### History and Current Status of Waste Power Generation Facilities in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture - From November 1997 to the 2020s

### History and Current Status of Waste Power Generation Facilities in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture - From November 1997 to the 2020s

#### Introduction in 1997
Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, began trial operation of a waste-to-energy facility in November 1997 with the aim of reducing its environmental impact. Utilizing a subsidy from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), the facility is equipped with two incinerators for processing industrial and household waste, and of the 2,400 kilowatts per day it can generate, 1,200 kilowatts is sold as surplus power. This is part of a "thermal recycling" program that utilizes incineration heat, and has attracted attention as a new approach to reusing waste as a resource.

At the time, Kanuma City was actively involved in the recycling business, including the promotion of RDF (refuse derived fuel), and was developing a foundation for growth in the environmental business. In the early stages of the project, uncertainty about the price of electricity sold and profitability were cited as issues, but the business was expected to expand by taking advantage of the benefits of investing in power generators.

#### Development in the 2000s
In the 2000s, as policies to promote the recycling of waste materials progressed throughout Japan, Kanuma City's waste power generation facility also began to play an important role as a regional recycling center. During this period, the city strengthened cooperation with neighboring municipalities to accept waste from a wider range of sources, while at the same time improving the amount of electricity generated and enhancing its emissions processing capacity.

It also introduced information and communications technology (ICT) to improve the efficiency of facility operations and built a system to manage data on waste collection and treatment. This has resulted in reduced operating costs and improved transparency of waste treatment. Furthermore, efforts to raise citizens' environmental awareness through school education and community events were actively implemented.

#### 2015-2016 improvements
After approximately 20 years of operation, the waste power generation facility was aging, and in 2015, a core facility improvement project was undertaken to improve the efficiency and extend the life of the facility by upgrading the incinerator and waste gas treatment equipment. This improvement work was completed in March 2016 with support from the Ministry of the Environment. The updated facility incorporates the latest emission gas treatment technology to reduce dioxin emissions and improve energy efficiency.

#### Current Status in the 2020s
In the 2020s, Kanuma City formulated the Fifth Kanuma City Environmental Basic Plan, which sets a goal of achieving a decarbonized society by 2050. The plan identifies local production and local consumption of renewable energy and the promotion of energy business as important pillars of the plan. However, due to the impact of the new coronavirus infection, citizens' lifestyles have changed and waste emissions remain high.

Therefore, Kanuma City is working to promote the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and reinforce proper separation of garbage, and is striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with garbage disposal. The city is also seeking to introduce new technologies and policies to reduce waste disposal costs while enhancing the sustainability of the community.

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In this way, Kanuma City in Tochigi Prefecture has been at the forefront of waste-to-energy utilization, evolving the efforts of its waste-to-energy facility, which was commissioned in November 1997, while enhancing efficiency and regional collaboration in the 2000s, and after completion of improvements in March 2016, with a vision for a decarbonized society in the 2020s We continue to stand at the forefront of waste-to-energy utilization.