Rice into low-carbon plastic: bringing hope to a struggling Fukushima town

Biomass Resin opened a factory in Namie to turn locally-grown rice into pellets used to create low-carbon plastic. The factory is helping Namie recover from the 2011 Fukushima disaster and provides a steady buyer for the rice unsellable for consumption.

March 10, 2023 . 12:37 PM

1 min read

Biomass Resin opened a factory in Namie to turn locally-grown rice into pellets used to create low-carbon plastic cutlery, takeout containers, plastic bags and souvenirs.
The factory is helping Namie recover from the 2011 Fukushima disaster and provides a steady buyer for the rice unsellable for consumption due to health worries.
The plastic is created from 50-70% rice and cuts the amount of petroleum products used, reducing overall atmospheric CO2.
Biomass Resin currently uses 50 tonnes of Namie rice and plans to buy more from local farmers next year.
Additional testing has found no rice above strict limits, meaning the plastic is safe.