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Conversion Technology 101

Conversion Technology 101. Southern California Emerging Waste Technologies Forum. July 27, 2006. Presented by Coby Skye Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Welcome. Current Solid Waste Management System in Los Angeles What Are Conversion Technologies? Where Do We Go From Here.

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Conversion Technology 101

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  1. Conversion Technology 101 Southern CaliforniaEmerging Waste Technologies Forum July 27, 2006 Presented by Coby SkyeLos Angeles County Department of Public Works

  2. Welcome • Current Solid Waste Management System in Los Angeles • What Are Conversion Technologies? • Where Do We Go From Here

  3. The Solid Waste Management Hierarchy in California: • Source Reduction • Reuse • Recycling/Composting • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • 4. Environmentally Safe Transformation andLandfilling DisposalDiversion AB 939

  4. Solid Waste Generation in California (& Los Angeles County) • Total generated: 78 (24) million tons/year • Total diverted (3 Rs): 37 (12) million tons/year • Total disposed (landfilled or incinerated): 41 (12) million tons/year • Diversion Rates • Statewide: 48% • Countywide: 49% • City of Los Angeles: 62% * sources: CIWMB & L.A. County DPW, 2004

  5. Solid Waste Composition in CA • Organics (e.g. food & green waste) – 30% • Construction & Demolition – 22% • Paper – 21% • Plastics – 10% • Metals – 8% * source: CIWMB

  6. To Review the Problem: • Every year, 41 million tons of waste are disposed in CA, primarily in landfills, and the total amount disposed continues to grow • In L.A. County, disposal capacity is dwindling • Residual solid waste is incredibly heterogeneous • Up to 80% of residual solid waste is organic (green waste, paper, plastics, etc.)

  7. After Reducing and Reusing… Solid Waste Management Options Recycling Composting Landfill / Transformation

  8. Transformationas defined in CA Statute Incineration Conversion

  9. Comparison Conversion vs. Incineration • Materials are incinerated (burned) • High heat • Produces ash, which may be recycled, and may be used to generate electricity • Low public acceptance in CA • Thermal, Chemical,or Biological; does NOT include combustion/incineration • Temp. depends on process • May produce electricity, fuel, chemicals, ash, char, and/or other products • Public has little awareness of these processes

  10. What are Conversion Technologies… …and why are they important? Conversion Technologies are an array of emerging technologies capable of converting post-recycling residual solid waste into useful products and chemicals, green fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, and clean, renewable energy

  11. Sample Conversion Technologies Thermal: • Pyrolysis is the thermal processing of waste in the absence of oxygen • Gasification is the thermal processing of waste with a limited amount of oxygen using some combination of heat, pressure, and steam to convert materials directly into a gas

  12. Sample Conversion Technologies • Acid Hydrolysisis the chemical decomposition of waste using acid and water to split chemical bonds Chemical:

  13. Sample Conversion Technologies • Anaerobic digestion is the bacterial breakdown of organic materials in the absence of oxygen • Aerobic digestion is, essentially, composting Biological:

  14. Sample Conversion Technologies Facilities vary technology to technology, feedstock to feedstock and vendor to vendor. No two are alike. images reprinted with permission from CIWMB staff presentation, Dec. 2001, and from City of Los Angeles’ RENEW LA Plan, July 2005

  15. Potential CT Benefits • Ability to manage the State’s excess biomass and organic wastes (including biosolids, agricultural residue, etc.) • Ability to recover materials not feasibly recyclable for beneficial use • Reduce pollution and environmental impacts • Reduce dependence on landfills and waste exporting, maintaining local control over disposal • Ability to locally produce renewable energy and green fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, etc. • Promotes energy independence from foreign oil • Creates professional, long term “green collar” jobs • Reduces GHG emissions

  16. Where is Conversion? • Lack of development in CA is primarily due to 3 factors: • Cost, • Regulatory Hurdles, and • Misconceptions $ ?

  17. Where is Conversion? • Cost • L.A. County has relatively low landfill tipping fees ($28-35/ton). However as landfills close and more waste must be shipped to distant destinations, by truck or rail, conversion will become more competitive. $ • There are no existing commercial facilities in the U.S. using solid waste as a feedstock, making financing more difficult

  18. Misconceptions • Myth #1 -- Jurisdictions will utilize conversion facilities in lieu of implementing traditional recycling programs • Not true: conversion facilities will be handling post-recycled (residual) solid waste, and • Jurisdictions must still implement their recycling programs and comply with AB 939 • Myth #2 – Conversion facilities will produce excessive toxic emissions or will be exempt from stringent environmental laws/regulations • Not true: facilities must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and • Conversion technologies are capable of meeting all environmental standards/safeguards as may be required by necessary permits, and have been shown to reduce net pollution, including GHGs ?

  19. Regulations vs. Reality For example, a gasification facility must meet the following criteria (AB 2770, 2002): • Does not use air or oxygen in the conversion process (this is scientifically inaccurate, yet permanently coded into State law) • Produces no discharges of air contaminants or emissions (this is theoretically an impossible task) • Produces no discharges to surface or ground water • Produces no hazardous waste • Removes all recyclable materials and marketable green waste materials to the maximum extent feasible • Meets all applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances • Forbids a local agency from sending solid waste to the facility unless the agency has diverted at least 30 percent of their waste from disposal (this may conflict with Federal ICC)

  20. Summary • Conversion Technologies can recover materials otherwise destined for disposal • Conversion projects are in development throughout the Country • If local efforts are successful, California would lead the U.S. in the development of these advanced technologies • It’s important for scientists, politicians, policy makers, environmentalists, and industry to continue to collaborate and dialogue

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