Tomohiro Tabata

Kobe University | Shindai · Department of Human Development and Education

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration is a greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter; however, if GHG reductions, achieved by accounting for waste-to-energy, exceed GHG emissions, incineration can be considered as a net GHG reducer. In Japan, only 24.5% of MSW incineration plants perform energy recovery despite 80% of MSW being incinerated; therefore, there...

Steps taken to counter the climate change problem have a significant impact on the municipal solid waste management (MSW) sector, which must tackle regional environmental problems such as the shortage of sanitary landfills, especially in Japan. Moreover, greenhouse gas emissions and final disposal have a trade-off relationship. Therefore, alleviati...

This study aims to clarify the regional characteristics of heat stroke incidence patterns inside and outside residences among the elderly from the perspective of working and living conditions. The study area comprised 41 municipalities belonging to Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. Based on information on heat stroke emergency medical evacuees in each mun...

The emergence of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of 2019) pandemic in 2020 and the ensuing state of emergency issued by the Japanese government, which enforced from April 6 to May 25, 2020, changed our collective lifestyle dramatically. An increase in time spent at home resulted in a change in the structure of energy consumption. This study aimed...

This study aimed to identify the impact of achieving the 1.5 °C target on the petroleum supply chain in Japan, and discuss the feasibility and challenges of decarbonization. First, a national material flow was established for the petroleum supply chain in Japan, including processes for crude petroleum refining, petroleum product manufacturing, plas...

This study aims to develop a model for the integrated evaluation of woody biomass heat utilization considering the environment, economy, and society. Herein, a woody biomass heat utilization business was virtually operated at Mt. Rokko, Kobe, Japan. In the societal impact assessment, a questionnaire survey was conducted to clarify tourist opinions...

In January 2018, the Chinese government implemented a ban on importation of foreign waste, including waste plastics and other miscellaneous waste. Consequently, this ban has changed the global plastic recycling options. The aim of this study is to clarify the environmental impact of the ban between China and Japan, which is the largest exporter of...

In this study, we analyzed the CO2 emissions of online music and video streaming services, as one of the digital contents, in Japan using life cycle assessment. As a system boundary of online music and video streaming, processes such as data center construction and server manufacturing, usage of communication networks and internet communication tec...

Energy from woody biomass is expected to revitalise industry in Japan and induce job creation in the region. Woody biomass power plants have been rapidly constructed all over the country after the Feed-in Tariff scheme began. However, there are increasing cases of the destruction of natural ecosystems and landscapes to fulfil the growing demand for...

In the original published article, the unit of instalment expenses was incorrect in Table 4.

Implementing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires meeting 169 targets at the municipality level. Meanwhile, municipalities also have issues that they should address for residents. Small municipalities may lack access to the necessary human resources and funds to treat new issues regarding SDGs. In this study, new idea...

This study aims to clarify the direct and indirect CO2 emissions derived from consumption expenditures of head of household under the age of 35 for 1989, 2004, and 2014. An accounting table that represents their consumption expenditures was created by integrating results obtained from the “Family Income and Expenditure Survey” and the “National Sur...

This study aimed to investigate the actual existential scenarios of consumer goods possessed by people, specifically earthquake resistance of consumer goods in elderly-only households. A ‘basic unit’ of consumer goods focusing on elderly-only household units was developed in this study. A web questionnaire survey was conducted for household units i...

This study aims to develop a comprehensive method for evaluating the environmental cost/benefits of photovoltaic (PV) solar plant installation versus conserving natural ecosystems. First, the positive and negative impacts of installing PV solar plants in regions with natural ecosystems are reviewed. For focus and quantification, climate change miti...

The term fuel poverty is used to describe households that cannot afford the fuel costs of heating during winters. Fuel poverty is estimated on the basis of European criteria given that winters tend to be severe in Europe. However, it would be inappropriate to apply the same criteria to Asian regions with severe heat levels. Considering fuel poverty...

ROOT-国際的科学技術人材育成挑戦プログラム

Rapid removal and treatment of waste generated during earthquakes is essential for the rapid recovery and reconstruction of the affected area. However, the environmental burden of disaster waste management efforts should not be overlooked even in disaster situations. Disaster waste management should be systematized as an integrated system wherein d...

Expanding the use of renewable energy is a matter of concern in many countries. Many Japanese local municipalities are attempting to promote business creation using renewable energy as an opportunity for regional revitalization based on the policy of the Japanese government. Renewable energy makes significant contributions to the region in terms of...

This study aims to estimate micro material stock derived from consumer goods using fundamental data such as possession and expenditure of consumer goods in housing, considering the type of housing and class of total floor area of housing. A questionnaire survey of residents living in the eight cities of the Tama river basin was conducted to clarify...

The aim of this study is to graspthe actual redundant capacity of waste treatment plants as a means of evaluating possible disaster prevention countermeasures. Results of the study reflect the potential for waste treatment plants to serve as regional disaster response facilities. We first investigated the damage ratio for incineration plants and bu...

This study is a survey conducted in questionnaire format on the usage time and the quantity of consumer durables that consume energy, relevant to households in Kobe, Japan. Based on the data containing quantity and daily usage days of consumer durables obtained from the questionnaire survey, the rate of energy consumption for each household type wa...

Disaster waste management should be conducted in an environmentally and economically friendly manner, although disaster waste should be demolished and removed as soon as possible after a natural disaster. The aim of this study was to develop methods to conduct environmental and economic evaluation of pre-disaster waste management. A disaster waste...

