Environment

the "no-waste society" that BOOKOFF aims to achieve

Items that can still be used are passed on to those who need them. Items that have fulfilled their role are transformed into new resources. We promote reuse and recycling in ways that anyone can easily take part in, working toward a sustainable environment for the future. This is the "no-waste society" that BOOKOFF aims to achieve.

BOOKOFF's core business of reuse plays a key role in building a circular economy. By offering initiatives tailored to local needs, we aim to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society and the resolution of social issues. Together with local communities and municipalities, BOOKOFF strives to realize "a no-waste society."

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1. Initiatives at BOOKOFF Stores in Japan

We began with "books," and now we buy and sell a wide variety of household items, providing services to a large number of customers. In recent years, we have expanded beyond buying and selling to include repair and remake initiatives, as well as recycling items that cannot be sold. We continue to challenge ourselves to return as much value as possible to society through the items entrusted to us by our customers.

Through these reuse and recycling activities that extend the lifespan of items and promote circulation, we believe our core business contributes to the sustainability of the Earth, where resources are limited.

However, many people still have never used reuse services, and many items are discarded from homes without being reused. To address this issue, we are expanding access points with customers and offering a wide range of diverse services to broaden the scope of reuse and contribute to the expansion of a circular society.

CO2 Reduction Contributions from Domestic Reuse Business

Data：June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024
Target: BOOKOFF Corporation, a major operating company
CO2 emissions of the company target products: Books, software, clothing

Click here for details on the calculation formula

Number of items bought/sold at BOOKOFF stores in Japan Annual purchases

Bought	about 413,840,000 items
Sold	about 281,310,000 items

Data：June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024
Coverage: BOOKOFF Group stores in Japan and the EC website
Targeted products: Items handled by the BOOKOFF chain

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ESG Data

Environmental Policy

As global environmental issues such as climate change and marine pollution become increasingly serious, the BOOKOFF Group contributes to the realization of a sustainable society—one that is low-carbon, circular, and in harmony with nature—through its corporate activities.

CO2 Emission Reduction Contribution from the Reuse Business (FY ending May 2024)

※Based on CO2 emission reduction contributions from BOOKOFF Corporation, the main operating company

●Book Calculation Formula
CO2 Emission Reduction Contribution
= (Suppression of new production from sales + Suppression of new production through recycled paper use) − CO2 emissions during recycled pulp production

*As paper is a biomass resource, its CO2 emissions during combustion are considered to be zero.
*The effect of reducing new manufacturing was calculated by our company based on the Japan Paper Association's LCA Subcommittee's "CO2 Emissions in the Life Cycle of Paper and Paperboard" (released March 18, 2011).
*CO2 emissions from recycled pulp production are calculated using the Ministry of the Environment’s "3R Unit Calculation Method."

●CD/DVD/Game Software Calculation Formula
CO2 Emission Reduction Contribution = (Waste reduction through sales) + (Suppression of new production through sales) + (Waste reduction through CD plastic recycling) + (Suppression of new production using CD plastic) − (CO2 emissions from CD plastic production) − (CO2 emissions when reused items are eventually discarded)

*Although CD plastic can be recycled by us, there remains the possibility that resold reused items may eventually be discarded; thus, CO2 emissions at final disposal are subtracted.
*CO2 emissions at disposal are estimated based on the "Ministry of the Environment, Global Environmental Bureau, Climate Change Division’s 2002.8 report."
*CO2 emissions for virgin material production are based on the "LCI Database."
*CO2 emissions for "CD plastic" production are calculated based on the "LCI Database" and assumptions on the production line and quantity used."

●Clothing Calculation Formula
CO2 Emission Reduction Contribution = (Waste reduction through domestic and overseas sales) + (Suppression of new production through domestic and overseas sales) − (CO2 emissions during overseas transport) − (CO2 emissions when items are eventually discarded)

*As recycling rates for clothing are currently low and repeated reuse has its limits, we assume eventual disposal and subtract those CO2 emissions.
*CO2 emissions from new production are estimated using the "Ministry of the Environment’s Sustainable Fashion Report."
*CO2 emissions at disposal are calculated based on the Ministry of the Environment’s "3R Unit Calculation Method."

CO2 Emissions Involving Business Activities(fiscal year ending May 2024)

Note 1: CO2 emissions from BOOKOFF Corporation, the main operating company. "Note 2: Scope 1 is calculated based on gasoline use during business activities from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, using average annual gasoline prices and CO2 emission factors by gasoline utility, published by the Ministry of the Environment.
*Note 3: Scope 2 is calculated based on electricity usage from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, and CO2 emission factors by electric utility, published by the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

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２. Reducing Product Disposal

As Japan’s largest reuse chain, the BOOKOFF Group is used by approximately 90 million people annually. However, some of the items we receive unfortunately remain unsold in our domestic stores.

