Waste Recycling Technologies Adopted in Eco-towns in Japan

Waste Recycling Technologies Adopted in Eco-towns in Japan

Recycling of Waste Plastic Containers and Packaging from Households

Recycling of Waste Plastic Containers and Packaging from Households and Waste Plastics

from Industries

Recycling of Waste PET Bottles

Recycling of Waste Wood and Waste Plastics into Recycled Plywood

Recycling of Waste Paper/Waste Paper Containers and Packaging

Recycling of Various Waste Paper Containing Foreign Matter

Bio Gasification of Food Waste and Organic Waste from Food Manufacturing Industries,

Food Retailers and Household, etc.

Recycling of Used Home Appliances (1)

Recycling of Used Home Appliances (2)

Recycling of Used Florescent Lamps

Recycling of Sludge/Dusts Containing Valuable Metals (Nickel/Zinc)

March 2012

Global Enviroment Centre Osaka, Japan

Name of recycling technology

Recycling of Waste Plastic Containers and Packaging from Households

Name of recycler Cooperative Association of Municipal Waste Collection Companies in Gifu Prefecture (Number of member companies: 37)

Location Gifu Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

－

Receiving waste materials for recycling

Separately collected waste plastic containers and packaging from households

Recycled products/recovered materials

- Polypropylene (PP)/polyethylene (PE) flakes - Refuse plastic fuel (RPF) - Raw material/fuel for cement production

PP/PE flakes

Capacity of recycling plant

25.4 t/day

Area of recycling plant

14,319 m2

Number of employees in recycling plant

19 (as of April 2010)

Start of recycling operation

June 2000

Technical description

Waste plastics separately collected from households are processed into plastic materials.

Recycling process

Plastic recycling facility in compliance with the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law

Crushing/shredding, washing, and separation zone

Volume reduction and solidification zone Pelletization and forming zone

Re-merchandizing project (Cooperative Association of Municipal Waste Collection Companies in Gifu Prefecture)

Project for utilizing re-merchandizing products

●Eco-town project under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan

●Gifu Prefectural Government’s project to subsidize improvement of eco-conscious facilities for regional promotion

Unpacking machine Manual separation line

Reception/unpacking Pneumatic separation Magnetic separation Manual separation

Crushing/ shredding Washing Transportation Gravity separation Dehydration

Compressed and packaged blocks These blocks contain separately collected plastic containers and packaging.

Shaking type unpacking machine Bags are broken to increase separation efficiency.

Pneumatic separator Light plastics are pneumatically separated from heavy plastics.

Magnetic separator Metals are removed by magnets.

Uniaxial crusher/shredder Materials are crushed/shredded into pieces of about 15 mm.

Scrubbing washer Materials are washed with water to remove stains.

Flotation separator In a large water tank, plastics that float in water are separated from those that sink. Dehydrator

Materials are dehydrated again, and sludge is removed.

Earth a n d sa nd, etc . th at are re mov e d Dust collector Dust is collected by vacuuming.

Manual separation line Waste including wood, paper, fiber, and residue is removed. Styrene foam is removed and recovered as valuable waste.

Dust collector

Transportation screw Crushed/shredded and washed plastics are transported in specific quantities.

Plastics that sink in water

PET bottle materials which sink in water are

classified as waste.

Recycled products Injection molding Blending/pelletization

Injection molding line Various materials are formed with a low-pressure injection molding machine designed exclusively for recycling plastics.

Pelletization line Plastics are melted, extruded, cooled with water, shredded into pieces, and pelletized.

Parking stoppers, other landscaping/civil engineering materials, etc.

Injection molding machine Pellets

Business operators that utilize re-merchandized products (forming companies)

Volume reduction and solidification

Drying and temporary storage Centrifugal separation Turned into slurry

Volume reduction line Friction heat and shear heat are used to turn plastics into a semi-molten state and reduce their volume.

Flottweg (centrifugal separator) Light plastics are accurately separated from heavy plastics by spinning the materials at high speed.

Hot air

Light plastics Waste

Heavy plastics

Slurry tank Plastics are mixed with water and stirred.

Materials derived from volume reduction (using friction heat and shear heat) and

solidification [re-merchandized products]

Fluff (light plastics) [half-finished goods]

Flottweg (centrifugal separator)

The recycling process consists mainly of the following processes: Foreign matter removal process First, dust is removed by pneumatic separation; then, metals are removed by magnetic separation; subsequently, wood, paper, fiber, styrene foam, urethane foams, etc. are removed by manual separation. Styrene foam is recovered as a valuable material.

Crushing and shredding process Separated plastics are crushed/shredded into pieces of about 15 mm by the crusher/shredder.

Gravity separation process Crushed/shredded plastics are first washed with water to remove stains. Then, PET/PS/PVC, metals, sand, etc. (which sink in water because they are heavier) are removed by gravity separation.

Centrifugal separation process Lighter-than-water plastics recovered by gravity separation are dehydrated and sludge is removed. The recovered plastics are then mixed with water to produce slurry. Plastics of high specific gravity (including PS, PET, and PVC that are not removed by gravity separation) are removed by centrifugal separation, and plastics of low specific gravity (PE and PP) are recovered. Almost all of the PS, PET, and PVC removed by gravity separation and centrifugal separation is used as raw materials for refuse plastic fuel (RPF) and raw material/fuel for cement.

Thermal volume reduction process Friction heat and shear heat are used to turn recovered PP/PE into a semi-molten state and reduce the volume.

Recycling ratio - About 50% of received waste plastics is recovered as PP/PE flakes, and sold as raw

materials for recycled plastic products (such as parking stoppers and cargo pallets). - About 40% of received waste plastics is recovered as PS/PET/PVC in the separation

process. These materials are used as raw materials for refuse plastic fuel (RPF) and raw material/fuel for cement.

- The rest (10%) is disposed of as waste. Background of starting recycling business and participating in eco-town program

Exploring new business fields The remaining capacity of waste disposal sites is limited and it is difficult to build new sites, so national and local governments have been taking measures to reduce waste and various national recycling laws have been enacted. As a result, separate collection and recycling was expected to progress and the volume of waste generated to be reduced. As a reduction in the volume of waste generated would affect the business scale of member companies (municipal waste collection companies), the association had to explore and start new businesses.

Increasing organizational competitiveness A recycling project was initiated that was expected to increase the competitiveness of member companies in tendering for waste collection services.

High level of interest in the environment by the top management The association’s chairman, who was highly interested in environmental issues, demonstrated strong leadership.

Enforcement of recycling law With the enforcement of the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, a national law, a system was established by which the Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Association (a designated government affiliated organization) could pay recyclers for the cost of recycling waste plastics.

Securing buyers for recycled products Through business matching arrangements, the association could identify plastic products manufacturers that would purchase and recycle recovered PP/PE.

Fund procurement The initial investment cost for the site, buildings, and equipment was about JPY500 million, which was financed from different sources including subsidies from national and prefectural governments and contributions from member companies.

Major success factors

Applying simple technologies Basically, simple technologies (based on specific gravity differences with water) are used to separate PP/PE from PS/PET/PVC.

Securing buyers, and achieving a high recycling ratio Member companies could sell the mixture of PP and PE recovered as plastic materials. PS/PET/PVC are also recycled as raw materials for refuse plastic fuel (RPF) and raw material/fuel for cement. Thus, the volume of residue that is eventually disposed of as waste could be reduced.

Support from local government Recycled plastic products manufactured from recovered PP and PE were recognized by the Gifu Prefectural Government as “Gifu Prefecture Authorized Recycled Products.”

Issues and challenges

Mixing of dirty waste plastics, non-plastic waste, and hazardous objects and materials When the operations started, recyclable waste plastics contained large amounts of dirty waste plastics, non-plastic waste, and hazardous objects and materials including scissors, knives, and glass. Removing such foreign matter required time and labor, as well as modification of equipment. The following measures are taken to help make citizens aware of and understand waste separation:

- Member companies keep citizens informed about waste separation. - Local governments are notified every time hazardous objects and materials are found. - Partner companies hold consultations with local governments about the waste separation

criteria. - The Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Association (a government-affiliated

organization) publicizes on the Internet the proportions of dirty waste plastics, non-plastic waste, and hazardous objects and materials for respective local governments.

Acquisition of management expertise The management expertise of others could not be referred to because this was the first project in Japan to recycle waste of plastic containers and packaging. Experience was gained and management expertise was acquired independently.

Future prospects With the increase in the number of waste plastics recycling companies, it has become increasingly difficult to secure waste plastics (raw materials).

Glass, styrene foam, and PET bottles are recycled at another plant. Working to build the following system:

- General waste collection companies (that offer services to maintain good environmental sanitation) work with local governments and citizens to promote material recycling as a priority solution in waste processing.

- Processing waste into raw materials for recycled products. - Companies that have recycling technologies and expertise manufacture recycled products

to be used in local communities. - Thus, helping local communities build a sound recycling-oriented society.

Remarks In Japan, labor cost for manual separation is high, so mechanical separators (gravity separators and centrifugal separators) are employed for separating PP/PE from PS/PET/PVC. Centrifugal separators require high initial costs and maintenance costs. If labor costs are low, manual separation can be used as the primary means to reduce the overall costs.

It is important to consider how to make citizens aware of and understand waste separation.

Plastic recycling facility in compliance with the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law

Crushing/shredding, washing,and separation zone

Volume reduction andsolidification zone

Pelletization and forming zone

Re-merchandizing project (Cooperative Association ofMunicipal Waste Collection Companies in Gifu Prefecture)

Project for utilizing re-merchandizingproducts

●Eco-town project under the auspices of the Ministry ofEconomy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan

●Gifu Prefectural Government’s project to subsidize improvementof eco-conscious facilities for regional promotion

Unpacking machine Manual separation line

Reception/unpacking Pneumatic separation Magnetic separationManual

separationCrushing/shredding

Washing Transportation Gravity separation Dehydration

Compressed andpackaged blocksThese blocks containseparately collectedplastic containers andpackaging.

Shaking type unpacking machineBags are broken to increase separationefficiency.

Pneumatic separatorLight plastics are pneumaticallyseparated from heavy plastics.

Magnetic separatorMetals are removed bymagnets.

Uniaxial crusher/shredderMaterials are crushed/shredded into pieces of about 15 mm.

Scrubbing washerMaterials are washed withwater to remove stains.

Flotation separatorIn a large water tank, plasticsthat float in water are separatedfrom those that sink.

DehydratorMaterials aredehydrated again, andsludge is removed.

Earth and sand, etc. that are removedDust collectorDust is collected byvacuuming.

Manual separation lineWaste including wood,paper, fiber, and residue isremoved. Styrene foam isremoved and recovered asvaluable waste.

Dust collector

Transportation screwCrushed/shredded andwashed plastics aretransported in specificquantities.

