Aomori Plant Co., Ltd. Takes Part in Rokkasho Village Tatami Rocks Volunteer Cleanup Activities
Aomori Plant Co., Ltd. (APL), part of the IHI Group, took part in the Tatami Rocks Volunteer Cleanup Activities held on October 10 by the Rokkasho Village Industry Association. The coastline of the Tomari area of Rokkasho Village, in Aomori Prefecture, is home to unusual rock formations referred to as the “tatami rocks.” During this volunteer cleaning activity, participants started from the northern and southern ends of the kilometer-long coastline where the tatami rocks are located and worked their way toward the center. This year, 35 local companies and 122 members of the community took part. Four of the volunteers were from APL. APL’s head office and headquarters representative’s office are located in Rokkasho Village, and APL takes part in the cleanup activities every year as part of its efforts to contribute to the community.
Although the morning started cloudy and cold, the weather improved when the cleanup began, and it turned into a balmy fall day perfect for cleaning. The area around the tatami rocks is dotted with points of interest such as waterfalls, rock formations with blowholes, cave ruins that date back to the Jomon era, and shrines, so it is one of Rokkasho Village’s sightseeing spots. However, the coast containing the tatami rocks was littered with plastic that washed in from the sea, such as containers, nylon bags, torn nets, and ropes. The cleanup activity aimed to provide visitors to Rokkasho Village with a more pleasant experience. This year the volunteers collected roughly 180 kg of garbage.
One employee who took part in the cleanup commented that there was even more plastic waste than they’d expected, while another said that it was their first time walking along the tatami rocks, despite having grown up in the area. The cleanup provided an excellent opportunity for the employees to heighten their awareness of environmental issues and learn more about their community.
As a member of the local community, APL will continue to actively take part in community contribution activities, such as cleaning activities.
(The tunnel in the rocks behind them is nicknamed the “Totoro Tunnel” because the profile of the tunnel resembles the titular character of Studio Ghibli’s “My Neighbor Totoro.”)