Hitachi Innovation Challenge for Circular Economy

Ensuring the sustainability of water resources
REQUIREMENTS
This problem statement should be tackled from the perspectives of the North American, Japanese and Southeast Asian market.

BACKGROUND
Water pollution and the shortage in consumable water resources are big issues for our planet. We are looking for ideas and solutions which would (1) enable industrial wastewater to be properly treated, recycled and reused in a circular way and (2) create and share domestic water efficiently. Please propose your idea, solution or technology which would contribute to efficiently using our valuable water resources.

IDEA EXAMPLES
Some issues which could be tackled under this category include, but are not restricted to, the following:
Effective Desalination of Seawater in islands
Predicting water supply and demand
Recycling of industrial wastewater, regional accommodation, certification of proper treatment
Wastewater treatment in industrial parks and interchange between factories

RELATED BUSINESS CASES AT HITACHI
(1) Producing safe drinking water in the densely populated Maldives
(2) How Cities in Japan are Realizing Sustainable Water Supply through Co-Creation

Creating a zero waste society
REQUIREMENTS
This problem statement should be tackled from the perspectives of the European, Japanese and Southeast Asian market.

BACKGROUND
Our mass production and mass disposal model is linear, meaning that waste is mainly lost and not reused. This is an environmental issue as it increases pollution but also an economic loss as waste materials are not reused. We would like to develop the circular economy and find a solution to ensure our production models are in a closed loop based on Reuse, Upcycle, Recycle, Repair and the Reduction of Resources rather than their disposal. Please submit your idea, digital or technological solution to help in creating our vision of a zero waste society.

IDEA EXAMPLES
Some issues which could be tackled under this category include, but are not restricted to, the following:
Waste reduction and proof of proper treatment of the Upcycling Process
Conversion of waste materials into valuable resources (e.g. upcycling of Waste Plastics etc)
Ensuring the longevity of equipment (repair and reuse)

Reducing food waste in Southeast Asia
REQUIREMENTS
This problem statement should be tackled from the perspective of the Southeast Asian market.
NOTE: If you have any ideas specifically related to food waste in Southeast Asia, please enter Category 3 instead of Category 2.

BACKGROUND
In Southeast Asia, food waste is discharged daily from factories, restaurants, supermarkets, etc. This waste has potential to be reused as an organic resource providing it can be transformed with the correct technology. We are looking for (1) ideas to reuse food waste as a consumable organic resource or (2) ideas in Digital management or Effective Use of Waste Material for the Food and Beverage Industry(e.g. Factory, Restaurant, Supermarket, Warehouse, Building and so on) and its supply chain.

IDEA EXAMPLES
Some issues which could be tackled under this category include, but are not restricted to, the following:
Biogas power generation
Compost
Transforming food waste into animal feed.