FCO-OP* held an event under the theme "Let's have fun learning about the environment! Summer Vacation ☆ Parent-Child Social Studies Field Trip" as part of its member activities and environmental efforts.

On August 4 and 9, a tour to the Miyanojin Clean Center in Kurume City, and the Oki Circulation Center Kururun in Oki Town, was held respectively with the participation of 28 co-op members from 7 families (17 adults and 11 children). 

At the Miyanojin Clean Center on August 4, participants toured the factory building and the recycling building and learned how to separate and dispose of garbage through detailed explanations by the facility staff. The Miyanojin Clean Center consists of a factory building (incineration facility), a recycling building, and an environmental exchange plaza.

・I am glad that I was able to visit this facility, as I had been curious about it. I learned a lot from the detailed explanations of the sorting and processing methods.

・I understood the method of garbage disposal and the efforts of the people who dispose of it, and realized that it starts with each person's own sorting of garbage.

・It was fun to see what it looks like in the garbage disposal. (From a child)

On August 9, participants visited the Biomass Center at the Oki Circulation Center Kururun*. Participants learned that, through cooperation with residents, the 29 waste items sorted in Oki Town are recycled as energy and fertilizer in the community, without wasting anything, including raw garbage.

 　   

*"Kururun" is the base facility for Oki Town in its efforts to create a recycling town. It consists of a biomass center (methane fermentation facility and learning facility) and Roadside Rest Area Oki (Japan Agricultural Co-operative Fukuoka Oki farmers market and restaurant supporting a healthy community).

・The slides were aimed at children, but the content was well understood.

・I could understand the meaning of "circulation," and I was reminded that reducing garbage is very important. Oki Town's waste sorting system of 29 items is amazing!

・I felt that it would be good if Oki Town's efforts spread more to other cities.

・It was very fun even though it was hot. (From a child)

*FCO・OP is a consumer co-op with approximately 540,000 members in Fukuoka Prefecture (as of the End of March 2022), operating store and home delivery businesses.