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Waste to Energy Plants Outweighing the Negative

Waste to Energy Plants Outweighing the Negative. Léokham O’Connor IDS 3301 Dr. Demers Florida Gulf Coast University 4-02-09. Waste Energy. Waste to energy plants are mass burn technologies in which everything is burned at extremely high temperatures

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Waste to Energy Plants Outweighing the Negative

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  1. Waste to Energy PlantsOutweighing the Negative Léokham O’Connor IDS 3301 Dr. Demers Florida Gulf Coast University 4-02-09

  2. Waste Energy • Waste to energy plants are mass burn technologies in which everything is burned at extremely high temperatures • Waste to energy started off with no filtration for hazardous air emissions • No federal or state regulations • Now advanced technology such as the bag filtration and monitoring systems • More stringent EPA standards, there are loopholes but there still there

  3. Introduction • Waste Energy plants are a multi-functional alternative energy solution for society’s waste and energy challenges and are better for the environment than other alternatives. The U.S. burns 14 percent of its trash in waste-to-energy plants. Denmark, on the other hand, burns 54 percent.

  4. The United States • Americans represent 5% of the world’s population • 30% of the worlds garbage is generated • 63,000 garbage trucks everyday • Individually 90,000 lbs of waste from birth to death • Less than 2% is recycled • Every year • 3.5 billion lbs of carpet • 3.3 trillion lbs of CO2 gas • 19 billion lbs polystyrene foam peanuts • 28 billion lbs of food

  5. Waste Incinerators Timeline • 1865 - The first waste incinerator was built in Michigan • 1874 - The “Destructor” was Britain’s first attempt to burn waste to produce energy • 1905 - New York uses wastes incinerator to create electricity and light the Williamsburg Bridge • 1930’s – Incinerators became too expensive, making waste dumps a more viable option

  6. EPA Regulations • 1970 - Clean Air Act established to regulate air emissions • 1975 - goals were set for every state • 1976 - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act • More control over hazardous waste that includes generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal which laid a frame work for non-hazardous waste • 1984- Increased EPA enforcement authority in hazardous waste disposal and handling • 1990 - Technology based sources of emissions defined as major sources that emit 10 tons per year or 25 tons of hazardous air pollutants • MACT (maximum achievable control technology) test and review of standards

  7. EPA Regulations • 2005 - The EPA amends national emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for hazardous waste combustors under section 112 of the Clean Air Act more stringent requirements for the bag leak detection, air pollutants and other material residue left by the incinerators (EPA, 2009)

  8. Stimulus Bill 2008 • The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 takes effect. • This legislation extends tax credits for landfill gas and trash combustion facilities. • It also provides new tax credits for those who purchase capital investment bonds in renewable energy facilities.

  9. Current Technology

  10. Operating WTE Plants in the U.S. • These States with Waste-to-Energy plants HaveHigher Recycling Rates

  11. Environmental Concerns Air Emissions of Waste-To-Energy and Fossil Fuel Power Plants (Pounds per Megawatt Hour)

  12. Environmental Concerns • Dioxins are a major concern • Super toxic chemical that can cause immune to nervous system damage. • By-product of manufacture, molding, or burning of organic chemical • Toxicity is second to radioactive waste (Campbell). • The chemical in the incinerators are destroyed due to high temperatures of over 1800 F which destroy dioxins (Frederick County Government, 2008).

  13. Cons • Release of Dioxins • Already Occurring Naturally • Waste Energy < 1 % Total • Carbon Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide • Nitrogen Oxide • Man-made Sources • Contributes to Acid Rain • Perceived Reduction in Recycling • Constant burning to produce energy

  14. Pros • Create Revenue • Reduce Landfill • Unlimited Resource (Trash) • 26 States legally define Waste to Energy as a renewable resource • Ash recycled in construction • 1500 tons of trash produces about 40,000 kilowatts of electricity to power around 40,000 homes

  15. Conclusion • Waste to energy plants out weigh the bad by using the best technology to reduce air emissions and leaks • EPA regulations more stringent that leads the companies to find better technology or make existing technology better • Recycling is increased • We can reduce our consumptions but that will not change for awhile

