CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)

MORITA 1 GOU

Morita Group's efforts toward a recycling society: fertilizer MORITA 1 GOU

Idea to “turn waste into an effective resource” led to the development of eco-friendly fertilizer--one of the roles society expects us to play is that we, as a company, should “contribute to a recycling-oriented society.” We have developed a technology to create a fertilizer ingredients from a collected fire extinguishing agent which had been disposed as waste, making a concrete step forward in our contribution to a “recycling society,” which is friendly to the earth, then environment and humans.
The Morita Miyata is active in collecting and recycling fire extinguishers as part of recycling efforts.  3.8 million fire extinguishers per year / Processing of nitrogen and phosphorus, the main components of fire extinguishing agent / Successful production of fertilizer MORITA 1 GOU (Patent No.3772181)

Development Story
1. Fire extinguishing agent was waste

Currently, fire extinguishers are either replaced with new ones roughly every eight years, or refilled with new fire extinguishing agent to be reused. While collected fire extinguishers were dismantled for recycling, fire extinguishing agent was disposed as industrial waste, which amount to approximately 10,000 tons each year in Japan (equivalent to 3.8 million regular-type fire extinguishers). Concerned that continuing to dispose of fire extinguishing agent as waste could have serious environmental consequences, Morita Group began considering how it could make effective use of the waste.

2. Nitrogen and phosphorus, perfect fertilizer ingredients!

Fire extinguishing agent consists mainly of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are two of the main ingredients in three major fertilizer components - nitrogen, phosphorus and kalium. More importantly, phosphorus, which is a fertilizer ingredient essential for stimulating the growth of plant roots, is 100% imported because it is impossible to produce industrially. If we could succeed in the domestic production of phosphorus, this would be a major breakthrough for farmers. With this in mind, Morita Group began research in October 2000.

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3. Hurdles in commercialization and technology that overcame them

Hurdles in commercialization and technology that overcame themFire extinguishing agent was, in nature, not easily usable as a fertilizer ingredient.
(1) 0.18mm or less in diameter, such ultrafine particles tended to fly off in the air when and after it was sprayed on the soil.
(2) Because it is made moisture proof (that is, insoluble), the fire extinguishing agent could not produce instant results.
To overcome these hurdles, a technology was established to grind and scrape off the surface of the particles to make them soluble. (Patent No. 3772181)
Through this breakthrough, issues facing the production of fertilizer out of fire extinguishing agent were resolved. In October 2002, MORITA 1 GOU was approved and registered as a by-product compound fertilizer by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Ministry.
Chikujo District, Fukuoka Prefecture: Hydrophilic processed MORITA 1 GOU being added to liquid fertilizer

4. Realization of industry-academia joint research

Realization of industry-academia joint research Through the technologies described above, MORITA 1 GOU was successfully developed as the first fire extinguishing agent-recycled fertilizer in Japan. However, it was impossible for Morita to achieve this on its own. The development of MORITA 1 GOU was made possible through joint research with a research team led by Prof. Renzo Kondo who teaches in the general environmental science program in the School of Veterinary Medicine of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, and with technical assistance from Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute.
This has become one of the major cases which indicated future expansion of Morita Group's business.
Chikujo District, Fukuoka Prefecture: spraying MORITA 1 GOU-added liquid fertilizer on the soil.

5. Study for further application technologies

Morita Group established the "Joint Research Group on Recycle of Fire Extinguishing Agent as Fertilizer" with Chikujo District of Fukuoka Prefecture, Nagasaki University and Saga University to conduct further research. With Chikujo District, in particular, which is actively promoting recycling-oriented agriculture, we have succeeded in creating a better-balanced fertilizer by adding human waste-derived liquid fertilizer. The effectiveness and safety of this improved liquid fertilizer have been proven in demonstrations, and the fertilizer is currently being used for the cultivation of rice, wheat, lettuce, rapeseed and other crops.

Fire extinguishing agent → MORITA 1 GOU nitrogen,phosphorus → Improved fertilizer → Added to the soil as well-balanced fertilizer → Safe and Tasty Food Reach Dining → Human waste

Morita Group will continue its efforts to further contribute to a "recycling society." We hope you will join us in looking forward toward our future progress.

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