Plastics that sink in water

PET bottle materialswhich sink in water are

classified as waste.

Recycled products Injection molding Blending/pelletization

Injection molding lineVarious materials are formed with alow-pressure injection molding machinedesigned exclusively for recycling plastics.

Pelletization linePlastics are melted, extruded, cooled withwater, shredded into pieces, and pelletized.

Parking stoppers, other landscaping/civilengineering materials, etc.

Injection molding machine Pellets

Business operators that utilize re-merchandized products(forming companies)

Volume reduction andsolidification

Drying and temporarystorage

Centrifugal separation Turned into slurry

Volume reduction lineFriction heat and shear heat areused to turn plastics into asemi-molten state and reducetheir volume.

Flottweg (centrifugal separator)Light plastics are accurately separated from heavyplastics by spinning the materials at high speed.

Hot air

Light plasticsWaste

Heavy plastics

Slurry tankPlastics are mixed withwater and stirred.

Materials derived from volume reduction(using friction heat and shear heat) and

solidification[re-merchandized products]

Fluff (light plastics)[half-finished goods]

Flottweg (centrifugal separator)


Recycling of Waste Plastic Containers and Packaging from Households and Waste Plastics from Industries

Name of recycler PRTEC Location Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Toyama City Eco-Town Industrial Park


- Separately collected waste plastic containers and packaging from households - Waste plastics from industries


- Polypropylene (PP)/Polyethylene (PE) flakes - Polypropylene (PP)/Polyethylene (PE) recycled pellets - Polystyrene (PS) recycled pellets - Refuse paper & plastic fuel (RPF)

PP/PE flakes

PP/PE pellets, PS pellets

RPF


19,400 t/year


15,078 m2




April 2003


Waste plastics separately collected from households and plants are processed into plastic materials.

Recycling process The recycling process consists mainly of the pre-treatment process, separation process, crushing/shredding/washing process, and production process. Pre-treatment process (which is equivalent to “intermediate processing” as defined in the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law of Japan) Foreign matter is removed from waste plastics by manual and magnetic separation. Waste plastics suitable for recycling are manually separated based on the sorting criteria set forth in the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law of Japan, and are then compressed/packaged.

Separation process First, solids and dust are removed with a rotary drum screen. Then, wood, paper, aluminum, fiber, dirty plastics, etc. are removed by manual separation. Later, waste plastics are separated into three types (i.e., PP/PE, PS, and other) by optical separation using near-infrared spectroscopy.

Crushing/shredding process, washing process First, plastics are shredded in the crusher/shredder. Then, stains and foreign matter is removed in the washer/dehydrator, and PET/PS are accurately separated from PP/PE with gravity separation. The materials are fed into the washer/dehydrator again to remove moisture.

Production process Crushed/shredded plastics are separated into fluff and flakes by air separation. Fluff is heated in the pelletizer and turned into pellets before being shipped as plastic materials. Flakes are shipped as plastic materials without processing.

Recycling ratio - The company recovers and processes 50% of waste plastics received into flakes and

pellets (PP/PE: 35–40%, PS: 10–15%), which are sold as raw materials for recycled plastic products (including plastic bags, plastic sheets, and plastic containers).

- The remaining 50% is processed into solid fuel (RPF) by another company which is also located in the Eco-Town Industrial Park.

●From households

• Plastic containers and packaging• PET bottles and containers ●From business sites

• Waste plastics

Delivery Waste plastics separately collected from households and plants, etc. are delivered.

Intermediate processing (Removing foreign matter before recycling)

Bag breaking machine

Manual separation

Foreign matter

Magnetic separator

Compression and packaging machine

Different types of materials are shipped to specialized recycling plants.

Reception line

Feeding hopper Compressed blocks of waste plastics are broken into pieces, and fed to the separation line in certain quantities.

Separation line (Careful separation process to recycle waste)

Drum screen This large rotary screen is designed to remove foreign matter and fragments to facilitate separation work.

Manual separation This line is designed to remove (i) foreign matter and (ii) plastics of materials and configurations that automatic separators cannot handle properly.

Automatic separation The five automatic separators employ near-infrared radiation to identify plastic materials and separate them as specified by operators.

Recycled products

These eco-friendly raw materials and products are derived from recycling.

■Examples of recycled products

Recycled plastics are used as inexpensive raw materials for manufacturing daily necessities and construction materials used by households and plants.

Cutting-edge equipment is used to recycle plastics as plastic materials and fuel oil. This is the first hybrid recycling facility in Japan that combines two technologies.

Intermediate processing building

Plastic oil liquefaction equipment

Administration building

Shipping Shipping

Reception line

Production line

Recycling line

Separation line

Product storage warehouse

Compression/packaging

[Facility certified under the Eco-conscious Regional Promotion Facility Improvement Project, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan]

Compression/packaging machine Separated plastics are compressed and packaged into 1 m3 blocks by type of material.

■Recycled fuel oil The recycled fuel oil is used as an equivalent of Heavy Oil A (good-quality oil with low sulfur content) by companies and public facilities.

Plastic oil liquefaction equipment Plastics are thermally decomposed to produce fuel oil.

Shi

ppin

g

■Recycled plastic materials

Pellets and flakes are shipped to plastic processing companies, etc. by material.

Pellets

Flakes

Extruder/pelletizer Dried plastic flakes are heated, melted, and pasted. The molten material is extruded and cut into certain sizes to produce granular plastic raw materials (pellets).

Dryer

Production line (To deliver better products) Air separator

Recycling line (Turning waste into materials)

Crusher/shredder Three types of crushers/shredders are used to shred the separated plastics.

Washer/dehydrator Primary washing is performed with a large washer/dehydrator to remove stains and foreign matter.

Washer/centrifugal dehydrator The materials are rinsed twice, and moisture is removed.

Specific gravity separation tank Specific gravity (which varies for respective materials) is used to prevent mixing of different materials, thereby enhancing the separation accuracy.

Background of starting recycling business and participating in eco-town program

Needs for stimulating the local economy City council members took the initiative to explore and attract new industries, in an effort to stimulate the local economy and create jobs.

Initiatives of local government The Toyama City Government was actively attracting recyclers based on its eco-town program.

Enforcement of recycling law With the enforcement of the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law (national law), it was expected that sufficient volume of recyclable waste plastics could be collected and the waste plastic recycling business would be economically viable.

Initiatives of a leading local company Hokuriku Electric Power Company, a leading company in the area and which is highly interested in environmental protection, provided part of the capital investment required to establish the recycling company.

Securing buyers for recycled products An existing plastic processing company located in the same area participated in establishing the recycling company, and was ready to recycle the recovered plastic materials.

Fund procurement The initial investment cost was about JPY1.4 billion. The company received subsidies from the national government, the Toyama Prefectural Government, and the City of Toyama (50% from the national government, 1% from the City of Toyama, and 10% in industrial promotion subsidies from the Toyama Prefectural Government and the City of Toyama).

The technology R&D cost was financed in-house. In four years, the company eliminated the carried-forward loss and produced a surplus in the current account balance.


Technology improvement At first, they employed conventional recycling technologies. Through trial and error, the company was able to improve the facility so that the collected waste plastics can be properly handled depending on their properties.

Sale of recycled products - The company was able to sell all of the recovered plastic materials to the existing plastic

processing company. - Private companies took the initiative to reduce CO2 emissions, which led to increased use of solid fuel (RPF) by private companies.


Mixing of foreign matter in waste plastics At the start of operations, it was found that the recycling equipment was not appropriate for handling waste plastics from households, and that recyclable waste plastics also included a lot of dirty waste plastics and non-plastic waste. Thus, manual separation and washing processes had to be added. The plant premises became filled with waste plastics, and the recycling ratio was low.

→ Additional investments were made to add separation and washing processes, etc. and improve the equipment.

→ Subsequently, additional investments were made to increase the efficiency of equipment operations and cut labor costs.

→ Recycling companies worked to raise citizens’ awareness about the importance of waste separation by hosting recycling plant tours and giving away recycled bags, etc.

Future prospects With the number of waste plastics recycling companies increasing, the challenge is to secure waste plastics (i.e., raw materials).

Remarks Manual separation achieves higher separation (PP/PE, PS, and other) accuracy than optical separators. However, optical separators were introduced because the labor costs required for manual separation are high in Japan. Manual separation may be viable if labor costs are low.

In launching a recycling business, it is important to (i) consider technological elements and (ii) design the business framework (including investment).

●From households

• Plastic containers and packaging• PET bottles and containers

●From business sites

• Waste plastics

DeliveryWaste plastics separatelycollected fromhouseholds and plants,etc. are delivered.

Intermediateprocessing

(Removing foreign matter before recycling)

Bag breakingmachine

Manual separation

Foreign matter

Magnetic separator

Compression andpackaging machine

Different types ofmaterials are shippedto specializedrecycling plants.

Reception line

Feeding hopperCompressed blocks of wasteplastics are broken into pieces,and fed to the separation line incertain quantities.

Separation line (Careful separation process to recycle waste)

Drum screenThis large rotary screen isdesigned to remove foreignmatter and fragments to facilitateseparation work.

Manual separationThis line is designed to remove (i)foreign matter and (ii) plastics ofmaterials and configurations thatautomatic separators cannothandle properly.

Automatic separationThe five automaticseparators employnear-infrared radiation toidentify plastic materials andseparate them as specifiedby operators.

Recycled products

These eco-friendly raw materials andproducts are derived from recycling.

■Examples of recycledproducts

Recycled plastics are used asinexpensive raw materials formanufacturing daily necessities andconstruction materials used byhouseholds and plants.

Cutting-edge equipment is used to recycle plastics as plastic materials and fuel oil. This is thefirst hybrid recycling facility in Japan that combines two technologies.

Intermediate processingbuilding

Plastic oil liquefactionequipment

Administrationbuilding

Shipping Shipping

Reception line

Production line

Recycling line

Separation line

Productstoragewarehouse

Compression/packaging

[Facility certified under the Eco-conscious Regional Promotion Facility Improvement Project,the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan]

Compression/packagingmachineSeparated plastics are compressed andpackaged into 1 m3 blocks by type ofmaterial.

■Recycled fuel oilThe recycled fuel oil is usedas an equivalent of Heavy Oil A(good-quality oil with low sulfurcontent) by companies andpublic facilities.

Plastic oilliquefactionequipmentPlastics are thermallydecomposed toproduce fuel oil.

Ship

pin

g

■Recycled plasticmaterials

Pellets and flakes are shippedto plastic processingcompanies, etc. by material.

Pellets

Flakes

Extruder/pelletizerDried plastic flakes are heated,melted, and pasted. The moltenmaterial is extruded and cutinto certain sizes to producegranular plastic raw materials(pellets).

Dryer

Production line(To deliver better products) Air separator

Recycling line

(Turning waste into materials)

Crusher/shredderThree types ofcrushers/shredders are usedto shred the separatedplastics.