  16. References • AHRB Centre for Environmental History. (2003). The Burning Issue: Historical Reflections on Municipal Waste Incineration. Retrieved from http://www.cehp.stir.ac.uk/resources/documents/burning-issue.pdf • Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) Incorporated and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition (SITE) (1998). Rotten Truth (About Garbage): Garbage Timeline1998. retrieved from http://www.astc.org/exhibitions/rotten/timeline.htm • Barbalace, R.C. (n.d.). History of Waste. Retrieved from EnvironmentalChemistry.com: http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/environmental/wastehistory.html • Brown, Howard. (1997, April 1). Ash Use on the Rise in United States. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from Penton Media: http://wasteage.com/mag/waste_ash_rise_united • Campbell, J. (n.d.). What Is Dioxin? Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Natural Therapies for Chronic Illness & Health Maintenance: http://www.cqs.com/edioxin.htm • Cobb et al (n.d), High strength Portland cement concrete containing municipal waste incinerator ash. Retrieve from http://www.anl.gov/PCS/acsfuel/preprint%20archive/Files/36_4_NEW%20YORK_08-91_1769.pdf • Combs, S. (2008, May 6). Municipal Waste Combustion. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Window on State Government: http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/energy/renewable/municipal.php • Covanta Energy. (n.d.). The EFW Process: A typical Covanta Energy-from Waste Facility. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Covanta Global: http://www.covantaenergy.co.uk/efw_process.shtml • Covanta Energy. (n.d.). The EFW Process: A typical Covanta Energy-from Waste Facility. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Covanta Global: http://www.covantaenergy.co.uk/efw_process.shtml • Covanta Energy Corporation. (n.d.). Energy from Waste 101. Retrieved February 16, 2009, from Covanta Energy Corporation Website: http://www.covantaholding.com/ • Covanta Energy Corp. (2009). Top Plants: Covanta Onondag Waste to Energy Plant, Jamesville, New York. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from http://www.powermag.com/ • Department of Energy. (n.d.). Officail Energy Statistics from the United States Government. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.doe.gov/ • Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2009 from http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1424&tab=summary

  17. References • Energy Aware Organization. (n.d.). Waste to Energy. Retrieved March 19, 2009, from Energy Aware Organization: http://www.getenergyaware.org/energy-waste-energy.asp • Environmental Protection Agency. (2008, November). Municipal Solid Waste in the United States. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from 2007 Facts and Figures: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw07-rpt.pdf • Environmental Protection Agency. (2008, April). NOx: What is it? Where does it come from? Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Six Common Air Pollutants: http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/nox/what.html • Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Timeline and Background Information for Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) for Hazardous Waste Combustors. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/td/combust/finalmact/cmb-noda-hpg2.htm • Frederick County Government. (2008, August 5). COMMISSIONERS PRESENT ACCURATE INFORMATION ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Integrated Waste Energy Association: http://www.wte.org/docs/08Aug_Frederick_rebuttal.pdf • Gales, E. (2008, July 6). Waste-to-energy plants a waste of energy, recycling advocates say. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from International Herald Tribune: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/04/business/rbogwaste.php • Lambert, T. (n.d.). A Brief History on Nottingham, Retrieved February 16, 2009, from http://www.localhistories.org/nottingham.html. • Landes, L. (2008, January 1). Zero Waste America. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/ • Lee, G. F., & Jones-Lee, A. (n.d.). Guidance on the Evaluation of the Potential Impacts of a Proposed Landfill. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from G. Fred Lee & Associates : http://www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/EvaluationImpactLF.pdf • Mettler, D. (2006) Energy from Waste. EnerG Alternative Sources Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2009 from http://www.altenerg.com/issue08art03.aspx. • Martin Gmbh für Umwelt. (2009, January 23). Energy recovery . Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Martin Gmbh für Umwelt: http://www.martingmbh.de/index_en.php?level=2&CatID=6.31&inhalt_id=27 • Melosi, M.V. (2001). Effluent America. Pittsburg, PA: University of Pittsburg Press. • Michaels, T. (2007, October 27). The 2007 IWSA Directory of Waste-to-Energy Plants. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from Integrated Waste Services Association: http://www.wte.org/docs/IWSA_2007_Directory.pdf • Michaels, T. Waste-To-Energy is a Climate-Friendly, Renewable Energy Source. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from Integrated Waste Services Association: http://www.wte.org/docs/WTE_climate_renewable.pdf • Montague, P. (2006, July 13). US: Waste Incinerators Making a Comeback. Retrieved March 17, 2009, from Corp Watch: Holding Corporations Accountable: http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13890 • National Energy Education Development Project, Museum of Solid Waste . (2006, September). Waste to Energy. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Energy Information Administration: Energy Kid's Page: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/saving/recycling/solidwaste/wastetoenergy.html

  18. References • Nickolsen, J. W. (2008). Timeline of Waste Management. Retrieved February 16, 2009, from Timeline Help: http://www.timeline-help.com/timeline-of-waste-management-2.html • Olsson, S. et al. (2006). Environmental systems analysis of the use of bottom ash from incineration of municipal waste for road construction. Resources, Conservation and Recycling.(48), 26-40 • Petkovic, G. et al (2004). Environmental impact from the use of recycled material in road construction: method for decision making in Norway. Resources, Conservation and Recycling.(42), 249-264. • Waste Watch. (2004, October). History of waste and recycling information sheet. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wasteonline.org: http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/HistoryofWaste.htm • Wiles, S. C. & Shepherd, P. 1999. Beneficial use and recycling of municipal waste • combustion residues: A comprehensive resource document. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.1-143. Retrieve from 2-19-09 at http://www.rtadvisory.org/uploaded/files/25841.pdf. • United States Navy. (n.d.). Energy Technology Bulletin: Waste-To-Energy Projects. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from Department of Architecture: University of Hong Kong: http://www.arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/waste.pdf

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