On October 1, 2024, Hitachi Zosen was renamed “Kanadevia.” The company’s mission is to create “a society in which humankind and nature are in harmony.” “You might not be able to imagine what kind of company we are just by the name Kanadevia. But perhaps that’s exactly why we have more opportunities to take on new challenges,” Ogura emphasized. In January 2025, Yumeshima Station, a new station for the Expo venue, will open 3.2 km from Cosmosquare Station on the Osaka Metro, which is the closest station to the head office. There is growing momentum for the project.

　The “sustainable recycling-oriented society” envisioned by Ogura and his team members for the Expo is as follows: Up to four smart collection boxes will be placed in the food truck area of ​​the Expo site, where visitors can enjoy learning initiatives for recycling resources through a web app, and will be encouraged to change their behavior so that they will sort tableware made from “biodegradable plastic,” which is easily decomposed by nature, for collection. The web app will present a system that will make visitors want to recycle resources.

　Waste disposal companies Daiei Kankyo and Daiei Kankyo Research Institute are in charge of the smart collection boxes that serve as the entrance to the system. Waste disposal sites have been dubbed the “venous industry” and have attracted attention, but they face endless challenges, including labor shortages and the aging of cleaning workers. The smart collection boxes are equipped with sensors that detect the amount of waste and notify food truck operators when the boxes are full. If this makes collection more efficient, it will also help solve the labor shortage at the site.

　Ryota Tsubouchi of Daiei Kankyo Research Institute has high hopes for the future of the collection box, which is now in its final stage after its demonstration test. “If we can sort the waste properly, it will become a resource, and it will also lead to time saving in the post-processing stage. Based on the data, it will be possible not only to optimize the location of trash cans, but also to reduce the number of trash cans themselves. The first step is to set the stage by creating an opportunity. Our experience at the Expo will be of great benefit.” he said.

　Ogura, racking her brains developing content for the web app, narrowed her target audience down to elementary school children and their parents, considering the appeal of the application. She is developing the app content while assuming that as more resources are collected, puzzle pieces would be filled in, and when the puzzle would be full, the design would be complete. People could take on quizzes and puzzles and receive rewards if they complete them, or follow a story with different illustrations every few months, which would allow them to learn while having fun. The team is working hard toward a partial release in January.

　The “co-creation” between the two companies may not have been realized without the Co-Design Challenge. They are taking firm steps toward the future.