Incinerating wet organic waste such as from vegetables, fruits and other crops would be a waste of energy and fuel. Instead we convert this 100% biologically to biomethane to replace fossil fuels and to superior biofertilizer to replace climate-negative chemical fertilizers.
The 3R's always apply in the right priority: 1. reduce, 2. reuse and 3. recycling. Unfortunately there shall always remain residual waste needing recycling. That's why we apply 100% biological recycling of residual organic waste and wastewaters up to 99% efficiency.
Bruno Peeters
The three T's have been a failure. Recycling is expensive, labor intensive and offers a inferior material. Reuse and reduce speak for themselves - one can merely look at their own lives to see these are useless to the overall solid waste issue. What does waste water have too do with this matter?
Whoever your "we" might be - it is obscure and irrelevant.
Dear Phil Geis ,
"We" is my company Model Engineering nv/sa along with our local partners and industrial clients worldwide. Yes "we" convert residual organic waste and wastewaters since 1980 fully biological to biomethane to replace fossil fuels for heat and power generation and to clean water for reuse. Hence "we" generate renewable energy as opposed to classic technologies consuming lots of (fossil) energy and generating waste sludge. That's why "we" even got key full scale references in the USA which proves that "we" are relevant. Thank you.
Bruno Peeters
Thanks - waste water is not solid waste and is routinely treated. Are you combining solids waste - assume food waste. Hardly a solution to solid waster overall. Glad you have references - what does that mean?
Waste to energy does not consume energy - it generates energy.
Phil Geis
Thanks. Our solid waste AD plants are separate and different from our wastewater ones. Most of our high-rate AD plants are for high strength organic wastewaters from agri-food and fermentation industries. These are small footprint mesophilic ones with up to 95% efficient (certified). Our solid organic waste AD plants are high-rate thermophilic and far more efficient with up to 4 times smaller bioreactors as compared to the classic mesophilic AD ones applied a.o. in manure digesters and in municipal sewage sludge AD.
By the way, most organic "solid" waste is wet containing up to 80% water such as in most vegetables and fruits. Incinerating such wet waste would consume more energy to evaporate the 80% water than it would produce from the 20% solids which are partly mineral which produce no energy.
What do our high-rate AD references mean?
Our high-rate organic waste AD plants are profit centers for their owners. Most of our AD plants with biopower yields up to 41 MW (so far), are paid back in 3 to 6 years by huge savings on fossil fuels for heat and power generation and/or by generating electrical power to the grid such as we do in S.E. Asia. The advantages of biomethane power as compared to solar and wind energy are that it is (1) continuous 24/7 with (2) low cost buffer storage for peak power demand as compared to the expensive battery buffer storage for the discontinuous and variable solar and wind power.
Applying the circular economy concept is best way to manage waste. Waste materials generated are recycled and use as raw materials for the production of usable products. The zero waste concept can be applied where nothing goes to the landfill. This will help to minimize production cost, preserve natural resource and create employment.
The best way The most economical way to combust solid waste is to recycle properly
Agbor Ebai M Tambe
Circular Economy? Zero Waste?
These are not economical. Costs of harvesting, separating, cleaning, recycling to produce what is typically an inferior material are substantially greater than traditional production from virgin material and disposal.
Further, where in the world are the mythical concepts of circular economy and zero waste replacing any major traditional system.
Economically the best way to manage waste is backyard composting for biodegradable waste and reuse
Dealing with solid waste in an economical and sustainable manner is crucial for environmental protection and resource conservation. Here are some of the most economical ways to manage solid waste:
Sadit Hasan
That is a complete list - and which is/are the most economical?
Some clearly are not in context. For example, reduce/recycle/reuse (esp. by its recycling), is costly and inefficient in separation and harvesting and but for aluminum, produces material of poor quality. and has largely failed. It's been promoted for 40+ years with little real impact.
Composting is similarly costly and inefficient in harvesting, occupies space/stinks in mass composting and is not available to the great numbers of individuals.
EPR accomplishes nothing but recycles to "all of the above" numbers, most of which works poorly, and still relies on consumer compliance. But it is typical of government to dump its responsibilities on other parties.
Waste to energy appears to be the most efficient and economical .
Chasing all the strategies most of which accomplish little wastes, time, money. political capital and time.
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