Since FY2011, we have been developing the “Econoa” series, in which our existing condominium buildings are renovated. These are environmentally friendly homes for sale that utilize existing homes and improve their functionality, performance, and value. The condominium also offers the peace of mind that only the Nishitetsu brand can provide, such as issuance of the R1 Residence Conformity Status Report, which certifies the quality of the renovated residence.
Through the Econoa series, which has a low environmental impact, we will promote the effective use of housing resources and long-lasting housing.
All of our custom-built and for-sale detached houses are certified as long-life quality housing.
Long-life quality housing is outstanding housing with measures taken to ensure that it will stay in good condition for many years to come.
Some of the houses are also equipped with solar power generation systems and EneFarm, and ZEH (*1)-certified homes are also offered.
We will continue to provide safe, high-quality, eco-friendly housing to our customers.
*1 ZEH (Net-Zero Energy House): By significantly improving the insulation performance of the outer skin, etc., and by introducing a high-efficiency equipment system, the quality of the indoor environment is maintained and significant energy savings are achieved, and by introducing renewable energy, etc., the balance of annual primary energy consumption (i.e., the amount of energy used per year) is reduced to zero.
The Group is committed to the proper disposal of waste.
At the Nishitetsu head office, waste is separated into eight categories: confidential documents, copy paper, newspapers, other paper, plastic bottles, cardboard, burnable garbage, and non-burnable garbage. Separation boxes are placed on each floor, and thorough separation contributes to the effective use of resources.
Burnable garbage and confidential documents
Copy paper, newspaper, other paper (recyclable)
Burnable garbage, plastic bottles (recyclable), and non-burnable garbage
Our rail vehicles and buses undergo regular inspections, maintenance, and repairs. Rail vehicles are used for approximately 50 to 60 years, general-route buses for up to 25 years, and highway buses for 12 years, and those that have served their purpose are dismantled and recycled, or those in good condition are fully maintained and reused by Group companies.
Number of vehicles recycled and reused
| FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | ||
| Buses | Recycled | 98 | 171 | 146 | 158 | 85 | 173 | 77 | 37 | 66 |
| Rail cars | Recycled | 12 | 12 | 22 | 1 | 11 | － | 4 | 14 | 6 |
Starting December 1, 2023, we introduced clothing collection boxes “PASSTO” at our commercial facilities, including Solaria Plaza, Solaria Stage, RAIRIA Ohashi, Emax Kurume, and Cha Cha Town Kokura.
PASSTO is a reuse and recycling system that collects unwanted items, selects the most suitable use for them, and gives them a new purpose. After sorting, approximately 10% of the collected clothing and miscellaneous goods are reused domestically, while about 80% are exported overseas.
By placing collection boxes at accessible commercial facilities, we offer a convenient way for local residents to participate, helping to reduce waste and unwanted items. Through this clothing collection initiative, we will continue contributing to resource reuse, CO2 reduction, and the achievement of SDG goals.
“PASSTO” installed at Solaria Plaza
Nishitetsu Kurume Station Building (Emax Kurume, Nishitetsu Kurume Station, and Nishitetsu Kurume Bus Center) have joined forces to conduct a food drive initiative in cooperation with the support group Bon Appetit.
Food that cannot be consumed at home is collected and donated to welfare organizations and food banks, and provided to facilities and families in need.
Through this initiative, we also contribute to the achievement of the SDGs goals by helping to reduce food loss.
Nishitetsu green doboku Co., Ltd. is contracted by Fukuoka Prefecture to manage Ohori Park and Nishi Park. By producing recycled compost from fallen leaves collected in the parks and using it to improve soil quality, we are promoting the reduction of chemical fertilizers, which can lead to soil degradation and a decline in biodiversity, thereby contributing to reducing environmental impact.
Nishitetsu Hotels Co., Ltd. is working to reduce food loss in restaurants and banquet halls with the cooperation of customers through the installation of information POPs and other means.
In addition, food residues from the Nishitetsu Grand Hotel are recycled into pig feed, and those from the Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Fukuoka are recycled into compost, which is used as organic fertilizer for rice and vegetable farming, creating a circular recycling of food resources.
