As part of our efforts toward establishing a recycling-oriented society, Suntory works to reduce byproducts and waste generation, and attain a 100% resource recycling rate.
Byproducts and Waste Generation Performance
Area | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
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Japan | 246 | 258 | 258 | 251 | 228 |
Americas | 138 | 192 | 187 | 193 | 154 |
Europe | 97 | 93 | 95 | 113 | 95 |
Asia | 22 | 25 | 28 | 32 | 32 |
Oceania | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
Africa | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 513 | 576 | 574 | 594 | 516★ |
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*Data covers 26 production plants in Japan and 64 production plants overseas
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*Therein, the byproducts and waste generated by Suntory Beverage & Food Group companies in Japan and overseas amount to 150 thousand tons★
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*Results have received independent assurance from KPMG AZSA Sustainability Co., Ltd. The assured numerical values are indicated with ★.
Maintaining a 100% Resource Recycling Rate
We are committed to reducing the by-products and waste generated in the manufacturing processes at Suntory Group plants in Japan, and to recycling 100% of resources.
In 2020, our plants in Japan (including Group companies) generated 228,355 tons of byproducts and waste. This means total waste generated is the same and by-products and waste amount per unit of production decreased by 9.2% compared to 2019. The resource recycling rate has been maintained at 100%.
By-products and waste generation

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*Data covers 26 production plants in Japan
Flow for reuse of by-products and waste generated in each production process

By-products and Waste generation, recycling rate and the purpose of use for recycled products
Type of waste | Main Purpose of Use | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |||||
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Generation (t) | Recycling Rate (%) | Generation (t) | Recycling Rate (%) | Generation (t) | Recycling Rate (%) | Generation (t) | Recycling Rate (%) | Generation (t) | Recycling Rate (%) | ||
Vegetable (glycation, tea, coffee dregs, etc.) | - Animal feed - Fertilizer |
185,227 | 100 | 195,334 | 100 | 187,818 | 100 | 181,524 | 100 | 164,185 | 100 |
Sludge (excess sludge, etc.) | - Fertilizer | 27,547 | 100 | 30,351 | 100 | 30,472 | 100 | 31,245 | 100 | 30,275 | 100 |
Wood waste (cask, palletes) | - Animal feed - Fertilizer |
2,123 | 100 | 1,314 | 100 | 4,435 | 100 | 2,458 | 100 | 5,186 | 100 |
Glass and ceramic scrap | - Glass materials - Base course material |
3,772 | 100 | 3,508 | 100 | 3,216 | 100 | 2,825 | 100 | 2,285 | 100 |
Paper scraps (cardboards, paper labels, etc.) | - Recycled paper - Cardboard materials |
5,184 | 100 | 6,349 | 100 | 6,228 | 100 | 6,429 | 100 | 5,520 | 100 |
Plastic | - Palette - Solid fuel - Supplementary fuel |
4,956 | 100 | 5,918 | 100 | 6,138 | 100 | 6,338 | 100 | 6,033 | 100 |
Metal scraps (aluminum, steel) | - Aluminum - Steel ingredients |
3,039 | 100 | 2,958 | 100 | 3,240 | 100 | 3,270 | 100 | 3,314 | 100 |
Other | 12,729 | 100 | 12,632 | 100 | 16,405 | 100 | 17,365 | 100 | 11,558 | 100 | |
Total | 244,604 | 100 | 258,365 | 100 | 257,951 | 100 | 251,454 | 100 | 228,355 | 100 |
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*Data covers 26 production plants in Japan
Development of Applications for Resource Recycling by Type
We are furthering resource recycling for the by-products and waste produced by the Suntory Group in various applications.

Barrel cabinet
Suntory Barrel Story by Karimoku
Blend Series
Dining SetDrink sampling tray made from barrel
Building a Recycling Circulation Cycle for Food Waste -- Izutsu Maisen Co., Ltd.
Izutsu Maisen Co., Ltd. is actively striving to reuse food loss to not waste the invaluable blessings of nature. One predominate initiative is the setup of a recycling circulation cycle for the crusts of bread.
Izutsu Maisen cuts off the crusts of the bread when they make their popular fried pork cutlet sandwiches. These bread crusts are generally given to business operators who are able to recycle them as feed, but Izutsu Maisen launched their original Amai-Yuwaku pork brand that raises pigs on this feed in 2012 because the crusts are perfect as feed. This is an initiative that uses the bread crusts once again in a cycle as a raw material such as in the pork cutlets once.

Original Amai-Yuwaku pork brand