Washer/dehydratorPrimary washing is performedwith a large washer/dehydratorto remove stains and foreignmatter.

Washer/centrifugaldehydratorThe materials are rinsed twice, andmoisture is removed.

Specific gravityseparation tankSpecific gravity (which varies forrespective materials) is used to preventmixing of different materials, therebyenhancing the separation accuracy.


Recycling of Waste PET Bottles

Name of recycler Hokkaido PET Bottle Recycling Co., Ltd. Location Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Sapporo Recycling Complex


Waste PET bottles


- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes (PET sheet material) - Polypropylene (PP) flakes (plastic material) - Refuse derived fuel (RDF)

PET flakes


12,600 t/year


5,744 m2


35


July 1999


Processes waste PET bottles into PET flakes as a material for PET sheets.

Recycling process

The recycling process comprises the following main steps. Removal of foreign matter Removes caps, glass debris, dust, soil, sand, etc. with a vibrating screen.

Separation of PVC bottles Using the difference in x-ray transmittance of PVC and PET, detects and removes PVC bottles.

Separation of colored bottles Removes colored bottles detected by a high-performance camera.

Manual separation While transparent PET bottles are suitable for producing PET flakes, other items are separated and removed by hand. Metal detectors are used to detect metals.

Crushing and shredding Crushes and shreds PET bottles (including those with labels and caps) into flakes 8 mm in size or less.

Separation of labels Using pressurized air, removes shredded labels from crushed and shredded flakes.

Washing of flakes Separates and removes shredded labels and caps still remaining in PET flakes by specific gravity. This step also cleans PET flakes with water (without using an alkali such as caustic soda).

Recycling ratio - Some 80% of received waste PET bottles are recovered as PET flakes and used as a raw

material for PET sheets by a company located in the Recycling Complex. - The remaining 20% includes PET bottle caps, labels and foreign matter. - The company sells PET bottle caps made of polypropylene (PP) as a material for recycled

plastic products (cargo pallets, etc.). - PET bottle labels are sold as fuel for coke ovens in ironworks and for boilers in

papermakers in Hokkaido. - Foreign matter, accounting for several percent of the total of PET bottles, is disposed of as

industrial waste. Background of starting recycling business and participating in eco-town program

Exploring new business fields and improving organizational competitiveness Hokkaido PET Bottle Recycling Co., Ltd. was set up with investment by seven Sapporo-based municipal waste collection companies. They decided to set up a joint recycling business to improve their respective competitiveness since they forecasted that waste collection services alone would not be sufficient for future growth.

Enforcement of recycling law In 1995, the national Containers and Packaging Recycling Law was enacted, to be enforced in 1997. In response, the seven companies assessed various innovative recycling services and decided to start a business of producing PET flakes from waste PET bottles, which are specified as an item in the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law.

Initiatives of local government When working to start the business, the Sapporo City Government invited the company to take part in the eco-town program. Moreover, the Sapporo Recycling Complex developed by the Sapporo City Government provided the company with a plot in the Complex.

Securing buyers for recycled products When the company was looking for buyers of PET flakes, a general trading company which conducts various businesses in Japan and abroad, developed a plan to establish a company to produce PET sheets from PET flakes and build a plant in a plot next to the company’s in the Sapporo Recycling Complex. Consequently, the company began the waste PET bottle recycling business in collaboration with the PET sheet production company.

Fund procurement The initial investment required for the business was JPY766 million, for which the company received a subsidy of JPY372 million from the national government and JPY4 million from the Sapporo City Government.


Access to recycling technologies The general trading company introduced recycling technologies and a company that had such technologies.

Securing waste materials for recycling Sapporo is a large city which has been committed to the separate collection of waste. In addition, many local governments in the neighboring areas have been collecting PET bottles separately. Thanks to these efforts, they have been able to collect a considerable amount of waste PET bottles.

Securing buyers for recycled products From the very outset of the business, the company had a buyer for processed PET flakes.

Securing a plant site A plot was available for constructing the plant in the Sapporo Recycling Complex developed by the Sapporo City Government. Since the Complex was originally created for waste treatment plants, the company did not need to explain to or consult with local residents about plant construction or operation.

Employing a technology eliminating the need for complex waste treatment A procedure was chosen for washing PET flakes with water instead of alkali involving the use of caustic soda, thus avoiding complex wastewater treatment thanks to the low pollution load of wastewater from the recycling process.


Fund procurement It was difficult to obtain bank loans when they started the business, but it became easier when recycling businesses were approved as part of the eco-town program organized by the then Ministry of International Trade and Industry (present Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

Foreign matter in waste PET bottles Soil, sand, glass, metal, liquid, etc. mixed in waste PET bottles can damage the machinery.

Future prospects It has become harder to obtain waste PET bottles as waste PET bottle recycling companies have increased and the export of waste PET bottles to other countries (primarily to China) has increased. This has affected the plant’s capacity utilization.

Many local governments in Hokkaido choose to recycle collected waste PET bottles domestically rather than to export them.

Remarks The employed recycling technology combines existing techniques and is not particularly advanced.

A large part of the recycling process consists of steps to remove foreign matter (glass debris, soil, sand, liquid, dust, knives, PVC bottles, colored bottles, metals, etc.).

Simpler technologies could be used, at a lower initial investment, if the PET flake quality requirements (such as flake size and foreign matter ratio) were lower than the present ones.


Recycling of Waste Wood and Waste Plastics into Recycled Plywood

Name of recycler Tokyo Mokkosho Co., Ltd. Location Chiba Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

-


- Waste wood (used concrete forms, pallets, recycled plywood, etc.) - Used recycled plywood - Waste plastics (caps for PET bottles, flexible containers, packing sheet, roll film, non-woven fabric, plastic containers/tanks/boxes, bumpers, plastic runners, plastic rope/wire/strands, etc.)


Recycled plywood (for concrete forms, etc.)


Waste wood: 4,600 t/year Waste plastics: 6,900 t/year


9,900 m2


25


August 2004


Produces recycled plywood from waste wood crushed into wood chips and fibers, plus waste plastics crushed into plastic flakes or melted and drawn into plastic fibers.

Recycling process

Treatment/production process

Waste plastics

Waste wood

Finished product

Crushed

Crushed

Cut

Processed into fibers

Defibrated

Cooled

Stirred/mixed

Molded by heat and pressure

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The recycling process comprises the following key steps. Crushing of waste wood and used recycled plywood:

- Clamps, bolts, chains, etc. are removed from waste wood. - The waste wood or used recycled plywood is crushed into wood chips 30 to 50 mm in size. - Through magnetic separation and metal detection steps, nails, staples, stainless steel,

aluminum foil and other foreign matter are removed. - Wood chips are further crushed into smaller chips. - Used recycled plywood crushed into wood chips is processed by a defibrator into wood

fibers. Crushing of waste plastics and conversion into fibers:

- Foreign matter is manually removed from waste plastics. - Soft waste plastics (polypropylene [PP]) and hard waste plastics are respectively crushed

into plastic flakes some 3 to 8 mm in size. In this step, aluminum and ferrous materials are removed.

- Soft plastic flakes are melted and processed into polypropylene fibers. Production of recycled plywood:

- The center layer of plywood is formed from a mixture of wood chips and plastic flakes. - The surface layers of plywood, which cover the center layer, are formed from a mixture of

wood fibers originating from recycled plywood and plastic fibers. - The mixture of wood material and plastics is heated and pressurized to form plywood (by hot

pressing forming). - The formed plywood is cooled and cut to specified sizes.

Waste material and recycled product flowchart


The company used to manufacture and sell concrete forms and process used concrete forms into wood chips.

- Originally concrete forms were produced and sold. - In 1992, the company entered the business of crushing and processing used concrete forms

into wood chips and selling the material to a plant for producing particle boards. High level of interest in the environment by the top management

- Most wood forms used for concrete work are made from little-gnarled tropical timber. However, events such as the 1992 Earth Summit raised awareness that deforestation is a major environmental problem.

- After being reused six or seven times, wood forms for concrete work are generally landfilled or incinerated. Previously, they were often illegally burned or dumped.

- With a strong interest in the environment, the company’s president was looking for ways to recycle used concrete forms to conserve tropical forests and recycle resources in society.

Waste plastics produced in the surrounding areas - There are many chemical plants that have been operating for many years near the present

plant, producing huge amounts of waste plastics. Access to recycling technologies

- At an environmental exhibition, a company was met which had recycling technologies and which suggested participation in the eco-town program in Chiba Prefecture.

Fund procurement The initial project cost was JPY2.5 billion, 30% of which was subsidized by the national government and 1% by Chiba Prefectural Government. The company raised the remaining amount.

Businesses producing waste

plastics

Industrial waste collector/transporter

Tokyo Mokkosho Co., Ltd. Intermediate industrial waste treatment and recycling business

Waste plastics Waste wood

Used Ecoply

Flow of waste plastics/woodFlow of Ecoply

Flow of used Ecoply

Builder

General contractor

Construction site

Ecoply


Top management’s leadership - The president showed strong leadership. Use of established technology

- The company employed an already established and patented recycling technology. Sale of recycled products and procurement of materials for recycling

- Using recycled plywood products, concrete forms are produced and sold through concrete form distribution channels.

- The company collects used concrete forms and waste wood as materials for recycling through concrete form distribution channels. Disposal fees are received when waste wood is collected.

- When the company sells concrete forms made of recycled plywood and collects them after use, it can reuse the used recycled plywood again for producing recycled plywood, thereby closing the loop of using resources.


Inclusion of foreign matter in waste wood and plastics - Clamps, bolts, chains and the like in waste wood can damage the crushers, so they must be

removed in advance. - Foreign matter is also present in waste plastics and is removed manually before crushing. Inclusion of PVC plastics in waste plastics

- At some construction sites, concrete forms are cut and burned. PVC plastics present in waste plastics can produce dioxin when a concrete form made of recycled plywood is burned at a construction site. Consequently, recycled waste plastics must contain no PVC plastics.

- The company therefore collects PVC-free waste plastics as materials for recycling. Securing waste plastics

- When the company began this recycling project, it received disposal fees for collecting waste plastics, but as waste plastics are now exported to China and other countries, the amount available in Japan has decreased. As a result, it needs to pay to collect waste plastics.

- To procure waste plastics (to be recycled), the company cooperates with various organizations such as welfare organizations and NPOs and purchases PET bottle caps from them. PET bottle caps are made from PP, containing no PVC and usable as a material for the surface layer of recycled plywood.

Use of recycled products - With plastics accounting for 60% of its composition, recycled plywood is characteristically

heavier, easier to bend, and has higher thermal expansion than general plywood. Consequently, its use for concrete forms will not grow easily.

