Feature I Contribution to Earth’s Environment - We are committed to contributing to global environmental protection through our business to fight global warming, as well as our waste management and recycling businesses in Asia -
02 Measures to Fight Global Warming from Wastes
Running a Car with Used Cooking Oil
Bio Diesel Okayama started a business to collect used cooking oil from homes, restaurants and food production plants in cooperation with Okayama City, manufacturing up to 1,200 kiloliters of BDF (Bio Diesel Fuel)* annually. Its operation started in June 2009. Used cooking oil used to be incinerated, but it is now effectively utilized as alternative fuel for diesel, helping to reduce CO2 emissions and minimize the effects of global warming. The BDF produced by Bio Diesel Okayama is used as alternative diesel fuel for trucks and forklifts within the DOWA’s premises. Through experimental use of BDF, we inspect its performance and contribute to annual reduction of about 2,000 t of CO2. We will further expand the BDF production business in the future.
This business derived from the ideas of young employees who belong to the “Future Club” of DOWA Eco System(more)
*Note: BDF (Bio Diesel Fuel) is a generic term referring to fuel for diesel engines mainly made from oil of vegetable origin and one of biomass energy. Now it attracts attention as alternative liquid fuel for fossil fuel that contributes to reduction of global warming gas.
Cooking oil used by citizens will be made into BDF and power the garbage trucks of Okayama City. We would like to contribute to reducing CO2 and conservation of environments by involving citizens in recycling process of wastes, and help them to be more aware of the environment.
This business started in 2009. We would like to collect used cooking oil steadily to produce and supply high quality BDF to the point it can be fully used for operating garbage trucks.
Bio Diesel Okayama Takuya Yano who is responsible for the BDF Operations
Methane Recovery and Destruction from Swine Farms
In the Philippines, a huge amount of methane gas is produced in the course of effluent treatment of wastes from swine farms, contributing to global warming. Since methane has 21 times high global warming effect compared to CO2, proper disposal of wastes from swine farms is very important and effective.
DOWA Eco System established a joint-venture with ITOCHU Corporation in the Philippines as part of DOWA’s commitment to fight global warming and started the CDM project of methane recovery.*
In this business, a lagoon is constructed adjacent to a swine farm to process effluent. The lagoon is covered with a huge plastic sheet to encapsulate methane in it, and then methane is burnt or utilized to generate electricity. This contributes to reduction of global warming.
This reduction of global warming gases is counted as an emission credit for Japan, and thus, helps Japan to achieve its duty as stated in the Kyoto Protocol.
*Note: CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) is one of the measures to fight global warming stated in the Kyoto Protocol. CDM is a mechanism by which a developed country can use the amount of global warming gases reduced through its measure to fight global warming in under developing countries in exchange for emission credits, which in turn can be used for achieving its reduction goal of global warming gases.
In this project, we are now constructing lagoons with methane collecting facilities in 15 swine farms near Manila, Philippines. We are planning to collect methane from sources other than swine farms such as factory effluent in the Philippines. We would also like to deploy the CDM business in Indonesia and Thailand based on business establishments of MAEH.
Fumihiro Kajiwara, Planning Office of DOWA Eco System