Memories of Time and Machinery Left in the Soil, Early 2000s

Memories of Time and Machinery Left in the Soil, Early 2000s

The reason why Shibuya Industry (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture) started soil purification technology is because of the nationwide soil contamination problem that emerged from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. In 2003, the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law was enacted, and companies were forced to take measures to prevent contamination. However, drilling and high-temperature treatment, which were the mainstream methods at the time, were costly and not a practical solution in rural areas. Under these circumstances, demand for low-cost, on-site purification technology increased. Shibuya Industry applied the liquid control and separation process technologies it had developed as a beverage filling equipment manufacturer, and through repeated demonstrations in cooperation with major construction companies, led the way to the practical application of a soil purification method that reduced the burden on equipment. This attempt to take advantage of the tightening of regula
tions as a new business opportunity can be positioned as an example that symbolizes the trend toward environmental business in the early 2000s.