Waste-to-Energy Technologies
As long as man is alive, he will be producing wastes, and if he is not creative enough, he could be buried in the wastes he creates. This may be a figure of speech, but at the rate wastes are being generated, it might happen. Thanks to these waste-to-energy technologies, some creative solutions have been found.
While everybody is worried about the recovery of the economy and how to bounce back after the recession, everybody however does not stop consumption and continues to generate in the process all kinds of wastes: human, domestic, municipal, industrial, any waste. And while no one was looking, a new wave of technology has come to the scene to attend to the conversion of wastes into productive use and possibly contribute to economic recovery.
As long as man is alive, waste is natural. But if man is not creative or wise enough, he might find himself buried in the increasing volume and amount of wastes he generates. It is no longer enough to proceed along the lines of the 3 R’s of the environmental advocates (reduce, reuse and recycle), although some conversion is possible doing these. The problem is how to get everybody to take care of his own 3 R’s.
Here is the solution. What is needed is a creative methodology that will convert waste into usefulness without causing harm to the environment. Enter “waste-to-energy” technologies.
Image via Wikipedia
It appears that while everyone was busy consuming, some ideas were brewing. For example, one waste-to-energy concept that has been implemented recently involves what they call plasma gasification – a process that subjects wastes to a transformation inside a gasification chamber using heat to convert it into clear gas that can be used to fuel combustion engines to generate electricity. The process does not have any air emissions, thereby securing the surrounding air. Moreover, whatever solid residue is produced is melted for manufacture into construction pellets. The process clearly solves the problem of wastes, and more, it creates energy for the use of business and homes. It certainly is a better alternative to landfill.
There are other various types of waste-to-energy technologies that emerged, including pyrolysis, combustion, fermentation, esterification and anaerobic digestion. Some of these use thermal processing; some use chemical or biochemical processing. The most important thing in these technologies is that aside from disposing waste permanently, the processes even create energy and other utilizations for the benefit of mankind.
Every country should consider adopting any one of these technologies for whatever advantage they can get, instead of resorting to the dumping of their wastes in under developed countries which is what some developing countries are doing. This dumping practice is not only unconscionable and an insult to humanity. It also does not contribute to the preservation of the environment as much as it can even cause harm while in the process of transport.
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brilliant article
Sir Orlando, it’s nice of you to have written about this subject matter. I wish our Local Government Units in the Philippines could afford the implementation of these technologies or some private companies would venture into these.
Thank you. Chipmunk. Thank you RB. I will keep on writing hoping some enterprising groups may see the feasibility of these technologies for use in the Philippines.
This is an excellent idea. I hope the Philippines catches up with this technology before the whole country becomes a dump site. Great write as usual kabayan!
that is an interesting idea. hopefully this will solve the problem on pollution as well as solving many other crises. tnx for sharing this one.