Eco Factor: Waste to energy system breaks down garbage without incinerating it.
Houston-based Waste Management, a large waste company, has announced a joint venture with InEnTec to develop and commercialize large-scale plasma-gasification facilities, which will generate fuel and energy from waste commonly trashed in landfills. This new technique will make use of plasma arcs to break organic materials into syngas, which can further be burnt in gas turbines to produce electricity or can also be converted into other fuels like gasoline and ethanol.
The technology makes use of plasma-arcs to break down organic material, which eliminates the production of dioxins and furans, the emissions of which are commonly associated with incineration processes. The new venture, S4 Energy Solutions, plans to market the first gasification units in specialized markets as those concerned with the disposal of automobile shredder residue and medical waste, which cannot be disposed in landfills.
Via: TechnologyReview
