Participation in Cleanup Activities in Ago Bay
Recently, three staff members from Eiko Pearl participated in a beach cleanup volunteer activity held in Ago Bay. Together with about 50 participants who gathered from across the country, they collected approximately 250 styrofoam floats used in pearl farming, carefully picking them up one by one from the sea. They also observed how the collected floats were processed using a volume reduction machine at the local cooperative, deepening their understanding of the current state of waste treatment.During the workshop that followed, they learned about the sustainability of the pearl industry and initiatives toward a circular society, and exchanged ideas with local stakeholders and students on how to share the appeal of Ago Bay. Through this activity, we were once again reminded of the beautiful natural environment of Ago Bay and the many efforts made by people to protect it. Moving forward, we will continue to share what we have learned with our team and customers, and contribute to the environmental conservation of Ago Bay and the development of the regional brand by communicating the environmental awareness and the value behind pearls.
We boarded five boats operated by pearl farmers and headed to an area where debris had accumulated near the boundary between the Katada and Fuseda districts.
After arriving at the designated spot, we collected floats (white Styrofoam buoys) used in pearl farming.
The collected floats were crushed using a volume reduction machine rented by the Katada Pearl Cooperative. The machine can process approximately 100–120 floats per day, indicating that there is still room for improvement in processing capacity.
A workshop titled “Circulating Satoumi of Ago Bay: Considering the Enhancement of Regional Value Through Marine Debris” was also held. The current situation and initiatives related to the circular economy were introduced, and participants enthusiastically engaged in group discussions on topics such as “How can we communicate the value of Ago Bay pearls to more people?”
Participants engaged in enthusiastic group discussions on themes such as “How can we communicate the value of Ago Bay pearls to more people?”, followed by presentations from each group at the end.
