Waste Management Research Center OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY

Activities of the Waste Management Research Center (2)2. Research and Contribution on Waste Management Issues at a Regional Level① Research on the Development of a Sound Material-Cycle Society Through the Implementation of 3R
Policies and Practices
A sound material-cycle society can be established at the municipal, prefectural, and regional levels, with thecooperation of administrative agencies. The ideal hierarchical material-cycle society can be built by considering
the material input/output and recycling ﬂows from the waste generation at municipalities to the waste recycling/treatment/disposal sectors at the prefectural and regional level. In addition, at the planning stage, administrative
services such as waste collection and treatment should be considered at the time of designing urban structures.
The research activities of the twenty-first Century COE Program at Okayama University, “Strategic WasteManagement,” have resulted in establishing the Waste Life Cycle Assessment (WLCA) tools. In recent years, anintegrated evaluation of waste collection, treatment, and disposal has been made, and more comprehensive WLCA
tools have been developed.

② Studies on the Development of Disaster Waste Management
In response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, all the prefectures are preparing for disaster response plans
for tsunamis that could occur as a result of potentially large earthquakes. In Chugoku and Shikoku, the numberof episodes of high tides and heavy rainfall associated with typhoons is increasing. Therefore, flooding anddestruction of houses have been included in the disaster response plans. Further, a forecast of damages fromnatural disasters and the preparation of countermeasures have to be made. In the event that regional damages
could possibly occur, municipalities are expected to cooperate with each other to formulate disaster response
measures. At WMRC, decision support tools for disaster waste from floods in the coastal area of Seto Inland
Sea have been developed, including the estimation of disaster waste, the siting of temporal stock facilities, thetransportation of construction/demolition waste, the design of treatment capacity of disaster waste, and theselection of treatment technology. By utilizing decision support tools, the disaster rehabilitation network between
Chugoku and Shikoku regions is expected to develop.

③ Research Seminars on Waste Technologies
With the support of the government of Okayama city, the Okayama Municipal Eco-Technology Research Groupwas established, consisting of participants from private companies and citizens who are concerned about recycling
and waste management. Okayama Municipal Eco-Technology Research Group holds meetings at the WMRC at
Okayama University routinely for exchanging information with members and for holding common events.

④ Environmental Events for Citizens
Apart from waste management issues, other issues involving environmental science, such as energy andresources, would be comprehensively studied at the WMRC. In this regard, the “Come together! Citizensʼ Eco-lifeand Technology!” event is held annually. During the event, several topics on environmental learning for children
are discussed, activities and related experiments and exhibitions organized, and speeches for citizens would held.
This event is organized by the university, the municipality and citizens, with the assistance of the government ofOkayama city and environmental NGOs.

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