Researchers of Tokyo University have created a technology to convert food waste into edible cement that can be used for construction, reported Japan Today.
This is claimed to the world’s first approach of making cement completely from food waste.
In terms of tensile, bending, the strength of their product is almost four times that of the usual cement, claimed the researchers, Kota Machida and Yuya Sakai.
It is also biodegradable and reusable.
They expect their product to help in decreasing global warming and eliminating problems associated with food waste that releases methane once it rots in the landfills.
According to the think tank Chatham House, cement production generates 8% of the carbon dioxide emissions in the world.
In the earlier trials, the researchers tried to convert food waste to cement by mixing plastics to bind the materials together.
However, following months of failures, they found that binding can achieved by adjusting the temperature and pressure.
They used a three-step process of making the cement – drying, pulverization, and compression. This process was carried out by making use of simple mixers and compressors that can be bought available online.
Sakai and Machida made concrete using tea leaves, orange and onion peels, coffee grounds, Chinese cabbage, and leftovers in the lunchbox.
With flavors, different spices, the colours, scent and taste of the cement can be made different and appealing. In order to eat the cement, it needs to be broken and boiled.
The cement can be coated with Japanese lacquer to make it waterproof and safeguard it from pests and rodents.
In 2019, Japan produced around 5.7 million tonnes of edible food waste, which the government intends to cut down to around 2.7 million tonnes by the end of this decade.
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Image: According to the think tank Chatham House, cement production generates 8% of the carbon dioxide emissions in the world. Credit: Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay.
