Agenda - 10-07-2008 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Appendix B Overview of Waste Processing Technologies (WPT) 1~1 ""Proven" Technologies Waste has been converted to beneficial use on o large scale for well over 100 years. vv�h electric was first to M5VV in 1894 in New Incineration ( known as York City. Sinoathattirn�,theburningofi�SVV vv�henergYnecmvery^no� ~~ '' - VTE) has matured into a safe, effective and environmentally acceptable technology. The proven large-scale waste processing methods include incineration and starved- air combustion, as defined below: : This is the controlled combustion of organic or inorganic waste with more than the ideal air /stoiohiornethc1 requirement - excess air - to assure that complete burning occurs. Starved air incineration utilizes less air than conventional incineration, " and it produces similar in appearance to that from a conventional incineration process. The -� so� that result are burne d in a second chamber. The lower air requirement leads to smaller equipment sizes. This process, however, is an incineration process. Refuse-derived Fuel (RD : An RDF system processes waste by shredding it and removing " '~''~~~ metals ' in preparation for combustion. The -removal of non- combustibles can increase the specific heat content by over 1O percent and can allow for revenues from the metals removed. It has been found that recycling, the nmost /neferrod waste mnanagenment option aside from waste reduction, increases when VVT� exists in the United States as well as in other countries' As shown in 8�Cmz�'s "2OO6 State of G arbage in America," (http'//wvw' jgpnyss.00n/archives/_ƒree/OOO84 Q . ht |), mo st of the states with large rates have recycling rates higher than the national recycling energy recovery percent.' These recycling rates range from 43 percent in Minnesota av�ragec��m'� p� . �-- ' - l to percent in Connecticut (where 21 percent of the waste is burned for energy) pa ^whe°= O5 percent of the waste is burned for energy). North Carolina illustrates the !,ve-~- with 19 percent recycling and '9 percent combustion for energy' inverse with where VVTE exists, there is greater public awareness of waste disposal and the need to deal with waste reduction overall. Other methods of MBVV disposal, such as mixed-waste composting and |andM||ing, are being used but they are becoming less and less attractive. Mixed-waste composting requires large land areas, creates significant odor, and produces compost that is limited in its application because of contaminants. Landfi||ing is not a processing technology, it is storage. It also requires large land areas or a large capital investment, generates methane (a greenhouse gas that is- more than 20 times as potentasoarbon dioxide, which is generated from VVTE), and creates other ---� 1 BI Cycle includes recycling, composting, yard waste, VVTEand|andfiUod|ecdoninhsfigures - EPA reports MGV from a slightly different source. They include coUactonrecaiptsfordonest^ waste and for industrial waste, but their recycling quantities are derived from firms that recycle the waste, such as paper mills or steel plants, rather than from collection data. This difference in methodology from that used byB�Vg6e is reflected in the difference in recycling rates in the United ~States in 2006, which is reported es32.596 by EPA and 28.596 byBioc��. GBB/CO8027-01 B-1 August 15, 2008