More about Waste-to-Energy (WtE)

This is an issue that is not so much about politics, but about economic stimulus, pollution reduction, reducing fossil fuel use, energy generation and improving national security.

The US generated over 254 million tons of trash in 2007, but only used about 30 million tons of that fuel to generate power. Theoretically, we could have 7 times as many of these facilities built, or 500 more of them (there are 87 currently in operation). Let's start with 100 plants, or even 50.

There are a few different technologies available: direct burning, high temperature burning, gasification and others. These plants remove toxic, hazardous and biological wastes in addition to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). By the way - the EPA classifies MSW as a renewable fuel, because the technology exists and is required for these plants to emit only clean exhaust.

Think about how many people would be employed building 100 power plants... how many people would be employed supplying parts and materials... good paying jobs... tens of thousands? more?

So why aren't we building plants now? One reason is the reluctance of people to have a WtE plant in their town, because the early plants created a bad reputation for being smelly and sources of pollution - this is simply not true any more. The plants can be built at current landfill sites - almost no change at all, except perhaps a little more noise.

What are the other benefits? Did you know that recycling is 10% - 20% higher in communities that have WtE plants? Landfills pollute air and groundwater and the air - WtE plants can eliminate this. If we use the fuel we are currently throwing away, we'd reduce the fossil fuels we currently use. The US generates 3% or our electricity from oil and 50% from coal - replace some or all of those fuels and CO2 pollution is reduced (for those of you who believe that global warming theory).

Some plant designs out there include a desalination capability - turning seawater into freshwater - from the waste heat. Our need for potable water is another subject altogether, but one that needs to be addressed - aquifers are being drained faster than they can be replenished - extended droughts, like the one in Australia, can have tremendous negative consequences.

Look at the business side of these plants. They get paid for take the fuel - waste haulers pay them instead of landfills to take their loads (called tipping fees). In the case of high temperature and gas plasma designs, they collect the higher disposal fees associated with hazardous and biological waste. They make steam and electricity, selling steam to local businesses and electricity to the local power company. They recycle throughout the cycle: paper, glass, plastic, metal, ash, chemical compounds, all of which add to the revenue income. Some plants, traditional incinerators anyway, sift thousands of dollars in coins out of the ash every day!

We need to get busy building!