JET Corporation (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; National Agricultural Insurance Building) has been awarded the FY2024 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) open tender for a “Mobile Rendering Unit.” Following verification trials in February 2025, the unit successfully met all requirements and was officially delivered to the Animal Quarantine Service Chubu Airport Branch on March 24. Going forward, the unit will be dispatched in the event of outbreaks of designated animal infectious diseases such as Classical Swine Fever (CSF) or Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), providing rapid and safe on-site treatment to help prevent further spread.

Background | The challenge of safe and swift carcass disposal during outbreaks

When designated animal infectious diseases occur, culled livestock must, in principle, be buried or incinerated. However, these methods face multiple challenges: securing land, gaining local community understanding, groundwater contamination, odor and pest issues, and the risk of spreading infection during carcass transport.

To address these issues, the Mobile Rendering Unit offers a faster and safer alternative. The unit can be dispatched to the site of an outbreak, where it heats and reduces the volume of carcasses on the spot. While four units are already deployed at animal quarantine stations nationwide, one additional unit has now been introduced to strengthen preparedness for large-scale or consecutive outbreaks.

Verification Results | Confirmed slurry processing and heating performance within two hours

During the verification trial, the full operational sequence was tested: assembly, carcass loading, heating, discharge, slurry collection, and cleaning. A total of 10 tons of cattle carcasses were processed. Whole carcasses were loaded without cutting, and within two hours were reduced to slurry. The unit’s main chamber (ERS) reached 80–99°C, confirming that it fully met the Animal Quarantine Service’s requirements for inactivation of pathogens, processing capacity, and operational safety.

Video footage of the trial is available at the link below:
https://youtu.be/A9eN1sWQpMs
Video (5:20): Cattle carcass processing (February 2025)

Technology | JET’s ERS powering the Mobile Rendering Unit

JET is a plant venture that developed the ERS (Environmental Recycling System), a rapid fermentation and drying resource-recycling device. Using patented technology, ERS activates indigenous microorganisms at the site to perform high-speed, odor-free, wastewater-free treatment through fermentation and drying. The treated output can then be recycled into biomass fuel or 100% organic fertilizer.

In the private sector, ERS has been introduced to livestock farms, where it recycles manure, eggs, and eggshells into fuel, fertilizer, compost, bedding, and feed—contributing to a circular agricultural economy.

The verification trial confirmed that the ERS can achieve 80–99°C in batch mixing, demonstrating high thermal treatment capacity and proving its effectiveness as a Mobile Rendering Unit. The newly delivered unit will be deployed at the request of the national government in the event of an outbreak, providing on-site thermal treatment of culled livestock.

Future Outlook

ERS’s distinctive advantage lies in its fermentation and drying function, with adjustable drying levels. Although this function is an auxiliary feature in the Mobile Rendering Unit, trials confirmed that a four-hour fermentation-drying cycle produced material with a moisture content of 28.9%. Reduced moisture directly contributes to volume and weight reduction, while fermentation helps suppress odors in the treated material.

By producing material that is easier to bury, incinerate, or transport, ERS can help ease logistical burdens and reduce strain on incineration facilities. JET believes this technology offers a multifaceted contribution to disease control, while proposing new options for faster and safer processing of cattle, swine, and poultry during designated animal infectious disease outbreaks.