Phosphorus recovery using Rintoru

Phosphorus is an essential element for all living things. It is one of the main components of the bones that make up skeletal systems, and the DNA which conveys genetic information. Phosphorus is one of the three main nutrients of plants (nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium). Without phosphorus it would be impossible to grow food and sustain life.

However, in recent years the growth of the world population and the increase in crop production driven by the promotion of biofuels has resulted in rising phosphorus consumption. The supply of high quality phosphate rock is predicted to be depleted in the near future.

Japan does not have reserves of phosphate rock, and relies on imports for almost all of its phosphorus resource needs, so concerns about securing a stable supply of phosphorus are growing year by year. The amount of phosphorus flushed into sewers is equivalent to between 40% and 50% of the total phosphate rock import volume, yet only around 10% of that phosphorus is recovered and reused.

Taiheiyo Cement, together with Onoda Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., has developed "Rintoru^＊", which can be used to recover phosphorus from wastewater, allowing it to be turned into fertilizer. "Rintoru" will be a future contributor to the sustained usage of phosphorus resources.