Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Basic Policies for Joint Research on Horizontal Recycling of Aluminum Railway Car Bodies Signed
January 29, 2025
Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.
Metro Sharyo Co., Ltd.
Honda Trading Corporation
Nippon Sougou Recycle Co., Ltd.
Nikkeikin Aluminium Core Technology Company, Ltd.
Kawasaki RailCar Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Suminoe Industries Co., Ltd.
Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Basic Policies for Joint Research on Horizontal Recycling of Aluminum Railway Car Bodies Signed
- Initiation of Consideration into Horizontal Recycling of Aluminum Railway Car Bodies -
Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd. (Head office: Taito-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akiyoshi Yamamura; hereinafter “Tokyo Metro”), Metro Sharyo Co., Ltd. (Head office: Taito-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masao Tomeoka; hereinafter “Metro Sharyo”), Honda Trading Corporation (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tatsuya Natsume; hereinafter “Honda Trading”), Nippon Sougou Recycle Co., Ltd. (Head office: Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture; President and CEO: Yasushi Takakura; hereinafter “Nippon Sougou Recycle”), Nikkeikin Aluminium Core Technology Company, Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hideo Iotake; hereinafter “Nikkeikin Aluminium Core Technology”), Kawasaki RailCar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Head office: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; President and CEO: Hiroshi Murao; hereinafter “Kawasaki RailCar”), and Suminoe Industries Co., Ltd. (Head office: Kyoutanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture; President and CEO: Hirotomi Ono; hereinafter “Suminoe Industries”) have signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the basic policies for joint research to realize horizontal recycling*1 of aluminum railway car bodies owned by Tokyo Metro and have initiated consideration for the implementation of this joint research.
Tokyo Metro has traditionally conducted cascade recycling*2 of aluminum scraps from discarded railway car bodies. In this joint research project, we will conduct technological verification from FY2024 to FY2027 to develop a technical process for horizontally recycling of aluminum scraps used in the railway car bodies owned by Tokyo Metro without downgrading it, and recycling it for parts of the railway car body and interior parts of railway car body.
Through this joint research, we will be recycling aluminum which is a valuable resource, and use them for a longer period, which will help reduce CO2 supply chain emissions during the production of new rolling stocks*3. These activities will further contribute to the realiziation of a a more decarbonized and recycling-oriented society in the railway industry and lead to the realization of a sustainable society.
*1 Horizontal recycling
Form of recycling which involves recycling the waste into alloys of the same purity and composition, thereby maintaining the purity and alloy composition. Strict selection and adjustment are required to prevent deterioration.
*2 Cascade recycling
Form of recycling which involve downgrading to low-purity materials with a high amount of impurities. Since the properties of the material will deteriorate and change, it will not return to its original elemental state, but it is reused as a material.
*3 The effect of aluminum recycling
Aluminum requires a large amount of energy to produce primary aluminum from bauxite and generates a large amount of CO2.
When recycled, aluminum requires only 3.4% of the energy and produces 2.8% of CO2 compared to the production of primary aluminum.
(Quoted from the “Inventory Analysis Report on Melting Scrap for Wrought Materials” by the Japan Aluminum Association LCA Research Committee, March 2023)
For more details, please refer to the attached document.