In recent years, extreme weather events such as heavy rains due to global warrming have been increasing. This causes flood damage in many places in Japan, as river flows increase immediately after heavy rainfall events occur. The damage generates large amounts of waste. Any delay in the processing of this waste interferes with restoration and recon...

In this study, we analyzed what kind of community was involved in the disposal of disaster waste caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. For this purpose, we first conducted a questionnaire survey on community situation and disaster waste disposal. Then, by using the result of questionnaire, we analyzed what kinds of community situations are pro...

In this study, in order to understand mitigation effect of amount of disaster wastes generated to difference in function of seawall by tunami in entire Mie prefecture, comparison was carried out by both cases

This study develops a method of environmental and economic evaluation of an integrated disaster waste management system that considers the spatial scale of removal, transport, and treatment of disaster waste. A case study was conducted on combustibles, which is a type of disaster waste derived from dwellings, in Mie Prefecture, Japan. First, we cal...

超高齢社会を見据えた持続可能なごみ処理施策の提案

再生可能エネルギー、淡路島

Although it is important that disaster waste be demolished and removed as soon as possible after a natural disaster, it is also important that its treatment is environmentally friendly and economic. Local municipalities do not conduct environmental and economic feasibility studies of pre-disaster waste management; nevertheless, pre-disaster waste m...

The paper discusses development of a method for estimating disaster waste that can be potentially generated by a natural disaster in the future for pre-disaster waste management. In particular, this research focuses on micro-disaster waste originating from household consumer durables. We documented the number of household consumer durables and buil...

In this paper, we discuss the social, economic, and environmental aspects of utilizing woody biomass for energy. We first conducted a questionnaire survey to determine which energy utilization methods were preferred in Japan and to collect the data on the cost, workforce, and energy production relevant to each energy utilization method. The results...

Japanese-German Workshop on Renewable Energies 1-4 March 2016, Tokyo http://www.asl.kuee.kyoto-u.ac.jp/site0013/index.html

Objective. The ratio of the population aged 65 years and above in 2015 is 26.7% in Japan. A society in which the ratio of the population aged 65 years and above exceeds 21.0% is called a super-ageing society. A super-ageing society affects not only medical services and social security but also town management and municipal solid waste（MSW）managemen...

Workshop on Inclusive Sustainable Development in Asia~Economy, Society, Human Development and Environment~ 16-17 Dec. 2015 Kobe University Centennial Hall https://www.h.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/node/3638

The use of waste-to-energy technology as part of a municipal solid waste management strategy could reduce the use of fossil fuels and contribute to prevention of global warming. In this study, we examined current heat and electricity production by incineration plants in Japan for external use. Herein, we discuss specific challenges to the promotion...

This paper discusses to develop a method for estimating the potential disaster waste generation that could be generated by the natural disaster in the future. In particular, this research focuses on micro disaster waste originating from consumer durables. We documented the number of consumer durables in households, and build a database of the mass...

We investigate the extent to which Japanese people can change their consumption and the corresponding environmental impact. We propose a new analytical framework with a rebound matrix that captures the monetary flow from potential savings to their respending (referred to as rebound). A questionnaire is used to derive the matrix. On average, respond...

This study aims to estimate potential disaster waste generation using statistical and web information. In particular, we focused on the disaster waste derived from household durable goods. Firstly, we built a database of the mass per unit of the major durable consumer goods. Using the mass per unit database, the national average of the number and m...

This study presents application of a life cycle assessment method to evaluate a municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment system to promote the production of energy from waste. A case study was conducted in Kobe city, Japan. This city has also been producing biogas from sewage sludge at a sewage treatment plant. We believe that the MSW treatment system...

There are technical, economic, and social aspects to the utilization of agricultural residues for energy production, though these are important from the viewpoint of global warming. In addition, the stable supply of agricultural residues in Japan might be difficult in the future because agriculture here employs few young workers, with the proportio...

Objective. Although slag produced by the sewage sludge melting process offers the advantage of reducing the final volume that must be landfilled, such recycling also presents an important disadvantage due to emission of abundant greenhouse gases. A trade-off exists in the waste management sector between the life extension of landfill sites and glob...

In order to better understand the amount of self disposed waste materials, and what methods are generally being employed, we conducted a survey in central Iwate Prefecture on the composition of household waste. Our survey results indicate that the main method of self disposal is composting; measuring in at approximately 90 grams/person/dayby 2.6%....

Background, Aim and Scope. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management system has an important role to reduce final disposal of MSW. Recently prevention of global warming in MSW transportation and treatment processes is also coming into important. Decision makers in local region should design the MSW management system that solves above issues, and is de...

This paper discusses the concept and framework of Material Flow Environmental Accounting (MFEA) to quantify material and monetary flows pertinent to resource recycling activities in a region. Various approaches are being taken to establish common framework of MFEA. The methodologies of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Environmental Accounting such...

One method of establishing a new society involving low environmental load, a so-called “recycling-based society,” is to recycle waste. If waste is incinerated, energy may be produced. However, if waste is to be converted to new raw materials or products, it is likely that energy will have to be provided. The extent of waste recovery affects the ene...

A waste management in recycle-based society is required to promote an appropriate waste treatment such as waste prevention and 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and to restrain an environmental impact by the waste treatment. In this study, the material balance table was designed that input and output balances of materials such as resource, goods and w...

A waste recycling network consists of collection, transportation, recycle and so on. But each process uses new energy or resource and the waste recycling is possible to bring about an increase of environmental load. In this study, to realize the waste recycling process to design a new society with low environmental load, 3 matters were investigated...