The Future of Regional Recycling by Woody Biomass and Agricultural Residues - June 2004

The Future of Regional Recycling by Woody Biomass and Agricultural Residues - June 2004

In 2004, as Japan sought to combat global warming and become energy independent, attention was focused on the sustainable use of energy from local resources. Two practical examples are reported in this article. The first is the introduction of a small woody biomass boiler that uses construction waste and thinned wood as fuel. Although the improvement of combustion efficiency and the technology for purification of chimney emissions are still issues to be addressed, it was expected to be an attempt to achieve energy conservation and effective use of forest resources at the same time. The second is the composting of rice straw and vegetable scraps and their use as soil improvement material in a mountainous area. The application of compost increases the soil's water retention and fertilizer retention capacity, and is expected to lead to a shift to agriculture that does not rely on chemical fertilizers. All of these projects were highly evaluated as models for a recycling-oriented
society on a small-scale regional basis, and demonstrated the potential of community-based environmental policies. In particular, the composting of agricultural residues was beginning to receive support from government and research institutions as a strategy to simultaneously revitalize depopulated areas and protect the environment. As related information, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries' "Basic Plan for the Promotion of Biomass Utilization" and the Ministry of the Environment's "Regional Recycling and Symbiosis Zone Concept" were in the background, playing a part in the formation of a resource-recycling society in Japan in the 2000s.