Fluorine Removal Technology by Tohoku Kogyo and Yamagata University - Environmental Remediation Model from Tohoku (2006-2007)

Fluorine Removal Technology by Tohoku Kogyo and Yamagata University - Environmental Remediation Model from Tohoku (2006-2007)
In the mid-2000s, Japanese industry was in need of technological innovations that would both "reduce environmental impact" and "reduce costs. In particular, the treatment of fluorine contained in wastewater was a major issue in the semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing industries. The removal method used at the time was expensive in terms of chemical and electricity costs, which was a heavy burden for small and medium-sized enterprises. Under these circumstances, Tohoku Koyai of Fukushima City collaborated with the Faculty of Engineering at Yamagata University to develop a revolutionary fluorine remover called "Neofit.
The core of this technology is a treatment agent that uses a titanium compound as its main ingredient. In 2006, the company applied for a patent, and in 2007, it established a sales subsidiary. The company expanded its sales network to five prefectures in the Tohoku region (excluding Iwate Prefecture) and the northern Kanto region, attracting attention as an environmental business originating from a local industry.
At the time, industry-academia-government collaboration was positioned at the core of Japan's "Environmental Nation Strategy," and efforts to bridge the research results of regional universities to actual business were gaining momentum. The contribution of a regional engineering university such as Yamagata University to the practical application of industrial waste treatment and wastewater treatment is a pioneering example of regional development. In addition, the project coincided with the Ministry of the Environment's "Basic Plan for Establishing a Recycling-Oriented Society" (2003-2008) and the revision of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law to clarify corporate responsibility, which encouraged companies to commercialize environmental technologies on their own.
This project was more than just wastewater treatment technology; it was also a symbol of "industry-academia co-creation" in the Tohoku region. The idea that locally developed technologies can play a central role in creating a sustainable society was later carried over into the "Green Innovation Policy" and the "Low Carbon Technology Support Program". This is truly a symbolic page from an era when "Tohoku's knowledge" paved the way for the future of environmental cleanup.