Unsold items from domestic stores are sold at our reuse shop in Malaysia, Jalan Jalan Japan, extending their product life. Through partnerships with various stakeholders, we are further promoting reuse and recycling, taking the lead in advancing a circular economy.

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Reuse・Recycle

Reuse of Used Clothing,Recycling of Used Clothing,Recycling of Used Paper,
Collection of Small Appliances and Recycling of Mobile Phones/Smartphones

Reuse of Used Clothing

Clothing that could not be sold domestically is exported to our Jalan Jalan Japan reuse shops, with summer items sent to Malaysia and winter items to Kazakhstan for local sales.

Recycling of Used Clothing

Clothing that cannot be reused overseas is recycled through partner companies and repurposed into industrial cleaning cloths (wiping rags) or recycled material (fibers loosened into a cotton-like material) used in felts and textile production.

Recycling of Used Paper

Books that cannot be priced during purchase and are accepted with customer consent, or books that remain unsold after a certain period post-purchase, amount to approximately 28,000 tons annually.

In February 2020, a new recycling system was launched in cooperation with Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Nippon Paper Industries) to ensure 100% domestic circulation of this used paper.

A product of this closed-loop recycling effort, where recycled paper is turned back into BOOKOFF products at Nippon Paper’s facilities, is our line of children’s educational workbooks.

When converted to forest resources, the recycled paper is equivalent to saving approximately 600,000 trees annually, contributing to more effective use of resources.

Collection of Small Appliances and Recycling of Mobile Phones/Smartphones

The BOOKOFF Group partners with River Holdings Co., Ltd. and Toei Co., Ltd. as certified operators under the Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry & Ministry of the Environment, to provide a “Used Small Appliance Collection Service” at 37 stores in Sendai, Kanto, and Chukyo regions.

Mobile phones, smartphones, and other small appliances contain valuable metals such as iron, aluminum, copper, precious metals, and rare metals. Government-designated recyclable items such as PCs and digital cameras are collected free of charge, while items such as microwaves, air purifiers, printers, and rice cookers are collected at a lower fee than municipal bulky waste charges. These items are dismantled, crushed, and sorted by partner companies to recover useful resources.

We provide a collection service for used small household appliances at 37 stores in Sendai, Kanto, and Chukyo regions.

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Upcycle

In addition to reuse and recycling, the BOOKOFF Group partners with organizations such as Mono factory Co..Ltd., which provides consulting for building resource-circulation systems, as well as schools and other groups, to create and propose new value for unwanted items.

Recycling of CD Plastics

CDs and DVDs are composed of a combination of three types of plastic materials: polystyrene, polypropylene, and polycarbonate. These are sorted by material type, crushed, and re-pelletized into four types of recycled plastic materials, which are then sold under our original product brand “CD Plastics.”

Sustainable Pop-Up Store “Haru no Hiroba”

We host sustainable pop-up stores called “Haru no Hiroba,” which bring together nostalgic and heartwarming items, primarily in department stores and commercial spaces. Showa-era retro goods and upcycled creations by artists are displayed and sold. These stores promote a fulfilling lifestyle through reuse and upcycling, helping reduce waste without burden and advancing the circular economy.

REMARKET

Together with Mono Factory Co., Ltd., a company involved in building circular businesses and commercializing recycled materials, we have launched a new service brand called “REMARKET” at our BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR store inside Maebashi Lirica. REMARKET explores new ways of engaging with objects in a decarbonized society by reimagining waste materials as valuable resources and proposing innovative uses for them. Under the concept of “creating new ways to use things and designing how we dispose of them,” REMARKET offers ideas for a new kind of relationship with the things we use in our lives.

REMARKET is a brand based on the concept of creating “ways to use” and designing “ways to discard,” proposing new approaches to how we relate to things in the future.

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3. Reducing the Disposal of Unwanted Items

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Efforts to Reduce Flower Waste

We sell “Plus Flower,” a line of non-standard flowers provided by Hanavie Inc. These flowers don’t meet market standards and are typically excluded from distribution despite being all beautiful, just differing in stem thickness, length, or bloom size. “Plus Flower” helps reduce floral waste and supports flower growers, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits both producers and consumers. Sales locations are expanding, mainly in Tokyo-area stores.

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Reusing Unwanted Items from Companies and Organizations

We collect items from companies and organizations that are difficult to sell domestically and usually thrown away as garbage, such as overstock, items left behind during office relocations, or lost property, and reuse them.
Collected items are sorted and categorized at our in-house yard. Most of these items are shipped to our overseas stores, primarily Jalan Jalan Japan, where they are warmly received by local customers.
As a result, around 60% of these collected items from client companies are successfully reused, significantly reducing environmental impact.
Benefits of this service include reduced disposal costs and CO2 emissions. It also ensures traceability, as products are responsibly delivered to consumers through our overseas stores.
Furthermore, from domestic collection to overseas sales, our system operates in full compliance with regulations.

Before throwing things away, please consult us.