WO2023219104A1

WO2023219104A1 - Soil conditioner and method for producing same, and method for improving soil using same

Info

Publication number: WO2023219104A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/017571
Authority: WO
Inventors: 皓志園部
Original assignee: クレサヴァ株式会社
Priority date: 2022-05-10
Filing date: 2023-05-10
Publication date: 2023-11-16
Also published as: JP7171106B1; JP2023166757A

Abstract

The present invention provides: a method for producing a new soil conditioner that can create a sound material-cycle society; and a soil activation method using the same.　The present invention pertains to a method that is for producing a soil conditioner, and that comprises a step for forming, into pellets, crushed biodegradable products. The biodegradable products are hydrophilic biodegradable industrial products. The present invention also pertains to a soil conditioner containing 30 mass% or more of hydrophilic biodegradable fibers. Furthermore, the method for producing a soil conditioner according to the present invention comprises: a step for obtaining a fermentable mixture by mixing fiber products and fermentable organic matter; and a step for obtaining a fermented mixture by fermenting the fermentable mixture. Further, a method for activating soil according to the present invention comprises a step for mixing with soil, or placing on soil, a soil conditioner produced by such a soil conditioner production method.

Description

Soil reforming material, its manufacturing method, and soil improvement method using the same

The present invention relates to a soil reforming material, a method for producing the same, and a method for improving soil using the same.

One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is “Responsible Consumption and Production,” and the state of mass consumption society is being reconsidered.

On the other hand, in the fashion industry, for example, there is a merchandising plan in which trends are predicted and only products that are known to sell are produced. Mass consumption and mass disposal are occurring.

In fact, the amount of clothing discarded in Japan is estimated to exceed 1 million tons per year, and worldwide, nearly 100 million tons of clothing are discarded annually. Approximately 70% of this is generated by manufacturing companies, and many samples and excess inventory that are made to mass produce clothes that sell according to trends are discarded. Although manufactured clothing is delivered to consumers in large quantities and consumed, a large amount of unnecessary clothing is produced, resulting in waste.

Under these circumstances, various product recycling technologies are being developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for molding, burning, etc. organic waste and using it as a soil improvement material. Discloses textile recycling technology.

Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for reusing so-called paper cups as pulp soil.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-248442 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-93772

An object of the present invention is to provide a soil reforming material, a method for producing the same, and a method for improving soil using the same, which can constitute a recycling-oriented society.

The present inventors have discovered that the above problems can be solved by the present invention having the following aspects.
《Aspect 1》
A method for producing a soil reforming material, comprising the step of pelletizing a crushed biodegradable product, the biodegradable product being a hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product.
《Aspect 2》
A method according to aspect 1, wherein the biodegradable product is clothing.
《Aspect 3》
The method according to aspect 2, wherein the garment contains 30% by mass or more of biodegradable fibers.
《Aspect 4》
The method according to aspect 3, wherein the biodegradable fiber is Japanese paper.
《Aspect 5》
A method according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, further comprising the step of mixing the biodegradable product with an enzyme.
《Aspect 6》
The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, further comprising the step of mixing the biodegradable product with manure and composting the manure.
《Aspect 7》
A method for producing a soil improvement material, including a step of fermenting a mixture of a textile product and a fermentable organic substance to obtain a fermented mixture.
《Aspect 8》
8. The method according to aspect 7, wherein the textile product is crushed.
《Aspect 9》
8. The method according to aspect 7, comprising the step of pelletizing the fermented mixture after the step of obtaining the fermented mixture.
《Aspect 10》
8. The method of embodiment 7, wherein the textile product comprises a fabric.
《Aspect 11》
11. A method according to aspect 10, wherein the fabric is derived from a garment.
《Aspect 12》
8. The method according to aspect 7, wherein the textile product comprises a synthetic fiber.
《Aspect 13》
The method according to aspect 7, wherein the fermentable organic substance is a food-derived raw material.
《Aspect 14》
The method according to aspect 13, wherein the food-derived raw material is rice bran, okara, molasses, rice hulls, fishmeal, rice straw, wheat straw, and combinations thereof.
《Aspect 15》
The method according to aspect 7, wherein the textile product contains a chemical fiber and the fermentable organic substance is a food-derived raw material.
《Aspect 16》
A method for producing agricultural products, the method comprising the steps of disposing or mixing a soil reforming material produced by the method according to any one of aspects 1 to 15 in soil, and producing agricultural products using the soil.
《Aspect 17》
A method for activating soil, comprising a step of placing or mixing in soil a soil reforming material produced by the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 15.

