Shiraoi's Marine Plastic Waste Becomes a Hometown Tax Return Started handling upcycled key chains, Workshops are also being held.

SHIRAOI PROJECTS (Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido, President: Natsuko Yamagishi) will start offering upcycled products made from marine plastic waste collected at the Shiraoi Port No. 3 Commercial Port Area beach as a Shiraoi Town hometown tax return gift. In addition to creating a mechanism to support Shiraoi's seashore through donations, the company will also offer a workshop program using the same materials. All proceeds will be used to fund the activities of the "Shin Shiraoi Port Project," a project to make Shiraoi Port more attractive.

About the treatment as a tax return gift

Shiraoi Marine Plastic Upcycle Key Chain is now available as a tax return gift from Shiraoi Town. This is a system whereby a "one-of-a-kind item born from the Shiraoi Sea" is delivered to the donor as a means of supporting the Shiraoi Sea from anywhere in Japan. Due to the nature of the return gift, the color and pattern cannot be selected, but it is a one-of-a-kind item that retains the diverse hues of the flotsam and jetsam.

Background

From July to August 2025, "SHIRAOI Beach & Beach House" was held in the Shiraoi Port No. 3 Commercial Port Area coastal area as a demonstration experiment. A total of more than 20 people participated in the beach cleanup prior to the event, and staff continued to clean up every morning during the period. More than 20 kg of marine plastic trash, including pieces of fishing gear and containers, was collected. Instead of disposing of this garbage, it was cleaned, crushed, molded, and commercialized in Shiraoi in cooperation with buoy ( https://buoy.stores.jp/ ), an upcycling brand involved in marine debris reclamation nationwide. Because the color of the material itself is preserved, each product is one-of-a-kind.

Clean-up event at Shiraoi Port

Marine plastic waste cleaned, cut and color-coded

Product lineup (all tax included)

Small fish key chain (various colors) 990 yen

Key chain (circle/square) 1,650 yen

*Patterns are different for each item.

Upcycled key chain

Where to buy

Shiraoi-cho Furusato Tax Payment (New)

Poroto Mintara (in Shiraoi Town)

Matatabi Bunko (in Shiraoi Town)

Tomakomai Hub (in Tomakomai City)

Development of workshop program

We will also offer a workshop program in which participants can make their own key chains while learning about ocean issues using the same crushed ocean plastic materials. The program can be used in a variety of settings, including community events, schools, and corporate training programs. 1,500 yen per person (including materials). Program content can be customized upon request. Please feel free to contact us for inquiries about business trips, event openings, etc.

Key chains made at the workshop

Use of Proceeds

All proceeds from sales and workshops will be used to fund the activities of the "Shin Shiraoi Port Project," including the holding of the "SHIRAOI Beach & Beach House" in 2026, continued beach cleanups, environmental education programs, and community event management to support efforts to connect Shiraoi's beaches to the next generation.

Workshop Items

Representative Director's Comment

I am very happy that the marine plastic waste collected with everyone who participated and cooperated in this project will lead to future activities in this way. I am also very happy that people from all over Japan can now support the Shiraoi Sea as a tax return gift from their hometowns. I believe that the plastic will not end up as garbage, but will be turned into cute key chains, which will help raise awareness of the oceans and encourage people to become more attached to them."