In connection with their unit on Communities and Well-Being, Grade 4 went to the Maishima Incineration Plant to investigate what happens to the city’s garbage.

They were able to take a tour to learn all about how our waste is collected, sorted, and handled. During the sorting phase, there is a huge crane that is able to lift 20 tons at a time. When the garbage is burned, the energy is captured as steam and used to not only power the plant itself, but is also sold to Kansai Electrical Power (Kansai Denryoku).

After the waste is burned, the ash left over is used to make islands in Osaka Bay – one of which is Yumeshima where the 2025 Expo will be held. After an extensive tour, they had a picnic on the grounds and were able to see the interesting architecture of the building.