According to the first embodiment, industrial products can be converted into soil reforming materials, and soil can be modified with this soil modifying material to produce vegetables and the like. As a result, the method of the present invention is very useful because it is possible to construct a recycling-oriented society.

According to the second embodiment, the manufactured soil reforming material can greatly activate soil. Furthermore, the soil reforming material produced according to the present invention can be made from industrial products, and can be used to improve soil and produce vegetables and the like. As a result, the method of the present invention is very useful because it is possible to construct a recycling-oriented society.

FIG. 1 is an actual photograph of the soil amendment material of the first embodiment manufactured in the example. FIG. 2 shows the fibers in a coarsely pulverized state according to the second embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the fibers in a finely pulverized state according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 shows the fermentable mixture immediately after obtaining it and the fermented mixture after fermentation for 3 weeks regarding the second embodiment. Regarding the second embodiment, FIG. 5(a) shows a state where the fermented mixture is being put into a pelletizer, and FIG. 5(b) shows the pellets obtained thereby.

In this specification, the configuration of the invention of one embodiment is interchangeable with the configuration of the invention of other embodiments disclosed in this specification, as long as the problem of the invention can be solved. be.

《First embodiment》
In a first embodiment, the method for producing a soil reforming material of the present invention includes a step of pelletizing a crushed biodegradable product. Here, the biodegradable product is a hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product.

When the soil reforming material produced in this manner is placed or mixed in soil, it is decomposed and returned to the soil after a certain period of time. Therefore, even if the industrial products used by the method of the present invention are produced in large quantities, they will not become waste because they will be decomposed in the soil. Here, since the industrial products used in the present invention are hydrophilic and can contain water, when placed in or mixed with soil, they can improve and/or maintain the moisture content of the soil, and produce vegetables. It can be used effectively to Moreover, the soil reforming material obtained by the method of the present invention is pelletized, so that it can be sprayed on farmland in large quantities by a tractor. According to studies conducted by the present inventors, it was possible to decompose one ton of biodegradable products per one farmland (approximately 1000 m ² ) in one to two months.

<Biodegradable products>
The biodegradable product used in the present invention is a hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product. A hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product is an industrial product that is substantially composed only of hydrophilic biodegradable materials, but if it does not adversely affect the growth of agricultural products such as vegetables, a portion of the product may be does not need to be hydrophilic or a biodegradable material. Hydrophilic fiber products can also make the final soil improvement material hydrophilic. Therefore, when this is placed or mixed in soil, the moisture content of the soil can be improved and/or maintained, and it can be effectively used for producing vegetables.

For example, a biodegradable product is preferably composed only of biodegradable materials, but it is sufficient if most of the product is composed of biodegradable materials. For example, a biodegradable product may contain 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass of the above-mentioned biodegradable materials. The above content is preferably 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, or 99% by mass or more. The portion of the biodegradable product that is not a biodegradable material is preferably a material that does not adversely affect the soil in which agricultural crops are grown.

Industrial products include all products that can be manufactured industrially using hydrophilic and biodegradable materials, such as clothing, textile products such as sheets and futons, tableware, containers, furniture, building materials, toys, Books, etc. can be mentioned.

The biodegradable material is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that can be decomposed by soil microorganisms in the natural environment. For example, biodegradable materials can include both synthetic and natural biodegradable polymers.

In this specification, hydrophilicity refers to the ability of a product to store water, and refers not only to cases where the material itself is water-absorbing, but also when the material is water-repellent but is porous and water-absorbing. including cases where it is possible to retain For example, hydrophilicity may be a property that, when mixed with soil, allows the product to maintain the moisture content of the soil for as long as possible compared to the soil without the product mixed therein. However, it is preferable that the biodegradable product is water absorbent rather than water repellent.