Lawson Nishitetsu Fukuoka Tenjin Station and Lawson Nishitetsu Fukuoka Tenjin Station ticket gate store operated by Nishitetsu Station Service Co., Ltd. are working to reduce and recycle food waste. Waste is reduced by optimizing product assortments and the number of orders placed.
In addition, we produce as little waste as possible by selling unsold products at a discount to reduce unsold products, such as medium-sized food products with short expiry dates. For food that must be disposed of, Nishitetsu Building Management Co., Ltd. is commissioned to convert food waste into animal feed and fertilizer.
In June 2024, we launched the “Food Drive” initiative at Spina Lazolier Takami and Spina Mart Otemachi. To create a resilient community where no one is left behind, we are promoting the Food Drive through a public-private partnership with the Japan Network for Public Interest Activities (JANPIA), the Japan Food Bank Promotion Association, and the NPO Food Bank Kitakyushu Life Again.
Note: A food drive is an activity where surplus food from households is collected and donated to social welfare facilities and children's cafeterias through food bank organizations.
Initiative at the Spina Mart Otemachi Store
Nishitetsu Store Inc. and its stores have set up collection boxes for used food trays in their stores (except some stores), and use recycled trays made from collected used food trays, striving for effective use of resources.
Nishitetsu Store's Uncle Yume Ichiba Yayoigaoka store has been using the G-box waste paper collection system since September 2013.
By putting old newspapers, magazines, etc. into the measuring device at the store, customers earn points that can be exchanged for shopping coupons and more. The system also displays the amount of CO2 reduced along with the points.
Spina Co., Ltd has been collecting and recycling used paper throughout the company as a general SDG initiative since July 2023. Paper that was previously disposed of as waste is now separated into four types at the head office and each business site: general office paper and magazines, shredded paper, corrugated cardboard, and newspapers. This paper is collected using internal communication services and transported by the Company to recycling businesses. We will continue to help use resources effectively.
Separated into four types
In-house collection and delivery
●Vehicle recycling (ASR recycling business)
Kyushu Metal Industry Co., Ltd. has been certified by vehicle manufacturers as an ASR* recycling business operator and began operations on October 1, 2012. By developing our existing ELV recycling business (shredding, etc.), we have established one of the most advanced sorting technologies in Japan, recovering almost all metals contained in ASR and converting them into products and recycled resources.
In addition, after recovering metals from ASRs, all dust is used by cement companies as fuel and cement raw materials, and 100% of the end-of-life vehicles handled are recycled.
*ASR (Automobile Shredder Residue): Waste (shredder dust) remaining after end-of-life vehicles are shredded and metals are recovered.
●Home appliance recycling
In 2001, the Act on Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances (Home Appliance Recycling Act) was enacted, requiring recycling of four items: TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines. Since its establishment, Kyushu Metal Industry Co., Ltd. has been certified as a “designated pick-up location,” “secondary distribution,” and “recycling facility” for waste home appliances, and has been picking up and transporting them. Especially for TVs, air conditioners, and washing machines, we recycle waste home appliances in the northern Kyushu and Yamaguchi areas through manual dismantling and sorting work, and are committed to thorough recycling.
We will continue to make full use of our technological capabilities to help reduce the environmental impact of the region.
Mixed metal continuous sorting machine
Iron after crushing scrapped cars
Initiatives to reduce plastic bags (Store business)
All Nishitetsu Stores Inc. stores began charging for plastic bags from July 1, 2020, in line with the government's initiative. Three years after its implementation, the plastic bag declination rate in FY2022 was 80.6%, helping to reduce plastic waste. Proceeds from paid plastic bags will be used for local environmental protection and community contribution activities.
We will also continue to conduct educational activities (in-store posters, voice calls, etc.) to encourage customers to bring their own bags, increase the percentage of customers declining plastic bags, and continue our efforts to protect the environment, among other efforts.
