In Japan, increasing consumer concern for the environment is driving demand for bioplastic bags and containers. Oriental Land Co., which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, has been using shopping bags derived from sugarcane-based ethanol in its souvenir shops and resorts.
“We decided to use the bags as they will help reduce the burden on the environment,” an Oriental Land spokesperson tells the Japan Times. Aeon Co., a Japanese supermarket chain, has been using bioplastic shopping bags in its stores since 2013. The company also sells bioplastic umbrellas.
Shiseido Co. has been using bioplastics to package its shampoos and conditioners and says it is looking for additional opportunities to use environmentally friendly materials. On a municipal level, the city of Kyoto is introducing bioplastic garbage bags to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.