In particular, the biodegradable product used in the method of the invention is clothing. Consumers who take fashion trends into account generally purchase new clothing according to trends and dispose of clothing that is no longer fashionable. However, it also goes against the intentions of the fashion industry for such consumers to continue wearing out-of-fashion clothing in consideration of the environment. On the other hand, the method of the present invention allows consumers to protect the global environment even if they continue to purchase new clothes in a short period of time, and is also beneficial for the fashion industry as it allows consumers to purchase new clothes in a short period of time. Become.

Synthetic biodegradable polymers include polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polybutylene succinate, polyethylene succinate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyglycolic acid, poly(caprolactone/butylene succinate), poly(butylene succinate/adipate), and poly(butylene succinate/adipate). (ethylene terephthalate/succinate), poly(tetramethylene adipate/terephthalate), and the like.

Examples of natural biodegradable polymers include carbohydrate-based compounds such as cellulose-based materials and starch-based materials, and amino acid-based compounds such as polypeptides and proteins.

As biodegradable materials, mention may be made in particular of natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, silk, wool, or materials derived therefrom. The present inventor has found that among these, cotton and hemp, especially fibers used for Japanese paper, are especially suitable for use because they have excellent biodegradability in soil and very high water absorption.

Here, washi refers to paper made by making washi raw materials made from fibers obtained from raw material plants suitable for washi, such as kozo, mitsumata, hemp, coniferous trees, and bamboo. In particular, when the biodegradable product is clothing, Japanese paper made from Manila hemp has recently been known for use in clothing, and is suitable because it has very high biodegradability and water absorption.

<Crushing process>
The method of the invention can include the step of crushing the biodegradable product to be pelletized. The crushing step may be simply cutting or pulverizing into particles. Preferably, the crushing step is a step of cutting into small pieces and then pulverizing them into particles. In this specification, "crushing" includes not only physical processing as described above, but also chemical processing to make biodegradable products more easily decomposed.

The machine used for crushing can be changed depending on the product to be crushed. For example, in the crushing step, a cutting machine such as a shredder, a rotary cutter, or a slitter cutter can be used, and an impact crusher such as a cutter mill, hammer mill, or pin mill can be used. Moreover, a single-screw type or two-screw type shear type crusher can be used in the crushing step. Further, in the crushing process, after performing the primary coarse crushing process as described above, a secondary fine crushing process can be performed.

In particular, when the biodegradable product to be crushed is relatively hard, a media type crusher may be used as the crusher. Media type crushers include container driven type crushers and media agitation type crushers. Examples of container-driven crushers include rolling mills, vibration mills, planetary mills, centrifugal fluid mills, etc., and examples of media agitation type crushers include tower-type crushers such as tower mills; attritors, aquamizers, Examples include stirring tank type pulverizers such as sand grinders; flow tank type pulverizers such as Visco Mill and Pearl Mill; flow tube type pulverizers; annular type pulverizers such as Coball Mill; and continuous dynamic type pulverizers.

In the crushing step, the final particle size can be selected as appropriate depending on the workability, etc., when the crushed fiber products are later pelletized or placed or mixed in the soil as they are. For example, after being crushed into a size of about 15 mm to 300 mm or 20 mm to 50 mm in a primary crushing process, it may be crushed to a size of about 2 to 20 mm or 3 to 10 mm in a secondary crushing process.

<Pelletization process>
The method of the invention can include the step of pelletizing the crushed biodegradable product as described above. By pelletizing the crushed biodegradable product, the process of placing or mixing it into the soil can be carried out very efficiently and mechanically on a large scale. Also, since pelletized biodegradable products can be placed or mixed into the soil in uniform amounts and in large quantities, it is very difficult to perform the pelleting process to retain moisture in the soil. It is valid.

Pelletization can be performed by melt-kneading the crushed biodegradable product and then pelletizing it. Further, the pelletizer may be integrated with a crusher used in the crushing process.

Examples of the melt-kneading device include a single-screw extruder, a twin-screw extruder, a kneader, and a Banbury mixer. Further, when the biodegradable product contains volatile components such as water, it is preferable to attach a devolatilization device to the melt-kneading device.

The temperature during melt-kneading is appropriately set depending on the melting temperature of the biodegradable product, and can be, for example, within the range of 90 to 300°C.

