Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier
Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier: Changing the way plastic is recycled around the world with our unique waste treatment technology that does not just burn waste
What is waste treatment that does not involve burning it?
Amid the challenge of reducing CO2 emissions that are inseparable from daily life, from discharged gas from automobiles and airplanes to heating, thermal power plants, farm animals, and human breath, the Environmental Solutions Company which operates waste treatment facilities throughout Japan, is working to reduce CO2 emissions from waste incineration from a unique perspective.
It is difficult to imagine a method of waste treatment that does not involve burning it. Our biggest enemy is plastic. Plastic waste currently accounts for 15% of all household waste. The total amount is 8.24 million tons, of which approximately 80% is already recycled. However, over 60% (5.1 million tons) of this plastic is recycled using thermal recovery. This involves making effective use of the heat generated in the process of burning plastic waste. It is a useful recycling method, but CO2 is generated during incineration.
On the other hand, there are recycling methods that do not generate CO2. There is material recycling (1.77 million tons), in which plastics are washed, pulverized, granulated, and melted down for reuse, and chemical recycling (290,000 tons), in which plastic components are decomposed in the process of synthesis and converted into chemical materials. In other words, the future of plastic waste recycling depends on how we can replace thermal recovery with material and chemical recycling.
Development of proprietary technology
In response, we have developed a proprietary technology, the Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier. This technology involves the pyrolysis of plastics in a temperature-controlled high-temperature field to extract gases other than carbon dioxide, such as ethylene and propylene. ICFG（Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier）is a unique technology developed by EBARA that was achieved based on the technologies employed in waste treatment facilities to separate waste mixed with various materials into combustible materials, non-combustible materials, gas and air, etc. ICFG（Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier） is an approach that enables chemical recycling by realizing the treatment of waste plastics mixed with various materials and foreign substances that are difficult to separate to obtain gas that can be used for other materials without generating carbon dioxide in the process.
*The photo was taken during a demonstration in the 2000s.
Working towards the chemical recycling of difficult-to-sort waste
Of course, it is still important that we separate our waste, however our goal is to use ICFG（Internally circulating fluidized-bed gasifier） for waste that is still difficult to sort. For example, there are plastic containers that still have food on them or pieces of equipment that contain plastic materials. Our lives are full of things that are difficult to separate by hand. We aim to contribute to the replacement of waste that is difficult to separate and could only be recycled using thermal recovery, with chemical recycling. In Japan, all industry groups are working together to achieve a significant increase in chemical recycling from the current 290,000 tons to 2.5 million tons.
Our challenges to promote the spread of technology not only in Japan but around the world
And it is not just Japan where this technology can play a role. If you look around the world, there are areas where waste separation is not a common practice, and incineration facilities are not widely used. Nevertheless, decarbonization must proceed for the sake of the future of humanity.
Waste will always be generated as long we live. We are taking on the challenge of Leaving No Waste Behind.
