Voices of Shells Connecting Sea and Land (December 2008)

Voices of Shells Connecting Sea and Land (December 2008)
When discarded shells are reborn as detergent in Yakumo Town, Hokkaido

Hokuei in Yakumo Town, Hokkaido, has developed a detergent called Kurihogu, which combines calcium hydroxide made from scallop shells by high-heat treatment and enzymes, opening a new market that combines local resource recycling and environmental impact reduction. Shells are a byproduct that is discarded in large quantities in fishing communities, and their reuse directly leads to reduced waste disposal costs and odor control. The product's low foaming and one-time rinse feature reduces the amount of water used, and some users have reported improved skin irritation. In addition to the environmental significance of reducing dependence on fossil-based surfactants, it is important to note that this technology also responded to the economic challenge of creating local employment and added value. 2008 was a time when the market for household products made of natural materials was expanding amid the trends of the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society and the revisio
n of the Waste Management and Public Cleaning Law. This technology can be evaluated as an example of accurately capturing this wave.