Case Study on the System for Decomposition of Garbage by Using Small Wood Pieces Treated in the Hot Spring Water

Abstract

We invented a new system to decompose garbage completely during short period by bacteria in the small wood pieces treated with geothermal water and geothermal energy from the Matsukawa Geothermal Power Plant in iwate Prefecture, which is the first geothermal power plant established in Japan.

We found that the small wood pieces can be used as fine places which cultivate bacteria as the decomposer of garbage, since the wood materials has many porous sites after treatment in geothermal water or hot spring water for several days. These porous sites work as places for propagation of bacteria. Generally, a comtentional system for decomposing garbage uses small ceramic balls or saw dusts to cultivate bacteria and needs some special bacteria in it. However, this system does not need any bacteria. Therefore, this system is more simple and economical. This system can decompose 150 kg garbage for 12-24 hrs to generate gases (COz, NH3, H20 etc.) and so there was nothing remained except some bones of meat.

This system would get an advantage over the others to solve garbage problems in a big city and to use unused lumber from thinning by financial reasons of using geothermal water and geothermal energy.