Introduction of products that have acquired the "EcoLeaf" environmental label

What motivated you to obtain the "EcoLeaf" environmental label?

As the movement toward carbon neutrality by 2050 has gained momentum, there has been an image that plastics are bad for the environment, including the declaration of carbon neutrality and the tightening of regulations under the new plastics law in Japan. Under such circumstances, we wanted to make CO₂ emissions visible by acquiring the "EcoLeaf" environmental label and show that there are cases in which our materials actually have a lower environmental impact than other materials. Plastics are essential in human life and cannot be replaced. We believe that visualizing CO2 emissions is one answer to how we can consider environmental impact and propose specifications that reduce CO2 emissions.

What were some of the difficulties or challenges in obtaining the "EcoLeaf" environmental label?

In order to obtain the EcoLeaf environmental label, we needed to establish a cooperative system across the entire supply chain, and we had some difficulties in coordinating with the supply chain. We had to request the disclosure of information about each company's core technology and costs that would otherwise be confidential, and at the beginning, it took a lot of trial and error to get specific answers. Ultimately, by establishing a borderline with each company in the supply chain that could disclose information, we were able to obtain the information necessary for the EcoLeaf environmental label.

Where did you feel a sense of accomplishment?

Since certification in 2022, there have been cases where products have been adopted because of the EcoLeaf environmental label, and we are pleased to see that the effects of certification are beginning to be seen. We have heard from our business partners that “Fukuvi Chemical has a strong image of focusing on environmentally friendly building materials,” and we receive proposals for new supply chain frameworks and new joint development with our business partners. It also served as a trigger.

What is your outlook for the future?

Embodied carbon regulations are becoming mandatory in countries around the world. When calculating CO₂ emissions, EPD is required instead of in-house LCA calculations, and we believe that the "EcoLeaf" environmental label will become increasingly important in the future. Since we still have a small number of certified products, we would like to contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions by increasing the number of certified products and further increasing the environmental friendliness of the products we have certified.