As part of our efforts toward establishing a recycling-oriented society, Suntory is working to reduce emissions of by-products and waste and to achieve 100% recycling.
By-products and Waste Generation Performance
Area | Amount of discharge (thousand tons) | ||
---|---|---|---|
2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
Japan | 251 | 228 | 218 |
Americas | 193 | 156 | 410 |
Europe | 113 | 95 | 119 |
Asia | 32 | 32 | 30 |
Oceania | 5 | 7 | 7 |
Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 594 | 518 | 783★ |
-
*Data covers 27 production plants in Japan and 64 production plants overseas
-
*The increase in emissions in the Americas is due to the addition of waste and by-products to be included from FY2021. The amount of the waste and by-products increased by 238 thousand tons due to the addition.
-
*Therein, the byproducts and waste generated by Suntory Beverage & Food Group companies in Japan and overseas amount to 148 thousand tons★
-
*Results have received independent assurance from KPMG AZSA Sustainability Co., Ltd. The assured numerical values are indicated with ★.
Promoting the Recycling of Waste
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 2021, our plants in Japan (including Group companies) generated 217,925 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 7.5% compared to 2021.
Suntory Beverage & Food Europe is working to reduce and recycle waste with the goal of achieving zero waste from its plants. We have also set a goal of reducing food waste from our products by 50%. As part of our efforts to achieve this goal, we donate surplus products to charitable organizations to help those suffering from poverty.
Recycling Rate of Japanese Plants and Flow for reuse of by-products and waste generated in each production process
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amount of discharge (thousand ton) | 258 | 258 | 251 | 228 | 218 |
Amount recycled (thousand ton) | 258 | 258 | 251 | 228 | 217 |
recycling rate (%) | 100.0 | 100.0 | 99.9 | 100.0 | 99.7 |

By-products and Waste generation, recycling rate and the purpose of use for recycled products
Type of waste | Main Purpose of Use | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
195,334 | 100 | 187,818 | 100 | 181,524 | 100 | 164,185 | 100 | 159,273 | 100 |
Sludge (excess sludge, etc.) | - Fertilizer | 30,351 | 100 | 30,472 | 100 | 31,245 | 100 | 30,275 | 100 | 27,337 | 100 |
Wood waste (cask, palletes) | - Animal feed - Fertilizer |
1,314 | 100 | 4,435 | 100 | 2,458 | 100 | 5,186 | 100 | 5,267 | 100 |
Glass and ceramic scrap | - Glass materials - Base course material |
3,508 | 100 | 3,216 | 100 | 2,825 | 100 | 2,285 | 100 | 1,337 | 100 |
Paper scraps (cardboards, paper labels, etc.) | - Recycled paper - Cardboard materials |
6,349 | 100 | 6,228 | 100 | 6,429 | 100 | 5,520 | 100 | 5,508 | 100 |
Plastic | - Palette - Solid fuel - Supplementary fuel |
5,918 | 100 | 6,138 | 100 | 6,338 | 100 | 6,033 | 100 | 5,796 | 100 |
Metal scraps (aluminum, steel) | - Aluminum - Steel ingredients |
2,958 | 100 | 3,240 | 100 | 3,270 | 100 | 3,314 | 100 | 3,506 | 100 |
Other | 12,632 | 100 | 16,405 | 100 | 17,365 | 100 | 11,558 | 100 | 9,903 | 93 | |
Total | 258,365 | 100 | 257,951 | 100 | 251,454 | 100 | 228,355 | 100 | 217,925 | 99.7 |
-
*Data covers 27 production plants in Japan
Applications of recycled materials
We are furthering resource recycling for the by-products and waste produced by the Suntory Group in various applications.
-
Barrel cabinet
-
Dining Set "TARURU"
-
Drink sampling tray made from barrel
Building a Recycling Circulation Cycle for Food Waste -- Izutsu Maisen Co., Ltd.
Izutsu Maizumi Co., Ltd. is actively working to reduce and reuse food waste so as not to waste the precious gifts 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