Volunteer employees from the Utsunomiya Factory participated in the "Marine Garbage Zero Week 2024" sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment in June and cleaned up the area around the factory. Our company has previously designated June as "Environment Month" and has been conducting cleaning activities, but since last year we have been participating in the nationwide simultaneous cleaning campaign "Marine Garbage Zero Week" sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment and the Nippon Foundation.
Although we are a landlocked prefecture, we are contributing to "zero marine debris"! Efforts to achieve zero marine debris and the SDGs
It is said that the amount of marine litter, including plastic, will exceed the amount of fish by 2050. In order to take immediate action, the Ministry of the Environment and the Nippon Foundation are jointly promoting a nationwide cleanup campaign under the slogan "Zero Marine Litter."
Because it is "Marine Debris Zero Week," one might think that only places with a sea can participate, but since approximately 80% of marine debris is thought to flow from land (cities) down rivers into the ocean, it is important to carry out activities not only in the ocean but also in cities in order to reduce marine debris, and even prefectures without a sea are encouraged to actively participate in this activity.
In addition, we are promoting "environmental protection activities near our factories" as one of the SDGs goals.
Our SDGs goals can be found here
Comments from employees who participated in Zero Marine Garbage Week
"This year, we once again collected a lot of cigarette butts, drink containers, and lunchbox film, but we also collected abandoned plastic sheets and cardboard boxes.
I believe that we have been able to contribute, however small, to the prevention of marine litter and environmental conservation in the local area."
Collection work around the factory
Many people gathered
