Recycling-based Society Research Articles

Applicability of Alkaline Waste and By-products as Low Cost Alternative Neutralizers for Acidic Soils

Acidic soils can induce several negative impacts, especially in agricultural fields. To address these problems, lime is often applied to increase the pH value of acidic soils. Calcium carbonate is the most common and conventional agricultural lime; however, it is a natural and scarce resource. To promote a recycling-based society, alternative neutralizers with lower costs that use alkaline waste and by-products are essential. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness and applicability of three types of autoclaved lightweight aerated concrete, recycled concrete, steel slag as basic oxygen furnace slag, and fly ash (mainly particles less than 0.106 mm and 0.106–2 mm in size), as alternative neutralizers for three representative acidic soils through laboratory neutralization experiments. The neutralization performance was evaluated by measuring the additive weight percentage of each neutralizer required to convert each acidic soil to neutral soil (pH 7). For neutralizers with two particle sizes, the finer fraction clearly showed lower additive weight percentages indicating higher neutralization performance. Among the six tested alkaline waste and by-products, the steel slag exhibited the highest neutralization performance. In particular, finer fraction steel slag exhibited a high neutralization performance, similar to that of the conventionally used calcium carbonate. This result suggests that fine steel slag (particle size < 0.106 mm) is the most promising and suitable alternative neutralizer.

An Experience from Japan: The Challenge to Establish a Plastic Waste Recycling-Based Society in Vietnam

An Experience from Japan: The Challenge to Establish a Plastic Waste Recycling-Based Society in Vietnam

前書 ―循環型社会の形成に向けた産業廃棄物・副産物リサイクルの現状と将来展望―

前書 ―循環型社会の形成に向けた産業廃棄物・副産物リサイクルの現状と将来展望―

太田猛彦 編著, 全国宮川サミット実行委員会 制作『宮川環境読本 真の循環型社会を求めて』

太田猛彦 編著, 全国宮川サミット実行委員会 制作『宮川環境読本 真の循環型社会を求めて』

Forest Waste Derived Fuel with Waste Cooking Oil

Abstract Accompanying with the rapidly increasing scarcity of the Earth's limited resources, the recycling-based society is an imperative objective of sustainable development and is also the future worldwide trend. Forestry waste can be regarded as important environmental resources. The potential applications of forestry waste resources in green energy included the biomass-derived fuel, bio-ethanol, and bio-diesel. Forest waste is the by-product of the wood utilization industry in Taiwan. In this study, the forest waste derived fuels were prepared with the waste cooking oil. The combustion behaviors of the forest waste derived fuels were also investigated. The characteristics of the derived fuel made from forest waste with 20% waste cooking oil showed that the ash content is less than 10% and its calorific value reached 5,000 kcal/kg. The results show that the fuel prepared in this work from the forest waste mixed with waste cooking oil is suitable for use as an alternative fuel and also reduces the global greenhouse gas emissions.

新日鉄住金エンジニアリング（株）における環境ビジネスへの取組

In our environmental solutions section, we have developed a wide environment solution business centering on the waste gasification and melting technology, and could achieve some positive results in recycling-based society and the prevention of global warming. In this paper, we report the features of the shaft-furnace type direct melting system, the stoker-type incinerator of Steinmüller Babcock Environment GmbH of Germany, and sewage sludge fuelization by J-COMBI® system, which are our typical environmental equipment.

エコセメント─資源循環型社会の構築の一翼を担う革新的技術─

エコセメント─資源循環型社会の構築の一翼を担う革新的技術─

Current Status on Resource and Recycling Technology for Rare Earths

The development of recycling technologies for rare earths is essential for resource security and supply stability because high-quality rare earth mines are concentrated in China and the demand for rare earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium, used as raw materials in permanent magnets (neodymium magnet), is expected to increase rapidly in the near future. It is also important to establish a recycling-based society from the perspective of the conservation of finite and valuable mineral resources and the reduction of the environmental load associated with mining and smelting. In this article, the current status of rare earth resource as well as that of recycling technology for the magnets is reviewed. The importance of establishing an efficient recycling process for rare earths is discussed from the characteristics of supply chain of rare earths, and the technological bases of the recycling processes for the magnet are introduced. Further, some fundamental researches on the development of new recycling processes based on pyrometallurgical process are introduced, and the features of the recycling processes are evaluated.