The biodegradable product is cut into granular pellets with a diameter of 1 mm to 30 mm or 5 mm to 20 mm using various pelletizers. The pelletizer is not particularly limited, and any known method can be applied. Specifically, there are underwater pelletizers, in which strands are extruded directly into water from the die of the kneading device and then cut, strand pelletizers, in which rod-shaped strands are extruded from the die, cooled with water or air cooling to a temperature at which they do not stick to each other, and then cut with a rotating blade, and from the die. Any pelletizer such as a hot-cut pelletizer that cuts immediately after extrusion into the air can be suitably used. Depending on the format of the pelletizer, the pellets can take various shapes such as cylindrical, lenticular, and spherical, and any of them can be suitably used.

A binder may be added to the biodegradable product during or after pelletizing. Depending on the type of biodegradable product, it may be difficult to form pellets even when heated and pelletized, or the pellets may lose their shape during dispersion, making it difficult to spray large quantities by machine. These problems can be solved by using agents. The binder is preferably biodegradable or volatile, and may be water, oil such as vegetable oil or animal oil, gelatin, or the like.

<Enzyme mixing process>
The method of the invention can include the step of incorporating an enzyme into the biodegradable product. This allows biodegradable products that are placed or mixed into the soil to provide very high effects on crop growth, and the degradability of biodegradable products is also high, so biodegradable products can be used for a short period of time. It was found that it can be consumed in the soil. In addition, these enzymes activate the function of soil microorganisms, increase the number of useful bacteria, suppress the proliferation of harmful bacteria, and maintain the balance of soil microorganisms, thereby preventing the generation of harmful gases and revitalizing the soil. be able to.

The enzyme mixing step can typically be performed by immersing the biodegradable product in an enzyme-containing solution, particularly an enzyme-containing aqueous solution.

The enzyme mixing step may be performed at any stage before the placement or mixing step, but for example, the biodegradable product may be immersed in the enzyme-containing liquid as it is before the crushing step, or the biodegradable product may be immersed in the enzyme-containing liquid as it is, or the After that, the crushed biodegradable product may be immersed in an enzyme-containing solution.

If the biodegradable product is immersed in an enzyme-containing liquid before the crushing process, the biodegradable product can be crushed while wet with the liquid, and the heat during crushing can dry the biodegradable product. For example, when clothing is immersed in an enzyme-containing liquid and first coarsely pulverized using a cutter or the like, and then secondarily finely pulverized using a cutter mill or the like, approximately 60% by mass of the liquid is lost during the primary pulverization. During secondary crushing, more than 80% by mass of liquid can be lost. Thereby, the drying step can be substantially omitted. On the other hand, if necessary, a drying step may be performed to dry the water content of the enzyme-containing aqueous solution.

The enzyme used is not particularly limited as long as it is suitable for growing agricultural crops, but agricultural enzymes are preferred. Agricultural enzymes are thought to be able to improve the yield and quality of agricultural crops by rendering soil treated with pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, etc. harmless.

The microorganisms used to make agricultural enzymes can be grown in sealed tanks containing nutrients such as sugar, starch, soybeans, and corn, making them safer than chemical fertilizers because they are bio-based. Since it is considered to have high properties, it can be said that it has high affinity with the method of the present invention.

Examples of enzymes used include phosphatase, dehydrogenase, sulfatase, protease, etc., and enzymes obtained from liquid extracted from bamboo or by fermenting various agricultural products, such as Manda Koso. (trademark), Oishi Kozo (trademark), etc. may be used. These enzymes are commercially available, and those skilled in the art can appropriately select an enzyme depending on the intended use.

Similarly, in addition to or in place of enzymes, liquid fertilizers for growing crops may be mixed into biodegradable products. Liquid fertilizer is an aqueous solution containing nutrients, and serves to supply nutrients to agricultural crops. The liquid fertilizer does not need to be particularly limited as long as it fulfills this role, and liquid fertilizers containing various nutritional components can be used. Examples of such nutrients include nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

<Composting process>
The method of the invention may further include the step of mixing the crushed biodegradable product, particularly the crushed and pelletized biodegradable product, with manure to compost the manure. The biodegradable product used in the present invention is hydrophilic, so it can be well mixed with manure, and the biodegradable product obtained by turning the manure into compost retains moisture in the soil. It can be used as an organic fertilizer.

