[Reading Science] Train to Ramen Broth... Advanced Japanese 'Umssu' Technology

Making Cement for Building Construction and Using It as Furniture Material
Focus on Advances in Food Waste Recycling Technology

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] It is an era of climate change and food crisis. Major countries around the world, including South Korea, are struggling with food waste disposal, which causes environmental pollution and resource waste. However, Japan does not worry much despite generating 40.8 kg of food waste per person annually. Japan also ranks in the middle among global contributors to food waste generation. This is because, due to its small land area, environmental issues, and scarce resources, technologies for recycling vegetable peels, waste oil, eggshells, and more into cement or furniture have advanced.

According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 10th, the Japanese government recently decided to halve food waste emissions by 2030 as part of measures to reduce carbon emissions caused by climate change. Such ambitious measures are possible because technologies and companies capable of utilizing food waste as various resources have developed.

Train Running on Ramen Broth

Takachiho in southern Japan is a small town with a population of 12,000. After a typhoon destroyed the regular railway network in 2005, restoration work is still ongoing. However, even now, a two-car open train runs daily through the suburbs, carrying tourists. The 'Takachiho Amaterasu Railway' operates using recycled oil (biodiesel) made from waste oil and ramen broth left over from cooking dishes such as tonkotsu ramen broth and tempura, which are among the most commonly eaten foods by Japanese people. About 3,000 liters of biodiesel are produced daily from waste oil and ramen broth collected throughout the city and supplied to the train. There is one caution: when the train runs, it emits the smell of tonkotsu ramen or fried rice from Chinese restaurants, stimulating people's appetites. Instead of black smoke from gasoline or regular diesel, it emits only minimal white smoke.

▲ On the morning of the 23rd, a worker operating an excavator is loading food waste onto a transport vehicle at the intermediate transfer station (collection center) for food waste in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The food waste, which had been left unattended for a long time, has mixed with rainwater, causing an even stronger foul odor.

Building Structures with Food Waste Cement

Some places dry food waste, grind it into powder, and make cement to use as material for various construction concretes. Concrete production emits large amounts of greenhouse gases, accounting for 8% of the total global carbon emissions, making it one of the main culprits of global warming. A startup called 'Fabula,' founded by researchers from the University of Tokyo, has developed a method to make cement from dried food waste powder, successfully achieving both resource conservation and pollution reduction at once. Initially, the company used peels of fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, oranges, and onions, but recently it has been able to use all kinds of food waste, including coffee grounds and tea leaves. Although not yet released as a product, the method is patented. Currently, the company manufactures household items such as coasters and plates using cement made from food waste. Their future goal is to develop more durable food waste-based cement to produce furniture and large structures.

Chairs Made from Coffee Grounds and Eggshells

There is also technology to make furniture using coffee grounds and eggshells through 3D printing. Tokyo-based design company 'NOD' took inspiration from Kintsugi, a technique that repairs broken pottery using lacquer and gold powder. They developed technology to create simple 3D-printed furniture using 3D printing ink made from coffee grounds, eggshells, and dried food waste powder. Incidentally, Japan is one of the few countries in the world capable of producing 10-foot (approximately 3.048 meters) tall structures using 3D printing technology.

An official from NOD said, "We hope the technology becomes more accessible and widespread so that people can easily make items from discarded food waste," adding, "Ultimately, we want the industry of making furniture from food waste to grow further, changing consumer mindsets to prefer and encourage recycling."