Agenda - 09-02-2008 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Executive Summary This examination of alternative waste processing technologies (WPT) was undertaken at the behest of the Orange County Board of Commissioners to explore and evaluate alternatives to landfill disposal of the County's municipal solid waste. The purpose of this white paper is to initiate that evaluation and brief the County's solid waste staff, elected officials, Solid Waste Advisory Board, and citizens on state -of- the -art solid waste processing technologies, emerging technologies and their applicability to the County's needs, and the potential of these technologies to contribute to the County's overall solid waste management system. Orange County generated approximately 116,000 tons of waste in FY2006 -07, or about 318 tons per day (TPD). Of that material, 62,900 tons or 172 TPD were disposed of in landfills, and 29,700 tons or 24 percent was recycled. The County is examining ways to achieve its goal of 61 percent waste reduction, up from their current rate of 48 percent. The County's landfill is projected to close in 2011. The County has decided to manage its future waste using a transfer station and contracting for disposal in an out -of -County landfill as well as examining the feasibility of alternatives. Traditional waste processing technologies now in operation have the potential of managing most of the County's non - recycled waste. Generally, WTE plants reduce the processed waste tonnage by 75 percent and the volume by 90 percent. This leaves a residue, ash, which needs to be landfilled in a permitted Subtitle D landfill. In some states, ash may be used beneficially as alternative daily cover at landfills. Even at 75 percent reduction by weight, a WTE facility has a dramatic effect on the amount of residual waste. This report examines both proven and unproven waste processing technologies. Table A -2 in the Appendices provides a comparison of these various technologies. Waste -to- energy (WTE) technologies profiled include: mass - burn /waterwall combustion, mass - burn /modular combustion, refuse - derived fuel (RDF) /dedicated boiler, and RDF /fluid bed. Although WTE plants range in size from 10 to 3,000 TPD in the U.S., 71 percent are 500 TPD or larger. Mass - burn /waterwall combustion is the most prevalent WPT in the U.S., employed at 65 of the 89 facilities. However, no new mass -burn WTE facilities have been built in the U.S. for over ten years. Ten WTE facilities currently operate in the Mid - Atlantic States region, processing almost 12,000 TPD. In North Carolina, New Hanover County owns a 500 TPD plant that produces electricity. In contrast to its smaller presence in the U.S., WTE is an accepted and commonly used waste processing technology worldwide, with 400 facilities in Europe, 100 in Japan, and 70 in other nations such as Taiwan, Singapore, and China. In addition to proven technologies, this report examines the emerging technologies of high- temperature gasification, fluidized -bed combustion, plasma -arc processing, non - thermal anaerobic digestion, and biological fuel production. Although technically not an emerging technology, biological fuel production has not been commercially proven using MSW as a feedstock. The historical and current context for development and use of WTE in the U.S. is explored, with waste processing technologies currently receiving renewed interest due to: the proven WTE track record, increasing fossil fuel costs, growing interest in renewable energy, a higher ranking in the EPA's waste management hierarchy, GBB /C08027 -01 ES -1 August 15, 2008