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University of Tokyo researchers in Japan have created a new technology that uses food waste in a surprising way.
日本东京大学的研究人员发明了一种以令人惊讶的方式利用食物垃圾的新技术。
Student Kota Machida and Professor Yuya Sakai say the operation can turn food waste into a strong but bendable material like cement.
学生町田纮太和教授酒井雄也说，这种技术可以将食物垃圾变为像水泥一样坚固但可弯曲的材料。
They say it is four times stronger than regular concrete, and is sustainable.
他们说，这种水泥的强度是普通水泥的四倍，而且是可持续的。
And, you can eat it, the researchers found.
而且，研究人员发现，你可以吃它。
Professor Sakai was looking for a way to replace cement-based concrete with sustainable materials.
酒井教授当时在寻找一种用可持续材料取代水泥基混凝土的方法。
Cement production releases high levels of carbon dioxide waste into the air, says research group Chatham House.
研究机构英国皇家国际事务研究所表示，生产水泥会向空气中排放大量二氧化碳。
Food waste is a big problem in Japan and the world.
食物垃圾在日本乃至全世界都是一个大问题。
In 2019, Japan produced 5.7 million tons of food waste.
2019年，日本产生了570万吨食物垃圾。
The government is working on reducing this to 2.7 million by 2030.
日本政府正在努力到2030年将这一数字减少到270万吨。
The food waste that would typically end up in landfills, rotting, and releasing methane gas, can now be used to make the concrete.
通常会被填埋、腐烂并释放出甲烷的食物垃圾现在可以用来制造混凝土。
The material can be reused and buried in the ground if not needed without affecting the environment.
这种材料可以被重复使用，如果不需要的话，人们可以把它埋在地下，不会对环境造成影响。
Sakai and Machida say they hope the new material can replace plastic and cement, and slow global warming linked to food waste, as well.
酒井和町田表示，他们希望这种新材料可以取代塑料和水泥，减缓与食物垃圾相关的全球变暖。
At first Sakai used wood particles with heat and pressure to create the concrete, and then he moved onto food waste with plastics mixed in.
起初，酒井使用将木材颗粒进行热压缩的方法来制作混凝土，然后他开始将塑料混入食物垃圾来制造混凝土。
Through a process of drying, crushing, and compressing the food waste, Sakai and his student Machida had successfully made cement from food waste without plastic.
通过干燥、粉碎和压缩食物垃圾的过程，酒井和他的学生町田成功地用不添加塑料的食物垃圾制造出了水泥。
They adjusted the pressure and the temperature with simple equipment that can be bought from the internet.
他们用简单的设备调节压力和温度，这些设备可以从网上买到。
"The most challenging part was that each type of food waste requires different temperatures and pressure levels," Sakai said.
酒井说：“最具挑战性的部分是，每种食物垃圾需要不同的温度和压力。”
The team have used different types of food waste to make the cement, including tea leaves, orange peels, coffee grounds, and leftover lunch materials.
该团队使用了不同类型的食物垃圾来制作水泥，包括茶叶、橘子皮、咖啡渣和午饭的剩饭。
Since the cement can be eaten, Sakai and Machida have changed the flavors with different spices.
由于这种水泥可以食用，酒井和町田用不同的香料改变了味道。
They have enjoyed the different colors, smell, and even the taste of the cement.
他们制作了不同颜色、气味和口味的水泥。
Sakai said that in order to eat it a person needs to break it apart and boil it.
酒井说，人们需要把它打碎，煮熟后才能食用它。
Machida, along with two friends have created a company called Fabula, Inc.
町田和两个朋友创办了一家名为Fabula, Inc的公司。
They are working with other companies to use the material to make products for the home.
他们正在与其他公司合作，使用这种材料制作家居用品。
Sakai said that the process of creating the cement could be used to make temporary housing that can be eaten if a disaster happens.
酒井说，制造这种水泥的过程可以用来建造临时住房，如果发生灾难，人们可以吃掉它们。
He said, "For example, if food cannot be delivered to evacuees, they could eat makeshift beds made out of food cement."
他说，“例如，如果食物无法送到疏散人员手中，他们可以吃用可食用水泥制成的临时床。
I'm Faith Pirlo.
费斯·皮尔洛为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
