Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) derived from waste not only reduces the final amount of waste being disposed of, but also provides an alternative with a large caloric value , a stable supply and inexpensive cost to replace fossil fuels such as coal. Because of these characteristics, the use of SRF is fast expanding across borders as a useful fuel resource that contributes to the circular economy and decarbonization.

　Despite such attributes, there are certain properties and a product safety of SRF that will require the urgent need to create international rules as a fuel. For this reason, a technical committee (TC300) for the international standardization of SRF was established in 2015. The development of standards to cover the entire SRF supply chain, from the receipt of raw material waste to the delivery of products at customer sites, has been promoted, with a total of 15 standards having already been issued to date.

　Japan has high standards for RPF (Refuse Paper and Plastic Densified Fuel), which can control caloric value by changing the composition of paper or plastic waste. Japan has played an important role in the establishment of TC300 standards, including the standards set for RPFs and the sharing of the JIS standard concept with other countries.

　This paper provides an outline of the international standardization activities regarding SRFs.

This article describes the development of a new international standard of solid recovered material (SRM). The standard has been developed by Technical Committee (TC)300, a part of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and has been expanded to include the value of resource recovery in addition to its previous focus on fuel evaluation. The SRM standard covers a broader range of applications and the growth of the SRM market, through the publication of international standards, is expected to contribute to increased sustainability of solid waste management, addressing climate change, and making energy utilization more efficient.

This study summarizes the production and utilization of solid recovered fuels (SRFs) and refuse derived fuels (RDFs) in Europe. It also presents the impact of the EU Circular Economy Package on waste management policies in European countries. According to Europeʼs Landfill Directive, mechanical biological treatment has been introduced as a pretreatment for residual waste and, as a result of this process, SRFs and RDFs are being manufactured.While some SRFs are produced in compliance with the standards, many of the RDFs are not. SRFs/RDFs are not only processed in incineration facilities but are also used as an alternative fuel in the cement and other industries. Large amounts of SRFs/RDFs are being exported from the UK to Nordic countries, such as the Netherlands, mainly due to the UKʼs landfill taxes and the surplus capacity of waste incineration facilities in Nordic countries. Based on the Circular Economy Package, EU member states are now required to improve upon their separate collection of bio wastes and thoroughly recover resources from residual waste.

Thirty years have passed since the development of Refuse derived Paper and Plastics Densified Fuel (RPF), also known as Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), which first emerged in 1991. Since the early days of its development, waste disposal issues and global warming have been critical social issues standing at the forefront of environmental consciousness. Intensification of natural disasters, the realization that plastics are negatively affecting the planet, and geopolitical risks have accelerated the transformation towards a circular economy and toward enactment of countermeasures to combat climate change. The current environment surrounding the RPF concept has also changed the way it is now valued and treated in light of such complex changes.

　This paper highlights the value of RPF as it stands today, while also presenting the actual value behind energy recovery and the amounts of greenhouse gas being emitted in order to explain the properties, quality, and characteristics of the fuel from the different perspectives of manufacturers. Furthermore, this paper discusses the future expectations that were collected with regard to RPF as a raw material for plastic chemical recycling.

In the manufacturing of cement, various industrial wastes are used as raw materials and as fuels for recycling resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The thermal energy of industrial waste is used as an alternative energy for the cement clinker burning process, and the ash is also being used as an alternative raw material. The cement industry uses a large amount of SRF, mainly fluffy plastic waste, RPF, waste tire chips, sewage sludge carbide, wood chips, etc. SRF has a high thermal energy potential and the use of SRF in the cement industry contributes notably to the reduction of CO₂ emissions as it reduces the use of coal.

　Since the effects of chlorine and other minor components in SRF cannot be ignored, the process is designed so that these components do not affect the cement manufacturing process or quality under appropriate control. Regarding CO₂ emissions from the use of SRF (pulverized plastic waste) in cement manufacturing, the effect of reducing CO₂ emissions using a calculation model based on the LCA method has been examined. The results confirm that the recycling of plastics waste has a reduction effect equivalent to about 10% of the CO₂ emissions intensity of the entire cement manufacturing process.

SRF has the potential to generate heat and ignite, making safetymanagement important in the processes of raw material storage, production process, and product storage. This article presents 1) the safety management measures conducted in Japan, showing examples of accidents in Japan, property management information, and exothermic ignition hazards information and 2) outline and contribution from Japan on ISO 21912 Safe handling and storage of solid recovered fuel.

The Biomass Recycling Center Mitoyo in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, is the first in Japan to process waste by tunnel composting. It uses microorganisms to ferment and dry burnable waste produced by general households and separates and recycles paper and plastics as a solid recovered fuel material. This material is made into a product at a solid recovered fuel material plant and finally, sold as a coal alternative.

　This report first introduces the history, processing flow, and characteristics of tunnel composting. It then summarizes the decarbonization effect of turning general waste into solid recovered fuel and lastly, presents a vision for the future.