Last Updated: 2008.12.10
Revision to predicted CO2 emission reduction from environment conscious shopping bag
FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.
to Japanese
UNIQLO and other FAST RETAILING group companies began introducing the new environmentally friendly shopping bag in late December 2007. However, we feel it necessary to revise the predicted reduction in CO2 emissions achievable through the bag’s broad use.
In our news release dated November 27, 2007, we stated that:
| We can achieve two key things by adding 3% of the environment conscious solvent and sophisticated additive, nano hybrid capsule2 (NHC2), when producing the shopping bag. | ||
| ① | Improved strength means less polyethylene ⇒ an approx. 20% reduction in CO2 emission | |
| ② | Contain the fusion of combustible elements and oxygen during burning ⇒ an approx. 40% reduction in CO2 emission. | |
| Taken together, these two features can help us reduce our CO2 emission by roughly 60% compared to current shopping bags. | ||
And on that basis, we began introducing the bags into UNIQLO stores in Japan and overseas and other group company stores from late December 2007. The calculation in the second announcement ② above were checked against combustion gas surveys conducted by a public inspection agency and private institutions, and figures for FR per se were based on a private inspection survey of a combustion environment that more closely mimics that of a regular garbage incinerator.
However, following a public inspection agency survey conducted in November this year involving combustion gas tests of the shopping bags currently being used in our stores, we have confirmed that we have not achieved the figure in statement ② above. Since we stood by the initial private survey findings in the first instance, we felt, as a company, that it was only right to announce the survey results of the public inspection agency this time around as well. The overall finding was that, according to this survey’s methods and environment, the data collected did not prove a stable and constant reduction in CO2 emissions.
The statement ① above however remains valid. We continue to manufacture the shopping bags to improved strength thereby reducing polyethylene usage and achieving a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions.
※1 UNIQLO stores in overseas： Hong Kong & South Korea
※2 Other FR Group companies： GOV RETAILING CO, LTD. (g.u., VIEW)
※3 Public inspection agency ： Japan Chemical Innovation Institute
High Polymer Test ＆ Evaluation Center
