2015, Mitsui Chemicals has been supporting the work of the Japan Environmental Action Network (JEAN), a general incorporated association and pioneer in addressing the issue of marine litter through Mitsui Chemicals’ One-Coin Club^*1 which is a framework for collaborative CSR between the company and its employees. Mitsui Chemicals and JEAN have been organized lectures and workshops about marine litter to understand the current situation and consider what can be done. The most recent undertaking was the cleanup, which was organized after learning about the state of the marine litter problem in the Shiretoko Peninsula.

Location:  Rusha bay, Shiretoko Peninsula
Date:  October 22, 2019
Organizers:  Shari Town, Ministry of the Environment
Assistance:  JF Sharidaiichi, JF Utoro (disheries cooperatives)
Sponsor:  Mitsui Chemicals Group
Participants:  34
Amount Collected:  Eight flexible container bags’ worth (approximately 8 m3, quantity: 1,530kg)

*1One-Coin Club
Beginning in 2007, this CSR initiative sees Mitsui Chemicals match the donations of its employees. A committee of donating employees directs contributions to organizations that are working to solve social issues.