Landfills can be regarded as a viable and abundant source of materials and energy. In the developing world, this is widely understood and one may thus often find waste pickers scavenging for still usable materials. In a commercial context, landfills sites have also been discovered by companies and many have begun harvesting materials and energy
The alternatives to landfills are waste reduction and recycling strategies. Secondary to not creating waste, there are various alternatives to landfills. In the late 20th century, alternative methods of waste disposal to landfill and incineration have begun to gain acceptance. Anaerobic digestion, composting, mechanical biological treatment, pyrolysis and plasma arc gasification have all began to establish themselves in the market.
San Diego Union-Tribune
Letters: Waste to Energy
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 12:02 a.m.
In response to "Win-Win Waste System" (Letters, May 13):
The waste-to-energy concept is not new in San Diego. In the late 1980s, a 40-megawatt facility was within a gasp of beginning construction near San Marcos; that facility ultimately was doomed by cost issues. Another project recently disappeared due to management's financial naiveté. The projects did not fail because of technology. The concepts and working models were good science, using proven technology. The good news lies in the slow but sure approach being used by another San Diego startup: American Standard Renewable Fuels. As with the other projects, the technology works. The company is extraordinarily well managed and is actively looking to finance a number of projects. In addition, San Diego Gas & Electric has been a willing signatory in the past to power purchase agreements with companies proposing biomass projects. SDG&E meet ASRF; ASRF meet SDG&E.
PAUL O'NEAL
Temecula