- Other features of recycled plywood include lower water absorption and greater resistance to rotting and high-pressure washing than general plywood. To use these characteristics, the company is promoting the application of recycled plywood to cattle house walls and partitions.

- Additionally, the company manufactures and sells furniture and houseware made from recycled plywood and advertises them emphasizing that they are recycled products.

Certification/commendation by public organizations

- In 2006, its recycled plywood production plant achieved Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) certification.

- In 2007, its recycling business was commended by the 3R Promotion Council of Japan. - In 2008, the recycled plywood achieved Japan Housing and Wood Technology Center’s certification for excellent wood-based building materials.

Future prospects The company strives to protect forest resources for conservation of the global environment. Its environmental policy in business is to boost awareness of the need to reduce waste and continue recycling activities for building a resource-recycling society.

To preserve tropical forests, the company plants trees in Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia. For a private enterprise to continue recycling, local government support is vital both during and after the commencement of the project (for example, authorization as recycled products by the local government and designation as priority materials for use in public construction work).

Remarks The manufacture of recycled plywood was suspended in 2011 due to insufficient profitability.


Recycling of Waste Paper/Waste Paper Containers and Packaging (Production of animal bedding for cattle, pigs, horses and poultry)

Name of recycler Marumasu Masuda Honten Co., Ltd. Location Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

-


Waste paper Separately collected waste paper containers and packaging from households Confidential documents to be disposed of


Animal bedding for cattle, pigs, horses and poultry Refuse paper & plastic fuel (RPF)


6,000 t/year


15,000 m2




April 2001


Produces animal bedding from waste paper, waste paper containers, waste paper packaging and confidential documents to be disposed of. The recycling process comprises the following key steps: Removal of foreign matter The following types of foreign matter are manually removed. Of confidential documents, those that must be shredded unopened are immediately shredded, skipping the manual removal of foreign matter. - Metals and plastics such as clips and binding cords - Wax coated paper, carbon paper, laminated paper - Gold/silver coated paper/packaging - Paper with magnetic stripe/layer - Paper with fragrance (e.g. bags/cartons for detergent) - Window envelopes - Stickers and release paper/sheets - Photos Of foreign matter, waste paper goods are processed into RPF.

Crushing/shredding Crushes and shreds waste paper including confidential documents, paper containers and paper packaging. The crushing/shredding machine has a magnetic separator to remove any metal remaining after manual separation.

Swelling and softening Beats and kneads waste paper to a fibrous form.

Compression Compresses the product to reduce the volume by about two-thirds before packing for ease of transport, storage and handling.

Features of Recycled Products Safe waste paper is selected for the production of animal bedding, and bedding products are tested and inspected for heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria.

The animal bedding keeps the cattle house floor dry for a long time since its water absorbency is about three times higher than that of sawdust.

Made from paper, the bedding offers excellent thermal insulation and keeps the bellies of lying animals warm.

The bedding mixes well with animal excrement when the animals walk. Used animal bedding is useful as compost. Made from paper, the bedding quickly ferments and decomposes, and does not remain in compost since it is completely decomposed. The bedding may also be used as a moisture-adjusting material because of its high absorbency when composting animal excrement.


Experience in waste paper collection As a waste paper wholesaler, the company’s business was to collect waste paper and sell it to paper-making plants as a raw material for making paper.

Need to explore use of waste paper In 1999, an excess of waste paper occurred due to decreased paper production as the economy stagnated. Moreover, with the progress of information technology, reduction in weight of newspaper and cardboard, and expected decline in paper production, the company was forced to explore new applications of waste paper.

Need for secure disposal of confidential documents Enterprises and government offices were required to control information more strictly, causing an increase in confidential documents and growing demand for secure disposal of them. Sapporo City is the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture where many enterprises and government offices are located, and so demand for the project was expected to increase.

Dairy farmers’ needs - Dairy farming is widely practiced in Hokkaido, and conventionally, sawdust and rice

straw have been used for animal bedding. However, the supply of sawdust and rice straw was decreasing due to the decline in forestry and the miniaturization of rice straw resulting from plant breeding, generating demand for a new bedding material.

- Dairy farmers also needed a better way of treating livestock excrement. The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations consulted the waste paper industry about their idea of using paper to treat livestock excrement.

High level of interest in the environment by the top management The company’s president is keen to explore new businesses and is highly interested in the environment. He wanted to broaden the scope of waste paper recycling and help reduce waste in Hokkaido.

Initiatives of local government The Hokkaido Prefectural Government inaugurated an eco-town program and invited the company to participate.

Enforcement of recycling law Since the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law (national law) was enforced, demand for recycling waste paper containers and packaging was expected to increase.

Development of technology and conducting tests Therefore, they first began to develop a technology for producing animal bedding from waste paper including confidential paper and waste paper containers and packaging. Next, tests were conducted using the company’s bedding products for livestock. The company then built a new plant and began to produce and sell animal bedding on a full-scale basis.

Fund procurement The project cost was some JPY330 million, 50% of which was subsidized by the national government and 1% by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government. The remainder was raised independently.


Compliance with needs - Both needs for bedding in the livestock farming industry and for disposal of confidential

documents in urban areas were met. - When developing bedding products, the company conducted a thorough survey of dairy farmers’ needs. - The company put priority on developing bedding that is harmless to animals, and to prove

it, they thoroughly tested and inspected bedding for heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria.

Top management’s leadership Their president showed strong leadership. As chairman of the Hokkaido Papermaking Material Wholesale Business Association, he was associated with various organizations.

Cooperation with various organizations and institutions For developing the bedding production technology and for the field experiments, the company worked with local agricultural cooperative associations, the Hokkaido Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station and a waste paper recycling technology development company. The company also received a subsidy from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Securing buyers for recycled products To expand distribution channels for their animal bedding, the company used the distribution network of local agricultural cooperative associations, who also introduced them to some buyers.

Support from local government Their animal bedding was listed as a Hokkaido Prefecture Authorized Recycled Product by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government.

Securing a plant site The company obtained a plant construction site in Kitahiroshima, which is close to Sapporo. They also obtained the approval of local residents for the construction of their plant and built good relations with them.


Inclusion of foreign matter in waste materials Confidential documents that have been stored for a long time often contain foreign matter such as clips and binding cords. Waste paper containers and packaging sometimes contain unrecyclable paper materials. Consequently, it was necessary to introduce meticulous manual separation and mechanical separation using a magnetic separator.

Compliance with customer needs The properties of paper differ from those of conventional bedding materials such as sawdust and rice straw, and the company needed to develop a product that would precisely meet customers’ needs for using animal bedding. They therefore developed the bedding in cooperation with the Hokkaido Prefectural Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, local agricultural cooperative associations and the Hokkaido Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station.

Recycled product sales system Farmers buy farming materials via their local agricultural cooperative associations, and their commercial practice differs from other common commercial practices. Therefore, the company used the distribution networks of the local agricultural cooperative associations to sell their animal bedding.

Fluctuating demand for recycled products In winter in Hokkaido, the supply of waste paper decreases due to snow, while demand for animal bedding increases. Therefore, the company ensures that it can receive confidential documents in order to cope with the fluctuating demand for its bedding products.

Improved way of securing waste materials After commencing the recycling business, the company obtained a permit from the Hokkaido Prefectural Government to dispose of industrial waste. The permit enabled them to conduct intermediate treatment of foreign matter contained in confidential documents. Moreover, it became possible to perform intermediate treatment of office waste such as video tapes, electronic media and uniforms, as well as confidential documents. This arrangement helps ensure the supply of confidential documents.

Improved transport efficiency After distributing animal bedding, empty trucks returned to base. Meanwhile, there was a growing demand in suburban cities for disposal of confidential documents, since public trust in the company had improved. Therefore the trucks were used after distributing animal bedding to pick up confidential documents collected in suburban cities on their way home, thus improving the utilization factor.

Improved reliability - To build customer trust in the company’s handling of confidential documents and ensure

the supply of such documents, the company installed GPS in their transport trucks and achieved Information Security Management System (ISO/IEC 27001) certification, demonstrating an improved information security control.

- The company also achieved Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) certification thanks to corporate guidelines for their recycling business.

Future prospects Through its waste paper recycling business, the company actively promotes regional recycling activities and strives to build a resource-recycling society.

Remarks The national government should offer subsidies to a new recycling business at its startup, while local governments should facilitate business matching between various corporations and organizations to explore the needs for and use of recycled products.


Recycling of Various Waste Paper Containing Foreign Matter

Name of recycler San-Ei Regulator Co., Ltd. Location Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Kawasaki Zero-Emission Industrial Complex


Various waste paper materials (mixed office waste paper, confidential documents, beverage cartons, used tickets, etc.)


Toilet paper


90,000 t/year


18,351 m2


120


2003


Various waste paper materials containing foreign matter including plastics, clips, and staples are dissolved, and foreign matter and ink are removed, then recycled toilet paper is manufactured.

Recycling process The recycling process consists mainly of the following processes: Dissolution process Collected waste paper is fed into the pulper, mixed with water for swelling, and dissolved into pulp slurry to facilitate the separation of foreign matter. Cardboard boxes containing confidential documents are directly fed into the pulper for immediate dissolution without opening the boxes, to ensure secure disposal of documents and prevent leakage of confidential information.

Screening process The pulp slurry is fed into the liquid cyclone, in which foreign matter including metals and plastics are removed by centrifugal force. Then, pulp sludge is removed from the pulp slurry through the primary, secondary, and tertiary screens. Removed plastics and pulp sludge are incinerated in the heat recovery boiler, and the recovered heat is used as thermal energy for drying paper in the paper-making process, etc. Removed metals are sold as raw materials for steel manufacture.

De-inking process After foreign matter is removed, a specific amount of bubbles is injected into the pulp to remove ink from the pulp fiber.

Sterilization and bleaching process Fine stains in the pulp fiber are washed out in 8 to 12 hours before the pulp is sterilized.

Paper-making process The thinned-out paper is sterilized and dried at high temperature, and wound onto a roll.

Finishing process The recycled paper is embossed, rewound for different sizes, trimmed to product sizes, packaged, and bagged.

Technological features Waste paper containing foreign matter including clips and plastics can be directly recycled without separation. Waste paper contained in cardboard boxes can be also directly recycled without opening them.

The recycling process achieves zero emissions as follows: - Plastics and pulp sludge removed in the recycling process are burnt as fuel in the heat

recovery boiler, and recovered heat is used in the recycling process. - Wastewater generated in the recycling process is treated in the recycling plant, paper

sludge generated in the wastewater treatment process is used as fuel for the heat recovery boiler, and the treated water is used to generate electric power by utilizing the gravitational force of water when discharged.

- Incineration ash generated in the heat recovery boiler is sold to a cement plant in the same coastal area of Kawasaki City as a raw material for cement.