Review of plastic products (Store business)
Nishitetsu Store Inc. has reviewed the spoons and forks distributed at the cash registers of all stores, replacing plastic products with wooden ones, effective August 2022. We will continue to promote the reduction of plastic products, etc., and strive to contribute to the conservation of petroleum resources and reduction of CO2 emissions, including measures to address the marine plastic waste problem.
Review of plastic products (Food business)
Nishitetsu Store Inc. has changed straws used in its Marine World restaurants from plastic to paper and muddlers from plastic to wood, effective May 2021. In addition, all restaurants at Marine World and Hakata Yari Udon, which are also operated by the same company, have changed their take-out plastic bags to environmentally friendly biomass plastic bags (25% biomass material used). We will continue to promote the reduction of plastic products, etc., and strive to contribute to the conservation of petroleum resources and reduction of CO2 emissions, including measures to address the marine plastic waste problem.
Initiatives to reduce plastic bags
INCUBE Nishitetsu Co., Ltd. began charging for plastic bags from July 1, 2020, in line with the government's initiative. The plastic bag declination rate has been approximately 90% every month since its inception, holding to reduce plastic waste. We will continue to conduct educational activities (in-store posters, voice calls, etc.) to encourage customers to bring their own bags, increase the percentage of customers declining plastic bags, and continue our efforts to protect the environment, among other efforts.
Regarding waste PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) used as insulating material at railroad substations, high-voltage power receiving and transforming equipment for buildings, and ballasts for lighting fixtures, etc., high-concentration PCB waste (capacitors and transformers) was first treated by JESCO (Japan Environmental Storage & Safety Corporation) in FY2006 to render it harmless, and in FY2020, the treatment was completed. However, since the waste was newly discovered at our facility, we conducted a re-inspection and are now properly treating and storing it.
In addition, we began detoxification treatment of low-concentration PCB waste in FY2016 and are systematically disposing of it by the statutory deadline.
The Vehicle Maintenance Section is working to reduce electricity, water, paper, heavy oil, and kerosene consumption by turning off lights during lunch breaks, adjusting air conditioner temperatures, installing water-saving panels, using circulars and e-mails, adjusting boiler operating hours, and reviewing the car-washing process.
Proper management of waste oil and prevention of leakage
Dump site
Separate collection of waste
Separate collection of waste
Compliance with environmental laws and regulations
The main laws that apply to the Vehicle Maintenance Section include the following:
- Basic Act on the Environment
- Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society
- Air Pollution Control Act
- Vibration Regulation Act
- Noise Regulation Act
- Water Pollution Control Act
- Purification Tank Act
- Act on Waste Management and Public Cleansing
- Act on Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances
- Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons
- Fire Service Act
- Cabinet Order on Regulation of Hazardous Materials
- Offensive Odor Control Act
- Act on the Assessment of Releases of Specified Chemical Substances in the Environment and the Promotion of Management Improvement (PRTR Law)
- Regulations on Prevention of Dust Disorders
- Regulations on Prevention of Organic Solvent Poisoning, etc.
In August 2020, Kyushu Metal Industry Co., Ltd. was certified as an authorized processor by Kitakyushu City under the Kitakyushu City Industrial Waste Discharger and Processor Certification System for FY2019. This certification system selects both waste dischargers and waste processors that have made particularly outstanding efforts in reducing, recycling, and properly disposing of industrial waste, and have achieved excellent results. It encourages them by presenting them with business awards, giving them titles as certified operators, and promoting and publicizing their efforts.
We have been continuously certified since 2005.
As a company that conducts sustainable resource recycling, we will continue to actively work to help preserve the global environment.
Nishitetsu-unyu Co., Ltd. supports the realization of a resource-recycling society by collecting and transporting home appliances (air conditioners, televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines) discharged by general consumers and businesses as an authorized operator under the Home Appliance Recycling Law. We are also licensed to collect and transport polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste, which is considered a hazardous substance, and safely transport it to PCB disposal facilities in accordance with the Ministry of the Environment's guidelines.
In addition, we are also involved in collecting waste documents (confidential documents) from offices and waste bottles from restaurants for the purpose of recycling them. As a truck transportation company, we will continue to leverage our mobility to contribute to environmental conservation and the activities of a recycling-oriented society.