The process of composting the manure by mixing it with manure involves, for example, using the crushed biodegradable product as bedding for several days to several weeks in a livestock building such as a cow shed, a pigsty, or a stable, and then collecting it. This can be done by providing an additional ripening period for compost, if necessary. In livestock barns and the like, bedding mixes with filth such as animal excrement and urine, so by replacing it at predetermined intervals, it is possible to obtain a biodegradable product mixed with compost. Further, the step of composting the manure by mixing it with animal manure can be carried out by simply mixing it with animal manure and leaving it for several days to several weeks.

《Second embodiment》
In a second embodiment, the method for producing a soil reforming material of the present invention includes a step of fermenting a mixture of a textile product and a fermentable organic substance to obtain a fermented mixture. For example, the method for producing a soil improvement material of the present invention includes a step of crushing a textile product, a step of mixing the crushed textile product with a fermentable organic substance to obtain a fermentable mixture, and a step of fermenting the fermentable mixture to ferment the fermentable mixture. and pelletizing the fermented mixture.

When the soil reforming material produced in this way is placed or mixed into soil, it will be decomposed and returned to the soil after a certain period of time. Therefore, even if the textile products used as raw materials are produced in large quantities by the method of the present invention, they will not become waste because they will be decomposed in the soil. Here, according to the inventor's study, the soil amendment material manufactured by the present invention can function as a soil activator that greatly activates the soil when placed or mixed with the soil. Therefore, it can be effectively used for producing agricultural products such as vegetables. Surprisingly, in the present invention, by mixing and fermenting textile products and fermentable organic matter, the effect of soil activation was evaluated using the quantitative evaluation method adopted by the present inventor. It was found that this can be obtained even when synthetic fibers, which are usually considered to have no or low biodegradability, are used as textile products.

The soil reforming material obtained in this way is very advantageous because it can be used not only as a soil reforming material by itself, but also as a fertilizer. In addition, since the soil improvement material produced by the method of the present invention can be made of any kind of fiber products used as raw materials, there is no need to separate the fibers, and all textile products can be used. It is also very advantageous to be able to

Furthermore, since the soil reforming material obtained by the method of the present invention is pelletized, it can be spread on farmland in large quantities using a tractor. According to studies conducted by the present inventors, it was possible to decompose one ton of biodegradable products per one plot (approximately 1000 m ² ) of farmland, for example, in one to two months.

<Fiber products>
The textile product used in the present invention is not particularly limited in type as long as it can bring about the advantageous effects of the present invention and contains fibers. Here, the fibers may be natural fibers or synthetic fibers, as detailed below.

Textile products may be industrial products, and industrial products may include all products that can be manufactured industrially, such as clothing, tableware, containers, furniture, building materials, toys, books, etc. Can be done.

A textile product is typically a fabric containing fibers, but is not limited thereto. Here, the fabric is typically a fabric derived from clothing, but fabrics derived from textile products for furniture such as sheets and futons are also useful.

In particular, the textile products used in the method of the present invention are clothing. Consumers who take fashion trends into account generally purchase new clothing according to trends and dispose of clothing that is no longer fashionable. However, it also goes against the intentions of the fashion industry for such consumers to continue wearing out-of-fashion clothing in consideration of the environment. On the other hand, the method of the present invention allows consumers to protect the global environment even if they continue to purchase new clothes in a short period of time, and is also beneficial for the fashion industry as it allows consumers to purchase new clothes in a short period of time. Become.

For example, the textile product used in the present invention may be a hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product containing fibers. It has been found that soil activation can be promoted when biodegradable products such as natural fibers are used as the fiber products used in the present invention.

The hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product may be the same as described in relation to the first embodiment.

As textile products, mention may be made in particular of products containing natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, silk, wool, or materials derived therefrom. The present inventor has found that among these, cotton and hemp, especially fibers used for Japanese paper, are especially suitable for use because they have excellent biodegradability in soil and very high water absorption.

On the other hand, the textile products used in the present invention may be products made of chemically based synthetic fibers that are generally not considered biodegradable. When using such fibers, the degree of soil activation is not as high as when using natural fibers, but the point is that even these fibers can be used as raw materials for soil improvement materials. was unexpected. Specifically, in the present invention, by mixing and fermenting textile products and fermentable organic matter, chemical fibers that are normally considered to have no or low biodegradability can be used as soil improvement materials. It was found that it can be used as a raw material for

For example, such chemical fibers include polyester fibers, nylon fibers, polyurethane fibers, acrylic fibers, and fibers that are combinations of these fibers.

