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IMPROVING RESOURCE RECOVERY OF ORGANIC WASTE TO ALLEVIATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN A DEPRESSED URBAN ENVIRONMENT
Impact/Purpose:
Environmentally, the products created from this waste can be used to solve problems such as wetlands deterioration, and polluted air and waterways in New Orleans, through the application of innovative technology in composting and biomass energy. Economically, the diversion of organic waste from landfills will reduce the costs of transporting and depositing this waste in landfills. In addition, the organic waste will be converted into revenue-generating products whose profits can be reinvested into the local economy. Socially, this plan will promote community support and involvement in solving local problems by improving the living area surrounding the current waste disposal sites.
Description:
New Orleans East is a unique area that is both ecologically and economically critical to the rest of the city due to the presence of valuable wetlands and dense industries. Several of these industries generate large amounts of organic waste, which create multiple problems. These problems include the presence of a noxious dumping site near a disenfranchised neighborhood, declining property values, and the high cost and environmental hazards of depositing this waste in landfills. The city and private sector have failed to solve these issues, leaving one undercapitalized composting facility to manage the organic waste in the area. With proper planning, management, coordination, and education, this accumulation of organic waste can be converted from a problem into a solution that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.