Ceramic Tableware Recycling by Green Life 21 Project - Red Objects

Table 2 CO2 emission of recycled and conventional tableware in processes [kgC/t]
Recycled tableware Conventional tableware
Recovery 2.4 Mining 0.5
Body preparation Crushing 4.3 Refining and crushing 8.3
Preparation 10.9 Preparation 10.9
19.3* 1 19.7*
Tableware manufacturing 427.4 427.4
Total CO2 emission 446.7 447.1
*1 (2.4+4.3+19.9)×20%+(0.5+8.3+10.9)×80%=19.3
*2 (0.5+8.3+10.9)×100%=19.7
2.3 Reinforced Porcelain Tableware Recycling
In addition to the aforementioned recycling of general porcelain tableware, there is the recycling of
the reinforced porcelain tableware that is used in school food services. The recycling method is
technically the same as general porcelain tableware. However, reinforced tableware is
manufactured by incorporating approximately 30% of more expensive aluminum in order to
increase product strength. In the recycling of reinforced porcelain tableware, used reinforced
porcelain tableware is collected to use the aluminum that it contains in order to reduce the volume
of aluminum consumption. The advantage is to offset purchase costs, transport costs and crushing
costs by collecting used reinforced porcelain tableware as a valuable resource to avoid the cost of
using new aluminum. It can also reduce the CO2 emission volume by approximately 3% by reducing
the amount of high LAC aluminum consumption (in the case of combining recycled materials at
20%) (Takahashi 2009, p. 37).
3. System for Manufacturing Recycled Tableware—Re-shokki
In order to put these recycling technologies to practical use, it is necessary for the suppliers to
establish a system for manufacturing recycled tableware. Since the tableware manufacturing
processes are remarkably divided into small processes for each company in the Mino ware
production area, it is difficult for a single manufacturer to complete the entire recycling process.
Therefore, companies engaged in different business categories—such as the collection and
transport of used tableware, crushing, clay preparation, pottery manufacturing, and wholesaling—
must cooperate and organize a system to create a recycling loop. Moreover, in order to create a
closed loop “from tableware to tableware,” measures must be taken for surplus tableware that
cannot be recycled. Cooperation is also required with companies involved in building materials,
which use the surplus tableware effectively. The GL21 has created this type of cooperative system
between suppliers and functions as a system for manufacturing recycled tableware. The GL21 has
also promoted cooperation with multiple governmental agencies and university researchers and has
obtained support for recycling technology, environmental designs and marketing. “Re-shokki” is the
name given to the tableware manufactured under the system for manufacturing recycled tableware
shown in Figure 2 (GL21 System).
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