1 TON= 2,000 pounds
that's 130,000,000 x 2,000 pounds= 260,000,000,000 pounds of trash. uh, that's 260 billion lbs of trash?
We see corporate sustainability initiatives, DIY composting, and in yards across the country, there are recycling bins next to regular rubbish. However, no matter how much we recycle, we have decades of trash that has already built up and must be dealt with....
A CLEAN BURING FUEL: garbage can be an asset rather than a liability.
PLASMA ARC TECHNOLOGY
-- essentially a process that involves gasifying trash in a closed-loop system. returning the material to the elemental forms.
-- operates by passing a high-voltage electrical current between two electrodes, creating an arc between them. Inert gas is then passed through the arc into a sealed container of garbage. Temps are above 25,000 degrees F. (hotter than the surface of the sun)
-- molecules are atomized and the waste is broken, down into its basic elements.
-- incinerates without combustion. no flame. no smoke.
Side effects
-- also a solution. syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is released. If captured the gas can easily be used to GENERATE electricity.
-- the heat, can be harnessed to power a steam turbine, creating even more electrical energy.
-- slag, a solid residue, is similar to obsidian and can be turned to bricks, gravel, asphalt or other building materials.
-- if compressed air is introduced, slag turns into rock wool, 2x as effective as fiberglass, makes wonderful insulation. Its absorbent, lighter than water, so can be used to clean oil spills inthe ocean.
-- hydroponic system can be used with the material, plants will grow from seeds in slabs or blocks of it.
-- "proven" no hazardous materials dissolve or leak from slag.
The facilities are self-sufficient. They run off the electricity they produce.
Natural question is whether this is an environmentally viable and safe option.
"extensive" research thus far has shown, yes.
Because of the the low oxygen atmosphere and high temperature, the base elements of the gas are unable to form toxic compounds, such as sulfur dioxide, furans or nox. Burning syngas produces CO2 emissions similar to natural gas power plants.
However, this system is EXPENSIVE.
-High cost of building it. Additionally, a landfill will charge a city about $35 for a ton of trash.
A ton of trash costs about $172 to run through a plasma arc. B/c of the costs, the technology is associated with big businesses thus far.
Also might impede in the recycling movement. Must be clear- re-use and recycle is the #1 goal. It's not a replacement or alternative to, rather a conjunction with strict recycling policies.
OPERATING PLANTS
--opened 2008 Ottawa, Canada. Plasco , the private company that owns and operates the plant.
--Florida is currently building one in St. Lucie County, scheduled to open by 201. $425 million plant will generate 6 megawatts of electricity, in addition to the energy it needs to operate. Entire landfill in the county (4.3 million tons, accumulated since 1978, is estimated to be gone in 18 years).
-- efforts to create a facility in LA, concluded that "the technologies best suited for processing black bin post-source separated MSA on a commercial level are the thermal technologies." The possible issues found were increased traffic to and from the plant; concerns about odor, noise and dust. (but could be pointed out, that it couldn't be worse that the already existing garbage dump facilites)
-- "... received the highest total scores and the highest environmental scores, primarily due to the advantages in regard to landfill diversion rate." the report written in 2005, details a plan for creating an alternative waste management plant.
the DPW revealed that alternative solutions are still very much at the front and center, discussed as recently as May 7th.
--the city is trying to find a way to make a facility such as this possible and is currently exploring their options.
UTOPIA?
may be able to reach such a sustainable town, in that we will live off the trash we produce. THe best and most viable option for plant operation is on a smaller scale.
Smaller plants would be closer together and require shorter waste haul trucks, saving on vehicle pollution. Economically, construction would be less daunting, as small plants cost less, and financing would be easier to obtain.
We can solve this problem (like the Pacific Garbage Patch, that has 6x more plastic than marine life, estimated to be larger than Texas, while some scientists speculate it's bigger than the entire United States, or others found in the Atlantic and in the Sea of Japan), but it will require a large and enthusiastic degree of pro-activity from each and every one of us.
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