Japan has an estimated 4 million vending machines, packed with all manner of sundries, but a new entry into the market might make for a breath of fresh air. Ashai Group Holdings Ltd. has announced that they will move forward with plans to introduce vending machines which make use of a CO2 resource recycling system. The Tokyo-based company said the new units are capable of absorbing CO2 from the surrounding environment, which will then be used to either chill or warm the stored beverages.
The new vending machines are fitted with materials that allow them to absorb atmospheric CO2.
Starting in June, 30 vending machines will be deployed in the Kanto and Kansai regions, as part of a proof-of-concept project. Each machine will offset approximately 20% of the total emission output generated by the electricity required to operate the unit, thanks to the volume of CO2 absorbed by the vending machine itself. This equates to approximately the same annual absorption of approximately 20 Japanese cedar trees.
The company states that they will use the stored CO2 for industrial resources and are continuing to their plan to develop vending machines that are completely carbon-neutral.