The textile products used in the present invention contain 20% by mass or more, 25% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more of the above-mentioned chemical-based synthetic fibers, or The content may be 90% by mass or more, 100% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less.

<Crushing process>
The process of crushing the textile product may be the same as the process of pre-treating the biodegradable product described in the first embodiment.

Note that the process of crushing textile products may be a process of crushing only textile products, but it may also be a process of crushing not only textile products but also a mixture of fermentable organic matter and textile products as described below. Alternatively, it may be a step of fermenting a mixture of a textile product and a fermentable organic substance and crushing the fermented mixture. That is, the order of the step of crushing the textile product, the step of obtaining the fermentable mixture, and the step of obtaining the fermented mixture is not limited. On the other hand, considering the ease of handling in the step of obtaining the fermentable mixture, etc., it is preferable to perform the step of obtaining the fermentable mixture and the step of obtaining the fermented mixture after the step of crushing the textile product.

<Process of obtaining fermentable mixture>
The process of obtaining a fermentable mixture is a process of mixing a textile product and a fermentable organic substance, and the mixing method is not particularly limited.

Fermentable organic substances are not particularly limited as long as they can be fermented by microorganisms, and may be organic substances that are food-derived raw materials, such as rice bran, okara, molasses, rice husks, fish meal, rice straw, or wheat straw; Examples include animal manure that can be fermented and composted, such as cow manure and chicken manure.

The mass ratio when mixing textile products and fermentable organic matter depends on the type of textile product used, but the fermentable organic matter is at least 20% by mass and 30% by mass based on the total of textile products and fermentable organic matter. % or more, or 40% by mass or more, and may be 80% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less. For example, the mass of the fermentable organic matter relative to the total of the textile product and the fermentable organic matter is 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and when the textile product is a highly biodegradable fiber, such as a natural fiber, the textile product The mass of the total of the and the fermentable organic matter can be 20% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less or 30% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and when the textile product is a fiber with low biodegradability, for example, a synthetic fiber. The mass of the textile product and the fermentable organic matter relative to the total may be 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less.

The fermentable mixture can further contain water to make conditions suitable for fermentation, for example, the water content in the mixture is 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass. or more, and may be 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. For example, the water content of the fermentable mixture may be 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

<Process of obtaining fermented mixture>
The step of obtaining the fermented mixture is a step of fermenting the above-mentioned fermentable mixture, and the conditions are not particularly limited as long as the fermentation can be carried out.

The fermentation step can be carried out at a temperature of 25°C or higher, 30°C or higher, 35°C or higher, or 40°C or higher, and 60°C or lower, 55°C or lower, 50°C or lower, or 45°C or lower. In addition, the fermentation process is performed at a relative humidity of 50% or more, 55% or more, 60% or more, or 65% or more and 90% or less, 85% or less, 80% or less, 75% or less, or 70% or less. Can be done with humidity. The period for fermentation can be 1 week or more, 2 weeks or more, 3 weeks or more, or 8 weeks or less, 6 weeks or less, or 4 weeks or less. For example, the fermentation process can be carried out at a temperature of 35° C. or more and 45° C. or less, and a relative humidity of 50% or more and 75% or less, for a period of 2 weeks or more and 6 weeks or less.

The fermentation process can be carried out with ventilation and water added to the fermentable mixture as needed.

For example, this step may be a step of composting the fermentable mixture, and this step can be performed by allowing the fermentable mixture containing animal excrement to stand for several days to several weeks.

<Pelletization process>
The method of the invention can include pelletizing the fermented mixture. By pelletizing the fermented mixture, the process of placing or mixing into the soil can be carried out very efficiently and mechanically on a large scale. Further, the pelletizing process is very effective because pellets can be placed or mixed in the soil in a uniform amount and in large quantities. As the pelletizer that can be used in the pelletizing step, the same pelletizer as described in the first embodiment can be used.

When pelletizing, the moisture content of the fermented mixture can be 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 15% by mass or less, and 1% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more. . This allows production of hard pellets. Hard pellets are advantageous when the process of placing or mixing into the soil is performed mechanically on a large scale.

