Japanese firm turns waste into vinegar and charcoal

A Japanese innovation company uses technology to process organic materials such as betel nut shells, coconut husks and shells and cardboard waste into vinegar and charcoal, an official says.
Kaihatsu Management Consulting Inc consultant Naoki Takanashi said the Eco-Tan-Kun (carbonisation plant) can convert organic and cardboard materials to produce vinegar and charcoal and at the same time minimise waste.
“This charcoal can be used for agriculture or farming of food crops while the vinegar for feeding animals such as pigs and chickens and can also can be used in cosmetic products such as airfresheners, mosquito repellents, depending on the element componential analysis,” Takanashi said at a demonstration at Baruni, in Port Moresby.
“As the result of our experiment, we have produced a lot of vinegar from betel nut shells than what we produced from coconut husks, coconut shells and cardboard materials.”
Takanashi said the plant was environmentally friendly, and used oxygen as fuel and power up to 100 watts from batteries or generator and does not use electricity to start up.
National Capital District waste manager Simeon Terina thanked the consultancy team for the feasibility studies and Japanese International Coorporation Agency (Jica) for the support funding. He said the fourth goal of PNG’s Constitution on the conservation of natural resources concerns waste disposal, to preserve and use for the collective benefit of us all, and to be replenished for the benefit of future generations.
He said thayt was the second phase of the feasibility study in which the concept was brought forward by NCDC to reduce waste in the capital city. Takanashi said that while plastic materials cannot be carbonised, their volume can be reduced. He thanked 11 local women for collecting waste at the dump and the four men who helped out on the plant handling.