- Metals removed in the recycling process are sold to a steel works in the same coastal area of Kawasaki City as a raw material for steel manufacture.


Originally engaged in the waste paper recycling business The company’s original business is manufacturing equipment for making paper and recycling waste paper. The company then entered the business of recycling waste paper into toilet paper in partnership with a paper-making company (one of its group companies).

Established technologies already available for recycling waste paper containing foreign matter

- The group started the waste paper recycling business in the early 1960s, but securing waste paper (raw material for recycling) was a major challenge for the company because competitors had already entered the same business.

- At that time, waste paper containing foreign matter such as metals and plastics was landfilled or incinerated without being recycled, so the company started to develop technologies for recycling this type of waste paper, and in 1994 developed a foreign matter removal system for the waste paper recycling process. This technology was awarded the Director-General of the Science and Technology Agency Prize in 1995.

- This technology enables secure disposal and recycling of confidential documents from such as business corporations and government offices by using dissolution treatment.

- Because the company was involved in the waste paper recycling business with such technologies, the Japan Environment Corporation (a government-affiliated organization) invited the company to participate in the Eco-town Program of Kawasaki City. At first, the company took part in the program to deliver plants ordered by the Japan Environment Corporation, then later the company directly participated in the program instead of the Japan Environment Corporation at its request.

Fund procurement The initial investment by the Japan Environment Corporation was about JPY5 billion, of which JPY2.1 billion was subsidized by the national government.


High level of interest in the environment by the top management The owner of the corporate group (Corelex Group) is strongly interested in the environment. The group’s motto for the business is “paper-to-paper recycling.”

Development and accumulation of original technologies within the corporate group Various original technologies and expertise for recycling waste paper and manufacturing paper have been developed and accumulated within the corporate group. The technology to manufacture coreless toilet paper has been patented in 47 countries.

Receiving waste paper containing foreign matter A separation system was developed to recover only paper fiber for recycling from waste paper containing plastics and clips, etc. This system makes it possible to (i) recycle mixed office waste paper, beverage cartons, used tickets, etc. that were previously incinerated and disposed of, and (ii) securely process confidential documents contained in cardboard boxes without opening them.

Transportation of waste paper and recycled products Because the recycling plant is located in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the distances for transporting waste paper and recycled products are shorter, thus reducing transportation costs and environment impact.


Securing a lot of water at a lower cost Paper manufacturing needs a lot of water, so it was important to secure water at a lower cost. The matter was discussed with Kawasaki City Government and arrangements were made so that advanced treated water from a sewage treatment plant in the city can be used at the plant. This is the world’s only paper-making plant that utilizes advanced treated water (reclaimed water) for industrial use.

Securing waste paper for recycling - There is high demand for disposal of confidential documents and mixed office waste

paper from the many business corporations and government offices located in the Tokyo metropolitan area. As part of efforts to secure waste paper (raw materials for recycling), the company visited such business corporations and government offices to explain the ability of secure disposal and recycling of confidential documents. Today, the company receives confidential documents and mixed office waste paper from about 2,500 business corporations and government offices.

- The company is implementing closed recycling with business corporations with high CSR. (i.e., The company receives waste paper from the business corporations, and the business corporations purchase recycled toilet paper from the company.) For these corporations, original patterns and designs can be printed on toilet paper, which is used in restrooms of event venues or sales areas (such as supermarkets) as part of corporate PR campaigns and CSR initiatives.

- The company also receives confidential documents and mixed office waste paper from highly eco-conscious local governments outside the Tokyo metropolitan area.

- The company purchases beverage cartons, leaflets, and pamphlets collected by women’s groups and institutions for disabled persons, and sells toilet paper to them at low prices. Such waste paper helps stabilize the collection of waste paper and the operation of the recycling plant, although the activity does not make a profit.

Future prospects The purchase price of waste paper has been increasing due to the following factors: - Less paper manufactured by paper manufacturers due to the shift to IT and paperless

solutions - Increased export of waste paper to China and other countries The promotion of waste paper recycling in a region or country (closed recycling) is greatly affected by the policy or vision of local governments.

Remarks It is necessary to meet the following conditions for a successful waste paper recycling business:

- Procuring large volumes of inexpensive waste paper - Securing large amounts of inexpensive water and a stable supply of electric power

required in the paper-making process In developing countries, waste paper may already be collected as valuable resources for recycling. Thus, a detailed study must be conducted in advance as to whether recyclable materials can be secured.


Bio Gasification of Food Waste and Organic Waste from Food Manufacturing Industries, Food Retailers and Households, etc.

Name of recycler Japan Recycling Corporation Location Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Soga Ecology Industrial & Research Park


- Organic waste from food manufacturing industries (food processing waste, sludge, waste oil, waste acid, waste alkali)

- Food waste separately collected from households (a pilot project by the City of Chiba) - Food waste and unsold food from large food retailers


Methane gas (CH4: 60-70%, CO2: 30-40%, approx. 5,500-6,000 kcal/Nm3)


30 t/day (solid concentration: 30%)


10,000 m2


52 (as of November 2010, including employees of the adjacent waste gasifying and melting plant)


August 2003


Methane gas is recovered from food waste and organic waste via anaerobic digestion.

Recycling process The recycling process consists mainly of the following processes: Pretreatment

- First, the received waste is shredded to the size of about 3 cm. - Next, paper/plastic materials are removed by centrifugal separation and pneumatic

separation and metals by magnetic separation from shredded waste. - Food waste is pulped into slurry with a wet grinding mill, and moisture is adjusted so that

the solid concentration becomes about 10%. - Paper/plastic materials and fibrous materials remaining in the pulped slurry are then

removed with a bar screen. - Removed foreign matter is treated at an adjacent waste gasifying and melting plant. Sterilization

- Food waste slurry is heated for more than one hour at 70°C to kill pathogenic bacteria, etc.

Chiba Biogas Center

By introducing a Bigadan process biogas system (designed to efficiently recover biogas from organic waste including food waste), the Japan Recycling Corporation is able to perform recycling in compliance with the Food Waste Recycling Law. The methane gas recovered by this system is supplied to the JFE steel works as fuel, helping reduce the consumption of fossil fuel. Complete material recycling can be achieved by re-treating the fermentation residue in the gasifying melting furnace.

Overview of the plant Equipment: Bigadan process biogas system Treatment method: intermediate treatment by methane

fermentation treatment Capacity: 30 t/day (solid concentration: 30%) Recycled waste: industrial waste (animal/plant residue,

sludge, waste oil)

Gas holder Desulfurization tower Heat exchanger Deodorization unit

Digester Pasteurization tank Digested liquid storage tank Adjustment tank

Organic waste including food

waste Receiving

pit

Shredder

Receiving building

Magnetic separator

Wet grinding

mill

Pro

cess

ed w

ater

Adjustment tank

Mixing tank

Digested liquid storage tank

Wastewater treatment equipment in the JFE steel works

Dilution water tank

Hea

t exc

hang

er

Hea

t exc

hang

er

Hea

t exc

hang

er

Digester (methane

fermentation)

Medium- temperature

digestion at 37°C

Col

d w

ater

Hot

wat

er

Pasteurization tank

(sterilization)

70°C × 1 hour

Hot water tank

Primary dehydrator Supernatant liquid

Condensed water

Met

hane

gas

Desu

lfuriz

ation

to

wer

Gas holder

East Japan Works, JFE Steel

Corporation

Gas component: percentage

CH4: 60–70% CO2: 30–40%

Polymer coagulant

Dehydrated cake

Secondary dehydrator S

team

Dryer Dried sludge

Treatment steps in a Bigadan process biogas system

Reception and pretreatment Organic waste including food waste is unloaded from collection vehicles into the pit for shredding, classification, and moisture adjustment. The deodorization equipment prevents foul odor from escaping outside the plant.

Heating equipment Heat is recovered from slurry and hot water with a non-blocking type heat exchanger to heat the raw material up to 70°C.

Sterilization The raw material is heated for more than 1 hour at 70°C to sterilize pathogenic bacteria, etc. contained in the raw material.

Stirring and digestion Biogas is generated by stirring the raw material (pretreated waste with moisture adjusted) in the digester (methane fermentation tank) at 37°C.

Gas purification The biogas is purified into clean gas via desulphurization treatment before it is supplied to the JFE steel works.

Separation of digested liquid Digested liquid after methane fermentation is dehydrated to separate solid (fermentation residue) from liquid (separating solid and liquid fractions of wastewater by dehydration).

Residue re-treatment The fermentation residue is dried and supplied to the adjacent Chiba Recycling Center for re-treatment and recycling.

Wastewater treatment The wastewater is treated by the activated sludge treatment equipment in the JFE steel works.

Supplied to the Chiba Recycling Center for re-treatment

Anaerobic digestion - When food waste slurry is stirred in the digester at 37°C, organic matter is decomposed,

and biogas with methane concentration of 60–70% is recovered (retention time: 20 days). - The biogas is desulfurized, and supplied to the adjacent JFE steel works to be used as

fuel. Post treatment

- Digested slurry is dehydrated and dried, and then treated at an adjacent waste gasifying and melting plant to recover fuel gas and slag, etc.

Technological features This plant can directly receive food waste and unsold food packaged in corrugated fiberboard boxes and plastic bags, recover only organic waste from the pretreatment process, and transport organic waste to the anaerobic digestion process.

This biogasification plant is located adjacent to a waste gasifying and melting plant and a JFE steel works.

The biogas recovered at this plant is used as fuel at the JFE steel works. The electric power and steam required to run this plant are supplied from the JFE steel works.

Wastewater generated from this plant is transported to, and treated by, the JFE steel works’ existing wastewater treatment facility.

Foreign matter and dehydrated/dried sludge generated from this plant is transported to the waste gasifying and melting plant for treatment to recover fuel gas and slag, etc. The fuel gas is also used as fuel at the JFE steel works, and slag is sold as a road construction material.

Through this process, the plant achieves zero emissions. Background of starting recycling business and participating in eco-town program

Enforcement of recycling law In the past, food waste was incinerated or disposed of at landfill sites. However, the Food Waste Recycling Law (national law) was enforced in 2001, triggering high demand for recycling food waste.

Lack of waste disposal sites For years, there were shortages of waste disposal sites in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area including Chiba Prefecture, and therefore high demand to reduce the amount of waste disposal.

Management policy of the parent company At that time, the parent company (Kawasaki Steel Corporation, currently JFE Steel Corporation) was diversifying its business beyond steel manufacturing. In particular, the parent company was preparing to enter the environmental sector and waste recycling business in accordance with the corporate management policy, and so was actively conducting R&D.

Parent company’s contributions to local communities After running the steel works for decades since the plant was constructed in Chiba City in 1951, the parent company (Kawasaki Steel Corporation, currently JFE Steel Corporation) was considering how to contribute to Chiba City and Chiba Prefecture by reducing the amount of waste disposal.

