Yamajin Co., Ltd. (Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture) and Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) are launching a new organic detergent called "Shell we clean?", made from upcycled scallop shells, starting Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The products are available through Yamajin's official online store and select retail locations.
Background: From Waste to Resource
Yamajin handles every step of scallop production — from aquaculture to processing — at what is reportedly the largest scallop processing facility in Aomori Prefecture. That process generates approximately 7,000 tons of shell waste each year, most of which ends up incinerated or landfilled. To address this, the company launched the "Shell Cycle Project," treating scallop shells as a valuable resource rather than industrial by-product. "Shell we clean?" is one of the first products to emerge from that initiative.
Zero Chemicals, Zero Additives
"Shell we clean?" contains no surfactants. Because it relies entirely on the natural cleansing power of scallop shells, wastewater from its use is said to have a purifying effect on rivers as it flows back to the sea.
Packaging Made from Shells Too
The product packaging uses "SHELLTEC," a material developed by Koushi Chemical Industry from discarded scallop shells and recycled plastics. From the detergent itself to the bottle it comes in, every component traces back to discarded scallop shells.
Japan's First Ecocert Certification in the Detergent Category
Founded in France in 1991, Ecocert is an international certification body dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. It evaluates products against strict standards that prioritize natural ingredients and sustainable production. "Shell we clean?" has become the first detergent in Japan to receive Ecocert certification within the detergent product category.
Product Lineup
Kitchen & Household Cleaner
The kitchen and household cleaner is designed for a wide range of uses: grease on stovetops, laundry odors from air-dried clothes, tables, floors, pet accessories, toys, and baby items. Using a proprietary technology that dissolves calcium hydroxide in water at three times the usual concentration, the formula is claimed to eliminate 99.9% of E. coli and Salmonella within 15 seconds of contact, and 100% within three minutes. Its high alkalinity delivers disinfecting, deodorizing, grease-cutting, and mold-inhibiting effects.
Product details:
- Release date: March 18, 2026
- Price: ¥1,430
- Ingredients: Mineral water, calcined Aomori scallop shell powder
- Form: Liquid
- pH: Alkaline
- Volume: 350 mL
- Uses: Kitchen surfaces, refrigerator interiors, tables, floors, pet items, toys, baby products (disinfecting/deodorizing), grease removal, reducing odors from air-dried laundry
Vegetable Wash Powder
The vegetable wash powder uses 100% calcined scallop shell powder from Aomori Prefecture. A single shake into a bowl of water is said to remove dirt and bacteria from vegetables and fruit, and to extend their freshness. Compared with rinsing under running water, the powder reportedly removes approximately 70% more bacteria and contaminants.
Product details:
- Release date: March 18, 2026
- Price: ¥1,430
- Ingredients: 100% calcined Aomori scallop shell powder
- Form: Powder
- pH: Alkaline
- Volume: 130 g
- Uses: Washing vegetables and fruit
About SHELLTEC
SHELLTEC is a new material developed by Koushi Chemical Industry, made by combining discarded scallop shells — of which nearly 200,000 tons are discarded annually in Japan — with recycled plastics and concrete. The material is reported to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 36% compared with virgin plastic, while improving flexural strength by approximately 33%. Compared with limestone-derived eco-plastic, it can cut CO2 by up to 20%. SHELLTEC is already being used in helmets and tetrapods, with further product applications planned through partnerships with businesses and municipalities.
SHELLTEC official website: https://koushi-chem.co.jp/shelltec/
Comments from Those Behind the Product
Miyuki Akimoto, Executive Vice President, Yamajin Co., Ltd.
"We face the sea in Aomori 365 days a year, raising scallops as if they were our own children. As a fishing company, we take pride in delivering the finest flavor — but we have long wrestled with the sight of roughly 7,000 tons of 'waste shells' piling up each processing season. The question 'Can we really just discard what the sea has given us?' led us to the Shell Cycle Project. With patent-pending technology, 'Shell we clean?' draws out the shells' natural cleaning and disinfecting power to its fullest. One hundred percent natural, yet capable of eliminating 99.9% of bacteria in just 15 seconds — that is the life force of the sea taking a new form. Earning Japan's first Ecocert certification in the detergent category confirmed that our efforts meet a global standard of trustworthiness. We hope that this everyday act of cleaning becomes kinder to your family and to the planet, and that the sea's gifts from Aomori bring a richer cycle to your daily life."
Tetsuya Nanbara, Planning and Development Lead, Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
"Amid the broad movement toward the SDGs, many new eco-plastics are being announced. In reality, however, truly sustainable plastics that satisfy cost, quality, and long-term viability remain quite rare. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of tons of still-usable waste are incinerated or landfilled every year. We believe that recycling waste more thoroughly than before is essential to building a sustainable society. We are delighted to collaborate with Yamajin in a way that helps address social challenges in the region, and we hope that similar efforts will spread across Japan and the world."
Where to Find It
"Shell we clean?" goes on sale March 18, 2026, via Yamajin's official online store and select shops including Tokyo Family Marche (Ariake Garden) and Tsutaya Bookstore (Tagajo City Library), with further retail locations to follow.
Official website: https://www.shell-we-clean.com