A review on anaerobic decomposition and enhancement of biogas production through enzymes and microorganisms

The need to develop and improve sustainable energy resources is eminent due to the finite nature of our fossil fuels. Recent modification of laws, development of technologies and business movement has encouraged the transition to a recycling-based society. Today economy and technologies largely depend upon energy resources that are renewable as well as eco-friendly. Biogas is an environment friendly, economic and an alternative means to fossil fuel. The use of biogas is widespread in countries such as India and China. The Indian government׳s energy policy tries to support renewable energy by providing incentives to central and state government level. Attempts have been made to manipulate the biogas process towards industrial scale by pre and post manipulation. Pre manipulation includes maintenance of temperature, moisture, pH and microorganisms. Whereas post manipulation involves scrubbing in which water vapor, CO2 and H2S has been removed through activated charcoal and water shower. Bacteria and enzymes play crucial role in anaerobic digestion and they are essential for efficient process. Trials have been made by use of bio-enzymatic preparations to enhance the biogas production. This paper reviews the details about decomposition, process of anaerobic decomposition, diverse constraints behind anaerobic technology and different aspects for enhancement of biogas production through enzymes and microorganisms.

Key Technology for the Recycling-based Society Recycling of Resources and Urban Mine

Key Technology for the Recycling-based Society Recycling of Resources and Urban Mine

Indicator System Construction for Recycling Society

For the justice between generations, the concept of sustainable development has become the tendency of national development in 21 century. The guideline and indicator system for sustainable development were established already in Taiwan. The issues of eco-city, health-city or sustainable city have discussed in several cities these years. However, the key point of sustainable development is to reduce consumption of resources. A recycling-based society is the ultimate aim. In this research, issue-based indicator framework was adopted to construct an indicator system focused on the assessment of recycling representation in a city. With the considerations of resource input and recycling, the performance of resources utilization can be realized. Top five cities in Taiwan were selected as the case study. Other assessment results from existed indicator systems were compared with the proposed indicator system for distinguished the difference between various systems.

Risk Assessment of Woody Biomass Fuels and Waste Using High-Sensitivity Calorimetry and Gas Chromatography

There have been recent trends toward developing a sustainable lifestyle to alleviate the burden of society on the environment. The 3R principle of ‘reuse’, ‘recycling’, and ‘reduction’ of waste provides the basis for a sustainable society in Japan and techniques to implement the 3R principle are continuously improving. In particular, there have been efforts to collect wood-based waste from demolished buildings for use as biomass fuels to begin to develop a recycling-based society. However, in woody biomass fuels and waste, fermentation generates a small amount of heat, and with a sufficient increase in temperature, this heat can cause spontaneous ignition. If the shift to a sustainable society is rushed and new substances are used without fully considering the safety aspects of their handling, the probability of accidents occurring will increase. It is difficult to identify the causes, processes, and scenarios for heat generation during the early stages of fires. In this study, we collected samples from storage sites at which fires have occurred, and the risk of heat generation by fermentation, which could trigger spontaneous ignition, was assessed by using high-sensitivity calorimetry and gas chromatography. The results demonstrated that heat generated during the fermentation of woody biomass fuels and waste could potentially act as the trigger for a fire under appropriate adiabatic conditions.

Energy of the Recycling-based Society

Energy of the Recycling-based Society

Development of materials and technologies for control of polymer recycling

The movement toward a recycling-based society through the essential development of recyclable materials alongside technologies for controlling recycling is reviewed. Recently, there has been progress in producing various polymers and technologies with the aim of achieving circulative utilization. For example, the upgrade recycling of commodity plastics, selective transformation of engineering plastics, selective depolymerization of various polymers in supercritical fluids, crosslinking–decrosslinking control using reversible reactions and developments in biomass-based recyclable polymers. Despite great strides taken in the effectiveness, efficiency and precision of these polymers and technologies, further improvements will be required to meet the practical requirements of a responsible sustainable system for the recycling of containers, packages, electric household appliances and end-of-life vehicles all of which are operated in compliance with the recycling laws of Japan.

産業廃棄物の排出及び広域移動に関する分析&lt;br&gt;&amp;mdash;&amp;mdash;移動量変化の要因，地域間での移動構造，及び移動の効率性に着目して&amp;mdash;&amp;mdash;

While the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society is already enforced, wide-area transportation of industrial waste is increasing on a yearly basis. The authors previously analyzed the yearly trends in wide-area industrial waste transportation and discussed possibilities for reduction of waste transportation in terms of ton-kilometers. However, industrial wastes are generated in the early stages of the production process when the final consumption demand of goods and services is considered. Therefore, it is important to ascertain not only the wide-area transportation network but also the entire process comprising goods and wastes, including the supply and demand of goods and services. In this study, an analysis was performed to clarify the causes of changes in induced wide-area waste generation and transportation. Triangulation analysis was also attempted to clarify structural changes in transactions of goods and wastes. The analysis revealed that i) changes in inverse matrix coefficients contribute to decreases in wide-area waste transportation, while changes in carrying out coefficients and direct waste generation coefficients contribute to increases in wide-area waste transportation, ii) Kinki and Chugoku regions showed different causes of changes in terms of regions and wastes, and iii) ratio of the current wide-area transportation ton-kilometers to a minimum value increases waste plastics, dust and wood wastes, and is useful as an indicator for management of wide-area industrial waste transportation.JEL Classification: R15, Q53

