Cleveland is not the only city in Ohio that is turning to greener technologies to make a difference in their communities. Clyde, a small town near Sandusky, is looking at joining the ranks of other towns in northwest Ohio to create cleaner and greener energy. This time, however, they are not turning to solar power like so many of their neighbors. They are looking at turning trash into energy. From the News-Messenger website:
The idea is to build a traditional recycling center and an industrial-sized pyrolyzer. The pyrolyzer will take trash and heat it in the absence of oxygen to create pyro-gas, which is similar to natural gas. The pyro-gas will be used to run engines that power turbines to create electricity…
Some advantages of pyrolysis include eliminating future landfill methane by diverting waste and controlling ground and surface water pollution. It also has a closed loop design, which means the gases burn completely during electricity generation. It also discourages pathogens and rodents that would be in a landfill, the company said.
This is similar to the model that is being planned for the Cleveland area. I am not a fan of landfills, so anything to turn trash into something else makes me happy. Besides, the facility would increase recycling and turn the current hand sort method into an automated plant. This builds capacity and makes recycling across the region easier to maintain and support. It would lower local energy costs for local residents as well.
You go Clyde!
This scheme is just another experimental “incinerator-in-disguise.” It will turn trash into toxic waste products, while releasing toxic air emissions in the community. Communities are fighting these types of projects all over the world. Clyde residents should do their homework and organize to stop this ridiculous scheme before it poisons and bankrupts the community, as so many other incinerators have done. See http://www.energyjustice.net/incineration/ for more info and to get in touch with a group that can help you stop this crazy idea. Genuine solutions to solid waste issues involve source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting, not these “pretend we’re not an incinerator” polluting experiments. These genuine solutions also create far more jobs.
While I am not familiar with the technology in full, I believe that this type of closed system burning reduces actual emissions and harnesses gas to burn cleanly to produce energy. I am all for reduce, reuse and recycle as the primary means of dealing with waste. Still, if this is truly the clean technology that it claims to be, it could be a great way to help produce clean energy while reducing landfill waste. Today’s technologies do not mean a simple burning of garbage that result in CO2 emissions and pollution. I never feel that a trade off between landfill and air pollution is a good move. I will have to look closer at the technology in question and at the site you recommend.