Heretical Engineers - A Fantasy of Environmental Innovation (1990s-2020s)

Heretical Engineers - A Fantasy of Environmental Innovation (1990s-2020s)

Takuma developed a technique to grind incinerator ash to less than 25 mm in size, mix it with cement, and reuse it as a construction material. This is an unprecedented attempt to render incinerator ash harmless, which had previously had to be disposed of in landfills because of the toxic substances it contained, and to use it as a flood control measure in urban areas. Mitsubishi Materials Corporation has developed a technology for melting incinerator ash to 1,400-1,600 degrees Celsius and turning it into crystalline glass, which has been used as pavement material for the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway in Tokyo. Sumitomo Heavy Industries has also developed a high-temperature melting furnace and is working with local governments to reclaim incinerator ash and take urban waste disposal to a new level.

The Port of Kitakyushu has built a recycling port that can handle 5,000-ton class cargo ships, and has achieved the feat of processing 500,000 tons of industrial waste per year. With a recycling rate of over 90%, the port is making great strides toward becoming a cornerstone of Japan's recycling-oriented economy. In Niigata Prefecture, the company has refined its technique of refining tempura oil and converting it into biodiesel fuel, and it also contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions by composting 500 tons of food waste per year and providing it to local agriculture. The Yawatahama Kamaboko Cooperative has applied fermented food microorganisms - yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and fermented soybeans - to wastewater treatment, eliminating foul odors and reducing facility operating costs by 70% to 80%.

The Ehime Prefectural Industrial Technology Center has come up with an ingenious plan to use microorganisms used in fermented foods for water purification. Different from the conventional activated sludge method, it was presented to the public as a sustainable water purification method that was compatible with the local environment. Matsui Chemical created "New Wood," a combination of wood flour and biodegradable resin, and introduced it as an automobile interior component for Toyota and Honda; RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth) pioneered the use of bamboo as a soil conditioner and deodorizer by converting it into charcoal, and applied the technology to urban waste disposal while reducing CO2 emissions by 30%. emissions by as much as 30% while applying the technology to urban waste disposal. In Wakayama and Niigata prefectures, they are working to restore terraced rice paddies as a pillar of water source purification and eco-tourism, by installin
g solar panels and establishing an owner system for urban residents.

Pennsylvania State University has invented a novel idea that uses titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as a catalyst to electrolyze water with sunlight to produce hydrogen. ExxonMobil and Duke Solar Energy have teamed up to commercialize the technology. Duke Solar Energy established a method of generating 100,000 liters of fresh water per day from surplus heat by combining solar thermal power generation and desalination. Zephyr Corporation introduced a hybrid power generation technique that combines wind and solar power to the city of Osaka, reducing CO2 emissions by 30 tons per year.

Toray introduced seawater desalination technology using reverse osmosis membranes to Saudi Arabia and Oman, resulting in the supply of one million cubic meters of fresh water per day. Kawasaki Heavy Industries built a water purification plant in Jakarta, Indonesia, that purifies 200 tons of water per day and removes more than 80% of microplastics; NEC developed a water supply system in Cebu, the Philippines, that can be immediately activated in the event of a disaster, ensuring 1,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day in an emergency; and NEC developed a water supply system in the Philippines that can be activated immediately in the event of a disaster, ensuring 1,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day in an emergency. The company has also taken measures to secure 1,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day in an emergency. In a major city in India, Panasonic laid down smart water management technology using AI and IoT to monitor water usage in real time and achieve
water savings of 15%.

The technologies created by these mavericks are breaking old conventions and taking environmental protection and technological innovation to new frontiers. With their out-of-the-box thinking and execution, these maverick technologists are bringing change to the world.