Recycled pots using sweet potato distillation lees

As an effective utilization of shochu distillation lees, which will soon be banned from dumping into the sea, we have succeeded in using these lees and waste newspaper to make Eco-friendly paper pots (hereafter called Eco paper pots). Further, by comparing the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of Eco paper pots and those of waste paper pots (conventional pots), we found that the optimum condition for making Eco paper pots is to use a waste newspaper mixing ratio of 3%. We have also conducted a growth test of mini tomatoes in Eco paper and waste paper pots. We found that the Eco paper pots retained their shape without disintegration until the transplantation of the plants, with their pots, to the field. After transplantation, the plants' roots penetrated through the Eco paper pot and radiated widely throughout the soil. Moreover, the Eco paper pots had a clear fertilizing effect.