IKEA stores across Japan join mymizu to reduce plastic waste
Tokyo, Japan, Release: 5 June 2020. For Immediate Release.
On World Environment Day (5th June), IKEA Japan K.K. and Social Innovation Japan announced all 11 IKEA Japan locations as free water refill spots on the mymizu platform, in a joint effort to tackle plastic waste.
With global commitments to phase out single-use plastic and ensure that all plastic used in their products is based on renewable or recycled material by 2030, IKEA Japan is helping the millions of customers who visit its stores each year to start with simple swaps that, when combined, can have a major environmental impact.
“Our mission is to propose to our customers a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. By joining the mymizu platform created by two passionate social entrepreneurs, we can contribute to the ongoing sustainability movement among Japanese young generation,” said Eri Hirayama, Country Sustainability Manager at IKEA Japan.
“We are thrilled that IKEA Japan, a company that continues to show leadership in the field of sustainability, is joining the mymizu platform. This will not only help people to reduce their use of single-use plastics but will also raise awareness of the environmental challenges we face and strengthen the transition to a more sustainable society,” said Robin Lewis, Representative Director of Social Innovation Japan.
mymizu (“mizu” means water in Japanese) is a platform run by Social Innovation Japan with a mission to reduce consumption of plastic bottles and catalyse a movement for environmental sustainability across Japan and the world.
The mymizu app - available for download for free on iOS and Android devices at mymizu.co - connects users to over 6,000 drinking water sources around Japan, and almost 200,000 globally, including public water sources (e.g. water fountains) and partner businesses, enabling people to refill their reusable bottles instead of buying bottled water, thereby decreasing both their plastic consumption and carbon footprint.
Now, visitors to any IKEA store across Japan can refill their bottles in-store, including at Shibuya’s IKEA for Business store and the IKEA Harajuku store (scheduled to open on 8th June) where visitors will be encouraged to refill their bottles with signs located in the stores.
About IKEA Japan:
Swedish home furnishing company. In Japan there are 11 IKEA locations (including IKEA Harajuku shop opening on June 8, and IKEA for Business in Shibuya that opened on February 20.) One of the variety of actions by IKEA aimed at creating a more sustainable society is to replace single-use plastic with renewable plastic for our products, aiming at the specific goal of using reusable or recyclable materials for all of our products by 2030.
About mymizu: mymizu is a co-creative platform with a mission to tackle single-use plastic consumption, starting with the reduction of single-use PET bottles. Along with the development of Japan’s first free water refill app, mymizu also helps people live more sustainable lives - one step at a time - through workshops, consultancy services, educational activities, an online store and cross-sector collaborations.
For information on mymizu: Visit mymizu.co to find out more and to download the app. mymizu is borne out of Social Innovation Japan, a registered non-profit organisation with a mission to activate greater social innovation in and out of Japan.
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For media or partnership enquiries please contact Reiko Suzuki: media@mymizu.co
一般社団法人Social Innovation Japan
〒151-0062 Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Motoyoyogicho, 4-5
Phone: +81+80-3470-8859