Established recycling technologies already available Through research and experiments, the parent company had already established technologies for producing biogas from organic waste before entering the recycling business.

High level of interest in the environment By using biogas as an industrial fuel, it is possible to reduce fossil fuel consumption and hence reduce CO2 emissions, a cause of global warming. Meanwhile, the generation of treatment residue can be completely eliminated by treating food waste in two steps in combination with the waste gasifying and melting plant adjacent to the steel works, thereby extending the service life of waste disposal sites. This business was expected to make a great contribution to society and the environment.

Initiatives of local government The Chiba City Government launched the Soga Ecology Industrial & Research Park Project, and solicited participation in the project.

Fund procurement The initial investment in the business was about JPY1.4 billion. The company was able to receive JPY600 million from the national government, and some subsidies from the City of Chiba. The remainder was financed independently.


Combination with existing plants - The plant is located adjacent to the JFE steel works, which uses the biogas recovered in

the recycling process as fuel. Electric power and steam required in the recycling process are supplied from the steel works, while wastewater generated in the recycling process is treated at the wastewater treatment facility of the steel works.

- The company had already been running a waste gasifying and melting business on an adjacent site before starting the recycling business. Foreign matter removed or sludge generated in the recycling process at this plant is treated at this waste gasifying and melting plant. Support from the parent company

- The company received substantial investment from the parent company for the recycling business.


Securing waste materials for recycling - The pretreatment process was improved so that food waste and unsold food packaged in

corrugated fiberboard boxes and plastic bags can be directly received. This has enabled the plant to receive food waste and unsold food, etc. from large food retailers.

- In 2007, the Chiba City Government commenced separate collection of food waste from households in some areas, and the plant receives this food waste after separate collection.

- Turning food waste into biogas costs more than incinerating it, but an increasing number of private companies have been choosing biogasification following enforcement of the Food Waste Recycling Law and stricter requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To secure food waste, The company is committed to explaining to various private companies the benefits of biogasification for reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Future prospects To stabilize operations and increase profitability, it is necessary to secure suppliers who continuously provide food waste of stable quantity and quality.

Because this business involves gas management, it is important to ensure complete safety in operating the plant.

Remarks To ensure the continued success of the recycling business, local governments should continue to help secure waste materials for the recycling business. Reference: H. Noma, K. Fukuda, K. Kamasuki; “JFE-Bigadan Biogas Process as an Energy Recovery and Digestion System,” JFE Technical Report, No. 3. July 2004, pp. 35-40 http://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/research/report/003/pdf/003-07.pdf

Chiba Biogas Center

By introducing a Bigadan process biogas system(designed to efficiently recover biogas from organicwaste including food waste), the Japan RecyclingCorporation is able to perform recycling in compliancewith the Food Waste Recycling Law. The methane gasrecovered by this system is supplied to the JFE steelworks as fuel, helping reduce the consumption of fossilfuel. Complete material recycling can be achieved byre-treating the fermentation residue in the gasifyingmelting furnace.

Overview of the plantEquipment: Bigadan process biogas systemTreatment method: intermediate treatment by methane

fermentation treatmentCapacity: 30 t/day (solid concentration: 30%)Recycled waste: industrial waste (animal/plant residue,

sludge, waste oil)

Gas holder Desulfurization tower Heat exchanger Deodorization unit

Digester Pasteurization tank Digested liquid storage tank Adjustment tank

Organic wasteincluding food

wasteReceiving

pit

Shredder

Receiving building

Magneticseparator

Wetgrinding

mill

Pro

ce

sse

dw

ate

r

Adjustmenttank

Mixing tank

Digested liquidstorage tank

Wastewater treatment equipment in the JFE steel works

Dilution watertank

He

at

exch

an

ge

r

He

at

exch

an

ge

r

He

at

exch

an

ge

r

Digester(methane

fermentation)

Medium-temperature

digestion at 37°C

Co

ldw

ate

r

Ho

tw

ate

r

Pasteurizationtank

(sterilization)

70°C × 1 hour

Hot watertank

Primarydehydrator Supernatant liquid

Condensed water

Me

tha

ne

gas D

esul

furiz

atio

nto

wer

Gas holder

East JapanWorks, JFE Steel

Corporation

Gas component:percentage

CH4: 60–70%CO2: 30–40%

Polymercoagulant

Dehydrated cake

Secondarydehydrator S

tea

m

DryerDried sludge

Treatment steps in a Bigadan process biogas system

Reception and pretreatment

Organic waste including food waste isunloaded from collection vehicles into thepit for shredding, classification, andmoisture adjustment. The deodorizationequipment prevents foul odor fromescaping outside the plant.

Heating equipment

Heat is recovered from slurry andhot water with a non-blockingtype heat exchanger to heat theraw material up to 70°C.

Sterilization

The raw material is heated formore than 1 hour at 70°C tosterilize pathogenic bacteria, etc.contained in the raw material.

Stirring and digestion

Biogas is generated by stirringthe raw material (pretreatedwaste with moisture adjusted) inthe digester (methanefermentation tank) at 37°C.

Gas purification

The biogas is purified into cleangas via desulphurizationtreatment before it is supplied tothe JFE steel works.

Separation of digested liquid

Digested liquid after methanefermentation is dehydrated toseparate solid (fermentationresidue) from liquid (separatingsolid and liquid fractions ofwastewater by dehydration).

Residue re-treatment

The fermentation residue is driedand supplied to the adjacentChiba Recycling Center forre-treatment and recycling.

Wastewater treatment

The wastewater is treated by theactivated sludge treatmentequipment in the JFE steelworks.

Supplied to the Chiba Recycling Center for re-treatment


Recycling of Used Home Appliances

Name of recycler Eco-Recycle Co., Ltd. Location Northern Akita Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

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- Used home appliances specified in Japan’s home appliance recycling law (refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers, air conditioners and television sets)

- Used personal computers - Used office machines


Glass cullet from CRTs, printed circuit boards, copper wire, plastic flakes, ferrous materials, aluminum materials, motors, etc.


6,000 t/year


5,056 m2 (total area of main buildings)


52


May 26, 2000


Used home appliances, used personal computers, used office machines, used small electronic devices, etc. are manually dismantled, and then crushed and shredded, washed, sorted and separated via mechanical processes to recover glass cullet, plastic flakes, ferrous materials, aluminum materials, as well as printed circuit boards and motors, etc. Recycling process Manual dismantling

- Received equipment is manually dismantled as far as possible. - Motors, printed circuit boards, CRTs, deflection yokes, compressors, heat exchangers,

copper pipes, plastic components, etc. are recovered. - Dismantling into components and materials as far as possible before crushing and

shredding helps increase the value of final materials recovered from the recycling process and facilitates material recycling. Crushing/shredding and separating/sorting

- Outer shells/cabinets of washing machines and refrigerators, etc. as well as items that cannot be manually dismantled are crushed and shredded with crushers and shredders, and then sorted by material with magnetic separators, eddy current separators, pneumatic separators, etc.

- CFC refrigerants in refrigerators and air conditioners are condensed, liquefied, and recovered in dedicated gas cylinders.

- Refrigerator cabinets are crushed and shredded to be sorted and separated by materials. Crushed and shredded materials are sorted and separated into metal materials and non-metal materials with magnetic separators and eddy current separators. Urethane powder generated in the crushing and shredding processes is recovered with pneumatic separators. CFC gases released from urethane insulation materials in the crushing and shredding processes are recovered from the crushing/shredding unit together with the air.

- CFC gases recovered from insulation materials of refrigerators and CFC refrigerants recovered into dedicated gas cylinders are destroyed by an incinerator of their group company (Eco-system Akita Co., Ltd.) adjacent to their company. Recycling of recovered materials

- Printed circuit boards, copper wire, ferrous materials, and glass cullet recovered from CRT funnel glass are transported to a group company (Kosaka Smelting & Refining Co., Ltd.), and used as raw materials to recover valuable metals (including gold, silver, copper, and lead).

- Glass cullet recovered from CRT panel glass is sold as glass wool material. - Urethane recovered from refrigerators, and unrecyclable plastics are used as additional

fuel for the incinerator of a group company (Eco-system Akita Co., Ltd.) adjacent to their company.

- Other materials recovered are sold as raw materials for recycling.


Launching a new business - Eco-Recycle Co., Ltd. is a group company of Dowa Holdings Co., Ltd., which was a mine

operator in northern Akita Prefecture. The Hanaoka District, which is where the recycling plant is located, was home to the Hanaoka Mine which produced copper, lead, and zinc. However, when the mine closed in 1994, it was necessary to create jobs for employees by launching a new business. Needs for stimulating the local economy

- The Hanaoka Mine had served as the industrial base of Odate City, and so the city sought to attract new industries after the mine closed. Enforcement of the recycling law

- The Home Appliance Recycling Law (national law) was enacted in 1998 and due to be enforced from 2001, so the demand for recycling home appliances was expected to increase. Eco-town program planned by the local government

- The Akita Prefectural Government was preparing an eco-town program. Fund procurement The initial investment was about JPY500 million. The company was able to receive

subsidies from the national government (about 50%) and the Akita Prefectural Government (about 1%).


Utilizing technologies developed for mining operations - As part of mining operations, various sophisticated smelting technologies were developed

for recovering trace metals from ores. Since the days of mining operations, treatment technologies have been established and maintained for detoxifying harmful wastewater and effluent gases to prevent environmental pollution. The company’s current technologies are based on environmental technologies for mining and refining operations.

- The company’s CFC destruction technologies were developed based on the incineration technologies used in the smelting process of mining. Building a network with group companies and local companies, and securing customers

- In northern Akita Prefecture, the company has a network with group companies of Dowa Holdings Co., Ltd. (including companies engaged in nonferrous metal smelting, waste incineration, and final waste disposal). A network with local companies has also been maintained since the days of mining.

- This network with group companies and local companies has given the company sales channels for materials recovered from the recycling process.

- The company can judge the extent to which used home appliances should be dismantled, crushed, and shredded depending on the recycling technologies of companies that accept recovered materials from the company. Thus, the network with group companies, etc. is also technologically useful. Reducing initial investment

- When the company launched the recycling business, it was not clear whether recycling home appliances would be successful and profitable, and whether a sufficient volume of used home appliances could be collected.

- The company therefore minimized the initial investment by using existing assets as far as possible (e.g., using existing buildings of mining facilities as recycling plants).

- The overall collection rate of used home appliances in Japan is now estimated to be about 50%, and the company’s recycling business has been profitable. Making prior investment in technologies

- When initially enforced, the Home Appliance Recycling Law (national law) required the recovery of CFC refrigerants alone; CFCs contained in insulation materials of refrigerators, etc. were not within the scope of recovery. However, the company anticipated that CFCs contained in insulation materials would have to be dealt with eventually, so when building the recycling facilities the company designed and installed a system for recovering these CFCs. Keeping good relations with local citizens based on trust

- Since its mining days, the Dowa Group has voluntarily acted to protect the environment beyond the scope required by law, and has not caused any environmental problems. Based on past accomplishments, group companies have built good relations with local citizens based on trust, which helped win their support when launching the recycling business.