Trends and future issues of environmental management in Japan

Japanese legislation on managing environmental issues has been developing since approximately 1990, and is today founded upon the Basic Environmental Law of 1993. Since then, the main aim of Japanese institutions has been to establish ‘a recycling-based society’ and develop measures to counter global warming. Various business groups and companies have now recognised environmental management as a social responsibility and have moved towards appropriate measures, such as waste reduction and better resource utilisation. At the same time, the environmental awareness and commitment of consumers has also risen. However, there remains much unease about the feasibility of Japan achieving its Kyoto Protocol target, and about its emissions of greenhouse gases after 2013. The Japan Business Federation has expressed opposition to environmental taxation and recommends a ‘sector-specific accumulation system’ for emission regulations. Concerns remain about whether this would be a solution or a problem, and Japanese consumers face a dilemma as to how to apply their growing environmental awareness. A sense of leadership is necessary to recruit relevant organisations and national consensus towards a change in socio-economic structure that will motivate government, corporate and public interests towards a common environmental goal.

Corporate Recycling Efforts as Outlined in Corporate Social Responsibility Reports

The Japanese government is making a major policy push to promote a recycling-based society that fully utilizes materials and improves waste recovery. It is therefore becoming increasing important for organizations to properly disclose information concerning their environmental initiatives and activities so consumers and investors will take such information into account when making purchasing and investing decisions. The purpose of this study was to examine the availability of environmental information produced by organizations as disclosed in corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports. From the perspective of the 2000 Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society and related recycling regulations (e.g. for containers and packaging, household appliances, construction and demolition waste, and food waste), we selected three industries—motor vehicles (the End-of-life Vehicle Recycling Law), household appliances (the Home Appliance Recycling Law), and beverage industries (the Containers and Packaging Law)—and reviewed their recycling activities outlined in CSR reports. The reports had the following features : (1) At the planning phase, the producer takes recycling into consideration. Each production process makes all possible efforts for resource saving. (2) In the daily use phase, eco-oriented products contribute to resource saving in the form of energy, water and other resources. (3) In the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products phase, the producer makes efforts to re-generate parts, reuse commodities and recycle products. We conclude that CSR reports are useful for communicating environmental information to diverse stakeholders, enabling them to evaluate corporate environmental performance.JFL classification: Q53, Q56, D70, D82

The Challenge and Vision of Food-system in the Recycling-based Society

Generally speaking, the 21st century belongs to environmental era. As we talk about environmental issues, the recycling-based society which has a friendly and simple message is often used as a keyword. The recycling-based society is a new word that created early 1990's and has been used widely after the Japanese Government enacted the Basic Law for Building the Zero-Waste Society in 2000.The direction of the recycling-based society is to promote a Zero-Waste Economy and Society, which is intended to remake the mass production, mass consumption and mass disposal as a society of the 20th century. The recycling-based society is new, so we have to clarify the relationship between recycling-based society and food-system. In this symposium we discuss the role of the foodsystem concerning to promote the recycling-based society and bring up the challenges and vision of the research. The more important recycling-based society, the more structural changes in the food system. These changes were caused by five factors (consumer, firm, innovation, regulation, circumstance). Based on the changes, 4 reporteres give a presentation of a new relationship between recycling-based society and food-system.

Controlling of the Solidification Structure for Recycling by Ultrasonic Vibration

The production of aluminum scrap is expected to exceed the domestic demand in japan around the year 2010. The key to the establishment of a resource recycling-based society is the zero emission process. However, recycling materials will produce an amount of scrap that cannot be recycled and will become waste. A design that considers the intended usages and includes recycling should be incorporated into the materials development to reduce as much waste as possible. Mixing iron impurities with aluminum leads to the formation of coarse needle-shaped intermetallic compounds during solidification and hinders the recycling capacity of the finished product. The application of ultrasonic vibration during solidification was carried out in this work with the aim of controlling the morphology of the material. Experiments were performed by melting an Al-Si alloy containing 4 mass% Fe (hereafter, mass% is abbreviated by %). The primary crystals formed from the liquidus line of this alloy were intermetallic compounds identified as Al 3 Fe, α-AlSiFe (Al 7.4 SiFe 2 ) and P-AlSiFe (Al 9 Si 2 Fe 2 ). A coarse needle-like intermetallic compound was formed in the Al-6Si-4Fe and Al-12Si-4Fe alloys, but the application of ultrasonic vibration resulted in the formation of a fine grained structure. In the Al-18Si-4Fe alloy, the structure could be modified from a coarse needle-like structure into a fine grained structure.

Recycle Technology for Recycling-Based Society and Awareness of Consumers

Recycle Technology for Recycling-Based Society and Awareness of Consumers