Also, the fermented mixture can be dried to lower the moisture content before pelletizing. The drying temperature can be 5°C or higher, 10°C or higher, 20°C or higher, or 30°C or higher, and 50°C or lower, 45°C or lower, 40°C or lower, or 35°C or lower. For example, pelletization can be carried out at a temperature of 10°C or more and 40°C or less, which allows pellets to be obtained without adversely affecting the microorganisms present in the fermented mixture, and can be used as a soil improvement material. Become useful.

《Agricultural crop production method》
The method of the present invention further relates to a method of producing agricultural crops using soil in which the above-mentioned soil amendment material is arranged or mixed. The soil improved as described above has a high water retention property, and it is easy to produce agricultural products in such soil.

Agricultural crops include, but are not limited to, grains such as rice and wheat, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. From the viewpoint of consuming a large amount of biodegradable products or textile products, agricultural crops may be annual plants.

《Soil activation method》
The soil activation method of the present invention includes a step of disposing or mixing a soil reforming material in soil. As used herein, soil refers to soil that can grow agricultural products and microorganisms, and such soil can decompose biodegradable products or textile products such as those described above by microorganisms.

<Arrangement or mixing process>
In the method of the present invention, the step of placing or mixing the soil amendment material in the soil may be simply placing the soil amendment material on the surface of the soil, or may be simply burying the soil amendment material in the soil. However, it is preferable to actively mix it with the soil. Mixing may be performed manually or mechanically.

Since the soil reforming material used in the method of the present invention is pelletized, it can be mechanically sprayed onto the soil in large quantities. For example, a tractor with a fertilizer spreader can spread a large amount of soil amendment material.

《Soil reforming material or artificial soil》
The present invention also relates to a soil amendment material or artificial soil that can be used in the method described above. For the structure of the soil reforming material or artificial soil of the present invention, reference can be made to the description of the soil reforming material described in relation to the above method.

For example, in the first embodiment, the soil reforming material or artificial soil of the present invention contains 80% by mass or more of hydrophilic biodegradable fibers and is in the form of pellets. This pelleted soil amendment material or artificial soil may also contain agricultural enzymes such as those mentioned above, and such soil amendment material or artificial soil may contain hydrophilic biodegradable materials such as cotton, hemp, and Japanese paper. It can be obtained by immersing clothing made from synthetic fibers in an enzyme-containing solution, cutting it, crushing it, and pelletizing it with a pelletizer.

For example, in the second embodiment, the soil reforming material or artificial soil of the present invention contains fibers and a fermented product of fermentable organic matter, and is in the form of pellets. Here, the fermentable organic substance is preferably a food-derived raw material, such as rice bran, okara, molasses, rice hulls, fish meal, rice straw, wheat straw, and combinations thereof.

A soil conditioner or artificial soil can be used by being mixed or placed in soil, but it can also be used as it is instead of soil for potted plants, etc., without being mixed with soil. In veranda vegetable gardens, it is sometimes a problem to dispose of the soil after cultivation, but this soil conditioner or artificial soil is very easy to dispose of because it can be disposed of as combustible garbage.

The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

<First embodiment>
Clothes made of 100% by mass Japanese paper made from Manila hemp were immersed for several hours in an enzyme-containing solution containing agricultural enzymes (Manda Amino Alpha, Manda Hakko Co., Ltd.).

The clothes taken out of the enzyme-containing solution were dehydrated, coarsely ground to about 100 mm to 10 mm using a crusher, and further finely crushed using a crusher (DASE series, Seiho Engineering Co., Ltd.). As a result, biodegradable fibers crushed into pieces of 10 mm or less were obtained.

The biodegradable fibers were pelletized using a pelletizer to obtain a pelleted soil reforming material containing Japanese paper and enzymes. The photograph is shown in Figure 1.

The soil reforming material thus obtained was spread on the soil in an amount of about 1 ton/tan (approximately 1000 m ² ) using a tractor equipped with a fertilizer spreader to produce vegetables such as eggplants, radishes, and Chinese cabbage. However, we were able to harvest some very delicious vegetables. In addition, the above-mentioned soil reforming material disappeared in 1.5 to 2 months. Note that the soil improvement material produced in the same manner using clothing made of 100% cotton disappeared within 2 to 4 months.