Changes in the volume of used home appliances collected - The volume of used home appliances generated changes depending on the season and

year. Developing workers’ capabilities

- Recycling plants are required to handle home appliances that were manufactured at different times, so the work efficiency of the recycling process is also affected by the workers’ expertise and experience. It is important to develop their skills. Communications with local citizens

- In doing the recycling business, cooperation with local citizens is important. Every year, the company reports to chairmen of neighboring local communities on the operation status, and invite local citizens and elementary/junior high school students to a plant tour, to build trust and disclose information. Developing technologies

- As part of prior investment, the Dowa Group continues to develop technologies. - The company has been able to receive subsidies from the Akita Prefectural Government to

cover technology development costs. Future prospects The market is not expected to expand only with the items specified in the current Home

Appliance Recycling Law, so the company has been developing technologies for (i) expanding the scope of recyclable items and (ii) recovering rare metals.

Remarks The business of recycling used home appliances does not work simply by dismantling, sorting, and separating used home appliances. Customers for the recovered materials must be secured first.

Existing smelting technologies of mining companies can be used to develop technologies for recovering rare metals. The key point is how to combine existing technologies.

The home appliances recycling business requires an established legal framework. To ensure stable operation of the recycling business, the national government should take measures to minimize changes in the volume of used home appliances generated. Preferably, the government should also take measures to expand the scope of used home appliances required to be collected. It is also necessary to develop technologies to handle the expanded scope of used home appliances collected.


Recycling of Used Home Appliances

Name of recycler Nishinihon Kaden Recycle Corporation Location Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Kitakyushu Environmental Industrial Complex


Used home appliances specified in Japan’s Home Appliance Recycling Law (refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers, air conditioners, television sets)


Recovered materials

Recovered from

Recycled as TV sets Air conditioners

Refrigerators, freezers

Washing machines,

clothes dryers

Glass cullet ○ Material for CRTs Plastic materials ○ ○ ○ ○ Material for plastic products

Condensed urethane ○ Blast furnace fuel, road pavement material, etc.

Ferrous materials ○ ○ ○ Material for steel products

Nonferrous materials ○ ○ ○ Material for copper products, aluminum products,

etc. Motors ○ ○ Material for steel/copper products Compressors ○ ○ Material for steel/copper products

Heat exchangers ○

Material for copper products, aluminum products, casting/die-casting material for automobile parts, etc.

Printed circuit boards ○ ○ ○ Material for precious metals (Au, Ag, Cu, etc.),

blast furnace fuel Deflection yokes ○ Material for steel products

Electronic beam guns ○ Material for stainless steel products

Shadow masks ○ Material for stainless steel products


180 t/day (approx. 1 million home appliances per year)


26,344 m2


43


April 2000


Used television sets, washing machines, clothes dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers are dismantled, crushed and shredded, washed, and sorted and separated via a combination of manual and mechanical processes, to recover materials including ferrous, copper, aluminum, plastic, and glass materials. Recycling process: please refer to the website of Nishinihon Kaden Recycle Corporation: http://www.nkrc.co.jp/english/index.html Technological features Crushed materials of casings/outer shells (including washing machines, air conditioners, and refrigerators) contain a mixture of metals and plastics. In the recycling process, such crushed materials are sorted into ferrous, copper, and aluminum materials, as well as light and heavy plastics, with magnetic separators, eddy current separators, optical separators, gravity separators, and pneumatic separators.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) contained in the urethane insulation materials of refrigerators and freezers are separated by heating and volume reduction processes and recovered via adsorption to activated carbon in a closed system.

CFC refrigerants used in refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners, and CFCs used in urethane insulation materials are recovered, and destroyed and rendered harmless in CFCs destruction facilities under rigorous management. The recycling process is monitored for leakage of CFCs.

Part of CFCs is decomposed in a CFCs destruction system (using radio frequency plasma at high temperatures of about 10,000°C) set up in the recycling plant.

Recycling ratio As of 2010, 80–85% (by weight) of valuable materials are recovered from used home appliances received.


Initiatives of local government - The mayor of Kitakyushu City at that time was enthusiastic about building an

environmental model city in Japan. - The Kitakyushu City Government was preparing an eco-town program. Enforcement of recycling law

- The Home Appliance Recycling Law (national law) was in the process of enactment, and so the demand for recycling home appliances was expected to increase.

Fund procurement The initial investment cost was about JPY1.5 billion, about half of which was subsidized by the national government.


Information and knowledge regarding home appliances - The company’s capital investors are home appliance manufacturers in Japan, so it has

information and knowledge regarding home appliances, which it used in designing the recycling process or recycling used products. Securing used home appliances

- Before launching the recycling business, a survey was conducted which calculated the projected volume of used home appliances that would be collected. After commencement of the business, the company was able to collect more used home appliances than initially projected because of growing awareness about the home appliance recycling system in Japan. Continuous technology improvement and R&D to increase efficiency

- The company continuously improves equipment and systems in the recycling process to improve the recycling ratio and reduce recycling costs.

- The company researches and develops new technologies in collaboration with universities and research institutions. This has enabled them to sort out non-ferrous metals (by materials) via optical separation and mixed plastics (by materials) via gravity separation, and use urethane insulation materials of refrigerators as fuel.

- The company also works with other home appliance recycling plants in developing recycling technologies.

- The company actively uses suggestions from workers to make improvements. - The increased recycling ratio and value of recycled products help stabilize the recycling

business.


Excessive volume of used home appliances collected compared with processing capacity, and variable collection volume

- Before launching the recycling business, a survey was conducted to estimate the volume of used home appliances that would be collected. Based on the results, the company set the design processing capacity of the recycling plant at 500,000 units/year.

- From the second year of the business, the company received more used home appliances than the designed processing capacity, causing a shortage of temporary storage space and forcing it to increase the mechanical and manual processing capacity.

- The volume of used home appliances generated changes with the season and year, so it is necessary to continuously adjust the processing capacity to meet these changes. Establishment of occupational health and safety management system

- Used home appliances are mainly dismantled manually. Various machinery and equipment are used in the mechanical processing to crush and shred, wash, sort and separate the materials. In addition, emissions of CFCs and other environmental hazardous materials from the recycling process must be prevented.

- For this reason, OHSAS 18001 (occupational health and safety management system) certification was obtained to ensure occupational health and safety, and thoroughly implement the following measures: a) Risk reduction activities by all employees b) Making protective equipment available, and requiring employees to wear it c) Preparing sheets, work manuals, and operation procedures, and ensuring compliance

with procedures Future prospects A higher recycling ratio (the percentage of valuable materials recovered from used home

appliances received (by weight)) improves profitability and ensures stable business. Thus, the company has been working to develop recycling technologies to raise the recycling ratio:

- Technologies to further sort and recycle recovered plastic materials - Recovery of rare precious metals

Remarks Preconditions for the used home appliance recycling business: Business viability It is essential to secure a sufficient volume of used home appliances to ensure the viability of the home appliance recycling business.

In Japan, large quantities of used home appliances are generated, which is one factor which contributes to the viability of the recycling business.

Viability of the recycling business also requires an established system for collecting used home appliances and transporting them to recycling plants. This collection system needs to be established as a framework by national and local governments.

The recycling business must be economically viable. A high recycling ratio (the percentage of valuable materials recovered from used home appliances received (by weight)) helps improve profitability and ensure stable business.

Fundamental requirements of recycling technologies The following are basic considerations when developing home appliance recycling technologies:

- How to sort out mixtures of various materials - How to ensure the quality of sorted materials appropriate for recycling How to remove harmful materials

Smooth operation of the recycling process To continuously ensure smooth processing of used home appliances collected, it is necessary to coordinate equipment maintenance and operation, and to build the capacity of staff and maintenance and operation workers.

Reference: website of Nishinihon Kaden Recycle Corporation http://www.nkrc.co.jp/english/index.html


Recycling of Used Fluorescent Lamps

Name of recycler Japan Recycling Light Technology & System Location Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture Name of eco industrial park

Kitakyushu Environmental Industrial Complex


Used fluorescent lamps


Glass cullet without tin coating (for glass tube of fluorescent lamps) Glass cullet with tin coating (for glass wool and glass tube of fluorescent lamps)

Aluminum/metal materials

Tri-phosphor (for fluorescent lamps) Halo-phosphor (for cement material)

Mercury before refining (for mercury lamps) (Source: brochure of Japan Recycling Light Technology & System Co., Ltd.)


18.3 t/day (when the plant is operated 12 hours/day)


9,000 m2


Management/clerical staff: 10, Plant workers (contract workers): 20 (as of 1 July 2010)


October 3, 2001


Used fluorescent lamps are crushed and shredded to recover glass cullet, aluminum/metal materials, phosphor, and mercury.

Recycling process (Source: brochure of Japan Recycling Light Technology & System Co., Ltd.) The recycling process consists mainly of the following processes: - Used linear and circular fluorescent lamps received are recycled on separate processing

lines. - Used fluorescent lamps received are cut by heat near both ends to remove the end caps.

For linear fluorescent lamps, phosphor is recovered after cutting the end caps. To recover tri-phosphor and halo-phosphor separately, tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps are processed separately from other fluorescent lamps.

- Next, fluorescent tubes are crushed and shredded into glass cullet. In this process, phosphor is detached and recovered from glass. For linear fluorescent tubes, glass tubes with tin coating are separated from those without tin coating by measuring the electrical resistance of the glass tube. Glass tubes with and without tin coating are crushed and shredded on separate processing lines.

- Separated glass cullet is washed and dried to remove mercury, and sold as a recyclable material.

- Recovered phosphor is heated; mercury contained in phosphor is vaporized, removed, and recovered. Phosphor and mercury recovered in this process are sold as raw materials for recycling.

- End caps removed from fluorescent tubes are crushed, shredded, washed, and dried on a separate line. Metal and aluminum materials are recovered by a magnetic separator and an aluminum separator, and sold as raw materials for recycling.

Technological features Recovered glass cullet and phosphor are recycled as raw materials by Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation to manufacture fluorescent lamps (OCM).

