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State of Practice for Emerging Waste Conversion Technologies
Citation:
Thorneloe, S. State of Practice for Emerging Waste Conversion Technologies. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2012.
Impact/Purpose:
To develop a report provide state of the art information on waste conversion technologies being marketed to state and local government for management of municipal solid waste. A life-cycle analysis was conducted comparing emerging and conventional technologies.
Description:
New technologies to convert municipal and other waste streams into fuels and chemical commodities, termed conversion technologies, are rapidly developing. Conversion technologies are garnering increasing interest and demand due primarily to alternative energy initiatives. These technologies have the potential to serve multiple functions, such as diverting waste from landfills, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and lowering the environmental footprint for waste management. Conversion technologies are particularly difficult to define because their market is in development and many of their design and operational features are not openly communicated by vendors. EPA’s Office of Research and Development conducted research to evaluate and develop a “State of Practice” report for State and local decision-makers on the suite of emerging waste conversion technologies. The technologies information includes the general categories of pyrolysis, gasification, and anaerobic digestion. The objectives for this report were to develop: • An overview of each waste conversion technology, identifying the types of feedstock that have or can be used in each process and the air, water, and waste emissions. • Information on energy and mass balance for each technology. • Information on the economics of the technologies to help decision-makers understand the key cost factors and economic feasibility. • A listing and maps of proposed and operational facilities in the United States and pertinent examples for each technology. • A summary of key findings and considerations decision-makers should be aware of when evaluating waste conversion technologies.