In addition, the above pelletized soil reforming material was used as bedding material in livestock barns for one month, and then collected and mixed with soil.

<Second embodiment>
《Manufacturing》
Clothes containing the fibers listed in Table 1 were coarsely crushed to about 100 mm to 30 mm using a crusher, and then finely crushed using a crusher (DASE series, Seiho Engineering Co., Ltd.). As a result, fibers pulverized to about 6 to 9 mm were obtained. FIG. 2 shows the fibers after being coarsely pulverized, and FIG. 3 shows the fibers after being finely pulverized.

The crushed fibers were mixed with rice bran. Here, in the case of natural fibers, the fibers and rice bran were mixed at a ratio of 2:1, and in the case of synthetic fibers, they were mixed at a ratio of 1:1. Thereafter, water was added to adjust the water content to 20 to 35% by mass.

Thereafter, the mixture was fermented for about 3 to 4 weeks in an air-conditioned facility at a temperature of 42°C and relative humidity of 65%, while adding water once every 5 days. FIG. 4 shows the state of the fermentable mixture immediately after it was obtained and the fermented mixture after 3 weeks of fermentation.

Thereafter, the fermented mixture was dried until the moisture content became 20% by mass or less, and pelletized using a pelletizer to obtain a soil reforming material. During drying, the temperature was maintained at 40° C. or lower to avoid adverse effects on the microorganisms in the soil activator. FIG. 5(a) shows the fermented mixture being put into a pelletizer, and FIG. 5(b) shows the pellets obtained thereby.

"evaluation"
The obtained pellets were sprayed in a field at 15 Harako Minokoshi, Miyama-cho, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture in June 2022, and the soil was evaluated one month later.

The soil evaluation was outsourced to DGC Technology Co., Ltd. Here, for each sample, soil was collected at three or more locations and the average value was evaluated.

Specifically, the degree of crop growth in the soil was evaluated by the method described in Japanese Patent No. 5807956. This involves placing a diluted sample of soil in a test plate containing 95 different types of organic matter, and using a special robot to continuously measure the soil at a constant temperature at 15-minute intervals for 48 hours. Examine the rate at which each organic substance is decomposed by the living microorganisms. The types of organic matter that can be decomposed by microorganisms differ, so the fact that many kinds of organic matter can be decomposed means that there are many kinds of microorganisms, and the fact that the rate of decomposition of organic matter is fast means that This means that microorganisms are actively working. In this way, the results of measuring both microbial diversity and activity are quantified and evaluated as a soil microbial diversity/activity value (BIOTREX (trademark)).

"result"
The results are shown below.

In addition, soil microbial diversity and activity values are 500,000 to 700,000 for average soil, 700,000 to 1,000,000 for soil that is relatively well prepared, and 1,000,000 to 1,300,000 for soil that is rich and disease-free. Soil is said to be difficult to grow and yield delicious agricultural products, 1.3 million to 1.5 million is considered to be very rich soil, and 1.5 million to 2 million is extremely rich soil.

As is clear from the above results, it was found that the effect as a soil improvement agent was obtained in all Examples. Furthermore, in all Examples, it was found that the product was completely decomposed into the soil and consumed after 2 to 3 months.

Claims

A method for producing a soil improvement material, which includes a step of fermenting a mixture of textile products and fermentable organic matter to obtain a fermented mixture.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the textile product is crushed.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of pelletizing the fermented mixture after the step of obtaining the fermented mixture.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the textile product is derived from clothing.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the textile product includes synthetic fibers.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the fermentable organic substance is a food-derived raw material.
The method according to claim 6, wherein the food-derived raw material is rice bran, okara, molasses, rice hulls, fishmeal, rice straw, wheat straw, or a combination thereof.
A method for producing a soil reforming material, which includes a step of pelletizing a crushed biodegradable product, and the biodegradable product is a hydrophilic biodegradable industrial product.
The method according to claim 8, wherein the biodegradable product contains 30% by mass or more of biodegradable fibers.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising mixing the biodegradable product with an enzyme.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of mixing the biodegradable product with manure and composting the manure.
A method for producing agricultural products, comprising a step of disposing or mixing a soil reforming material produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 in soil, and a step of producing agricultural products with the soil.
A method for activating soil, comprising the step of disposing or mixing in soil a soil reforming material produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.