Collection box for used fluorescent tubes

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Phosphor/mercury separation process

Phosphor recovery unit

Raw materials for recycling

●Glass cullet

●End caps (aluminum materials) ●Metal materials

●Halo-phosphor ●Tri-phosphor* *Halo-phosphor: phosphor used to produce white/daylight colors Tri-phosphor: phosphor mixture of three colors (red, green, and blue)

Recycled products

Handicrafts

Glass wool Planters

●Glass products and glass wool

●Raw materials for metals

●Cement materials

●Refined mercury

Fluorescent tubes manufactured with recycled materials

Processing unit for linear fluorescent lamps

Processing unit for linear fluorescent lamps Processing unit for circular fluorescent lamps

Phosphor detaching unit Washer Bagging (glass cullet)

●Mercury before refining


Exploring new business fields - Their parent company is Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc., which generates and supplies

electric power in the Kyushu region. - In Japan, deregulation of electric utilities has been under way since 1995, so their parent

company has been exploring viable new businesses in terms of potential and corporate social responsibility. Parent company’s strong interest in the environment

- Before this recycling business was launched, there were only a few companies collecting used fluorescent tubes in Japan. In most cases, only mercury was recovered from the lamps; glass and metals were landfilled without being recycled.

- Their parent company therefore decided to enter the business of recycling fluorescent lamps (i) to help build a sound material-recycling society and (ii) because the demand and potential for recycling fluorescent lamps were expected to be high.

Fund procurement The initial business cost was about JPY950 million. However, the company was able to receive subsidies from the national government (JPY400 million) and the City of Kitakyushu (JPY20 million). The rest was financed by bank loans.


Management policy based on resource recycling - Since commencing operations, management policy has focused on helping to promote

recycling and build a sound material-recycling society. - The company has worked to achieve a “lamp to lamp” cycle, with the equipment and

layout of the recycling plant designed accordingly. The concept has effectively shown the need for collecting and recycling fluorescent lamps. Participation of a skilled engineering company in their recycling business

- Nishinippon Plant Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (which designs, builds, operates, and maintains various plant facilities) invested their recycling business, so they could use its technologies in their recycling business. Cooperation from an environmentally-aware fluorescent lamp manufacturer

- The company was looking for a company that would reuse their recovered glass cullet and phosphor as raw materials for manufacturing fluorescent lamps. The company found a fluorescent lamp manufacturer which was strongly interested in the environment and recycling, and was willing to purchase glass cullet and phosphor from them. Parent company’s creditworthiness and support

- In financing the initial business cost, the company was able to secure loans from banks thanks to their parent company’s creditworthiness.

- In increasing the collection of used fluorescent lamps from companies and local governments and expanding sales channels for recycled fluorescent lamps, the company received full support from their parent company (Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.) and Nishinippon Plant Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. Support from local governments

- When the company was looking for a plant site, the Kitakyushu City Government was developing an environmental industrial complex and attracting companies, and the company was able to secure a plot because their mission met the requirements.

- Recycled fluorescent lamps are recognized as a Kitakyushu Eco Premium product, and are purchased preferentially by the Kitakyushu City Government.


Collecting used fluorescent lamps Success in their recycling business requires the collection of sufficient amounts of used fluorescent lamps. However, this was not possible when they started out because:

- In Japan, national laws did not require the recycling of used fluorescent lamps, so there was limited need to actively recycle the lamps.

- At that time, other companies were collecting used fluorescent lamps, but most of them only recovered the mercury while glass and metals were landfilled, so their recycling cost was lower. Local governments collect large volumes of used fluorescent lamps as part of household waste, while large companies, universities, railway companies, large shopping centers, etc. generate large amounts of the lamps. So, the company visited many local governments and companies to raise awareness about the necessity and importance of recycling the lamps, and also requested local governments to separately collect them from other household waste. In increasing the collection of used fluorescent lamps from local governments and companies, the company received full support from its parent company (Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.) and Nishinippon Plant Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. To collect even more lamps, they expanded their coverage to western Japan. The increased collection has enabled them to cut their unit processing price and make their recycling business more competitive. They also create posters (showing the CO2 emissions reduced by recycling fluorescent lamps) and give them to respective local governments and companies to use for raising awareness among companies, local governments, and citizens about recycling fluorescent lamps. Through continuous efforts over the past seven years, they have succeeded in increasing the used fluorescent lamps collected up to about 2,000 tons/year (about 40% from companies, and about 60% from households via local governments).

Unique collection efforts - Broken fluorescent lamps emit mercury, which is dangerous. The glass of broken

fluorescent tubes cannot be recycled for making fluorescent tubes, so it is important not to break used lamps in the collection process.

- Fluorescent lamps are light, so to increase the transportation efficiency, it is necessary to transport them in bulk. Special containers are supplied to collection/logistics companies to collect, store, and transport used fluorescent lamps. The company works in partnership with (i) agency companies that collect and temporarily store used fluorescent lamps in their local areas and (ii) designated companies that transport used fluorescent lamps in large volumes in respective regions. Thus, they have created a system for efficiently collecting and transporting used fluorescent lamps from the expanded collection areas.

Commendation by public organizations - In 2008, their fluorescent lamp recycling business won the Special Jury Award in the

Eco-Services Category of Eco-Products Award in Japan. - In 2009, their fluorescent lamp recycling business was commended by the Clean Japan

Center as a material-recycling technology/system. Future prospects Because phosphor contains rare metals, the recycling of used fluorescent lamps is likely to

offer new business opportunities in the future. Remarks Success in the recycling business requires the collection of sufficient amounts of used

fluorescent lamps. To ensure success, it is necessary to raise the awareness of companies, local governments, and citizens to improve the environment.

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Raw materials for recycling

Glass cullet

End caps (aluminum materials) Metal materials

Halo-phosphor Tri-phosphor* *Halo-phosphor: phosphor used to produce white/daylight colors Tri-phosphor: phosphor mixture of three colors (red, green, and blue)

Recycled products

Handicrafts

Glass woolPlanters

Glass products and glass wool

Raw materials for metals

Cement materials

Refined mercury

Fluorescent tubes manufactured with recycled materials

Processing unit for linear fluorescent lamps

Processing unit for linear fluorescent lamps Processing unit for circular fluorescent lamps

Phosphor detaching unit Washer Bagging (glass cullet)

Mercury before refining


Recycling of sludge/dust containing valuable metals (nickel/zinc)

Name of recycler Daido EcoMet Co., Ltd. Location Aichi Prefecture

Name of eco industrial park

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- Dust and reduced slag generated from electric arc furnaces (EAFs) for steel making (Zn: 18%) - Sludge generated from acid pickling of stainless steel products (Ni(OH)2: 2–3%) - Sludge generated from nickel plating (Ni: ≥5%)


- Zinc raw materials (Zn: 40–50%) - Nickel alloy (Ni: 7–14%) - Aggregate (gravel for construction materials, etc.)

Zinc raw material

Nickel alloy

Aggregate


43,000 t/year


2,310 m2


Employees at Chita Plant, Daido EcoMet Co., Ltd.: 55 Among them, recycling equipment staff: 19 (As of April 2011)


March 1996


Technology for recovering nickel alloy Extracts nickel by drying to powder, melting and reducing sludge (Ni(OH)2: 2–3%) from the stainless steel production process or sludge (Ni ≥ 5%) from the nickel plating process.

Recycling process (1) Drying process Using heat generated in the melting process, dries wet sludge to powder. (2) Melting and reducing process Dry, powder-like sludge is directly melted at high temperature generated by a specially designed fuel-oxygen burner. Carbon (reducing agent) injected into the molten sludge reduces metals (nickel and iron). A high-specific gravity nickel-iron alloy forms in the lower layer, while molten slag remains as the upper layer. These layers are collected separately. Nickel alloy is used as a material for stainless steel. The molten slag after cooling is used as aggregate for road construction. Technology for recovering zinc material

Dust (Zn: 18%) from steel-making electric arc furnaces and reduction slag are melted. Vaporized zinc is cooled and recovered.

Recycling process

(1) Melting process: A specially designed fuel-oxygen burner is used to directly melt dust and slag from electric arc furnaces at high temperature. Zinc is vaporized, leaving molten slag. After collection and cooling, the molten slag is used as aggregate for road construction. (2) Cooling and recovery process: Rapidly cools exhaust gas from melting furnaces. Collects powder containing a high concentration of zinc with a dust collector. The collected powder is used as a zinc raw material.


Disposal problem associated with industrial waste produced from specialty steel production processes

- Slag, dust and sludge produced from specialty steel production processes were rendered harmless, stabilized and then disposed of at a waste disposal site as industrial waste. However, the disposal fee increased as such disposal sites ran out of space.

- The company’s customers and society demanded it to achieve zero emissions. Surge in price of rare metals on the international market

- Slag, dust and sludge containing rare metals such as nickel and zinc were disposed of at waste repositories instead of being recycled.

- The prices of imported nickel and zinc raw materials increased, enabling recycled nickel and zinc raw materials to compete in price. Initiatives of local government

- The Aichi Prefectural Government (via the Deputy Governor and others) enthusiastically invited the company to take part in the eco-town program.

Fund procurement - Their parent company (Daido Steel Co., Ltd.) constructed the zinc material recovery equipment, while Daido EcoMet operates it.

- The company provided the capital investment for the nickel alloy recovery equipment through a loan from the parent company. Since the subsidiary (Daido EcoMet Co., Ltd.) is financially independent from the parent company, the loan must be repaid.

- The national government and the Aichi Prefectural Government valued the high performance of the nickel alloy recovery technology and awarded the company subsidies.

Nickel alloy recovery plant construction cost: JPY1.65 billion Breakdown Subsidy from national government: JPY340 million

Subsidy from Aichi Prefectural Government: JPY10 million Loan from parent company: remainder


Established fundamental technologies - The recycling technology is an application of the electric arc furnace technology of the parent

company (Daido Steel Co., Ltd.). - The nickel alloy recovery technology was developed based on technology for recovering zinc

raw material. Ensuring distribution channels for recycled products

- The parent company was ready to purchase recycled nickel alloy as a raw material for stainless steel.

- The aggregate can be marketed as a material for concrete products. Demand for recycling sludge from specialty steel production process

- There was potential demand for the recycling of sludge produced from specialty steel production processes in Aichi Prefecture, which is the largest producer of specialty steel in Japan. Parent company’s high interest in environmental management and corporate social responsibility (CSR)

- The company established a recycling system between the parent company and subsidiary. - Some 80% of the required capital investment was lent by the parent company. - Since the recycling facilities were built on the same site as the parent company, no new site or

infrastructure (roads, water, fuel, etc.) was required. Issues and challenges

Covering high project costs The company used multiple funding sources, such as subsidies from the national and prefectural governments and a loan from the parent company. Technology development

The company had technical and financial difficulties in developing the equipment and operation procedures. The design department of the parent company helped the company to develop the technologies.

Future prospects - The company’s business is basically to recycle byproducts from the steel industry. - Human resources (intellectual resources) are essential to overcoming challenges in developing

new technologies. The company plans to continue to use its experience in metallurgical technology to develop new technologies.

Documents

Waste Recycling Technologies Adopted in Eco-towns in Japan