Waste to Energy

Waste to Energy (WTE) Plants are Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) facilities that incinerate trash to generate electricity. Currently, 11.8% of US waste goes to WTE. There are 86 WTE facilities in the U.S., they exist in 25 states. WTE is the conversion of non-recyclable waste materials into usable heat, electricity, or fuel through a variety of processes, including combustion, gasification, pyrolization, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas recovery.

Until the 1960s, incinerating waste was done in open pits, posing serious harm to the planet and living beings within a certain radius of each pit. Technology has progressed significantly since then, and current Waste to Energy (WTE) plants are a result of these technological advancements and scientific findings.

How It Works: Waste to Energy

There are three ways to burn waste at Waste to Energy facilities: the mass burn, modular, and refused-derived fuel (RDF) systems. Let's have a look at how each work.

Read article

2.5 min read

arrow_forward

Waste Management Hierarchy

Developed in the 70s by the EU, the Waste Management Hierachy is a great way to visualize what waste disposal methods are preferred.

Read article

2 minute read

arrow_forward

Definition: A technique for removing dissolved gas from a liquid or paste ↩

Definition: Preconsumer recyclate material doesn’t leave the industrial process. This is material that is left over during the production process. Pre-consumer recyclate is considered primary mechanical recycling because it is typically clean and does not require multiple cleansing steps. ↩

Definition: Postconsumer recyclate is material that has been used by consumers and is recycled. Post-consumer recyclate is considered secondary mechanical recycling because it requires further steps to clean and sanitize the recycled products. ↩

Definition: recycled material ↩

Definition: corrugated cardboard boxes. Corrugated refers to boxes with three separate layers of paper, two liners, and a corrugated (wavy) layer between them. Brown paper bags are commonly accepted with OCC for recycling. ↩

Definition: a collection method in which waste generators are required to source separate recyclables in to two (or more) separate bins (generally, paper fibers are placed in one bin and all other containers (plastics, aluminum, etc.) are placed in other bins). Multi-stream collection vehicles (that have separate compartments for each bin) then collect and transport recyclables to a multi-stream MRF that is specially configured to sort and process source separated recyclables. ↩

Definition: a system in which a household (or waste generator) places recyclables in a single commingled container. This material is then collected together in specially configured recycling trucks, and transported to a single stream MRF. ↩

Definition: capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. There is no time limit that defines a material as biodegradable. ↩

Definition: make organic waste into compost. ↩

Chemical fertilizers are fossil fuel intensive; using compost effectively reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and saves money for farmers and gardeners. ↩

Chemical fertilizers are fossil fuel intensive; using compost effectively reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and saves money for farmers and gardeners. ↩

Definition: Occurring, or existing in the absence of oxygen ↩

Definition: Occuring with oxygen ↩

Definition: to supply with air ↩

Brown organic material contains large amounts of carbon but little nitrogen. Brown material includes dry leaves, wood chips, and branches. ↩

Green organic material contains large amounts of nitrogen. This includes grass clippings, food scraps, and manure. ↩