12-03-2008, 01:07 PM
Trash could be used to make fuel, but we'd have to separate it into vegetable and not vegetable waste for disposal. My guess is that a large segment of the US population will be challenged by such an exercise.
The energy solution is to look at each process that requires energy and determine the most practical solution. Waste treatment plants are now starting to put in power generation systems that are fueled by methane produce by the waste - zero fuel cost. At some of the pilot plants, this system has eliminated their dependence on grid supplied electricity. Trash dumps are looking at the same option. There is a lot of methane produced by the decomposition of garbage.
The energy solution is to look at each process that requires energy and determine the most practical solution. Waste treatment plants are now starting to put in power generation systems that are fueled by methane produce by the waste - zero fuel cost. At some of the pilot plants, this system has eliminated their dependence on grid supplied electricity. Trash dumps are looking at the same option. There is a lot of methane produced by the decomposition of garbage.