The Future of Reclaimed Soil - Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture's Cultured Soil Project - April 2001

The Future of Reclaimed Soil - Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture's Cultured Soil Project - April 2001

Sakura City in Chiba Prefecture has established the Sakura City Iino Culture Soil Center in collaboration with Sumirin Agricultural and Industrial Industries to produce artificial culture soil from soil generated in the water purification process at the city's water treatment plant. This project aims to make effective use of unneeded soil and reduce environmental impact.

In the production of cultured soil, rice husks, organic sludge, and animal and plant residues (such as okara) produced in the prefecture are fermented and mixed in as an improver to create fertile soil. In particular, our soil improvement material "Momilite" has a structure with excellent water retention and air permeability, and is highly regarded as a base material for agricultural use. Furthermore, a product lineup for multiple uses is available, including "Best Soil P" for planters and "Best Soil F" as a greening base material.

These culture soil products are not only supplied to local landscapers and agricultural producers, but are also sold to the public, contributing to the spread of urban greening and home vegetable gardens. The products are priced at around 1,000 yen for a 30-liter package, which is more affordable than conventional culture soils.

The background of this project is the tightness of landfill sites and the problem of managing final disposal sites. This initiative by Sakura City has the potential to spread to other municipalities as part of a sustainable resource recycling model. It is hoped that further improvements will be made and that the system will be used in more areas in the future.

### Related Information

1. **Sumirin "Environmental and Social Report 2008"**
- The Sakura Plant of Sumirin Agro-Industrial Co., Ltd. processes soil generated at water purification plants, which is used as a raw material in the production of fertilizer, to produce "Dotaro," a cultured soil for agricultural and horticultural use. In Chiba Prefecture, the company is engaged in the cultured soil business in collaboration with the Prefectural Enterprise Agency, and contributes to local production for local consumption by promoting sales of "Dotaro Chiba," a cultured soil for agriculture and gardening, and "Fusataro," a cultured soil for public greening.

2.**Biochar utilization in Sakura City**.
- Sakura City has started the Sakura-NARO Biochar Project, which utilizes unused biomass, in cooperation with the Japan Agricultural Experiment Agency. This initiative aims to realize a decarbonized society and promote agriculture.