[Gasification] Pyrolysing compost to make fuel

[LINVENT at aol.com]

The concept of composting for fertilizing use or energy production has many 
pitfalls. First of all, composting converts carbon to carbon dioxide, reducing 
the heating value of the material. Secondly, most composting processes create 
microbial conditions which are detrimental to the normal soil microflora, and 
contain elements such as phosphate which accumulate in the soils and 
ultimately destroy their productive capacity. Unless one knows the complexities of 
plant nutrition, composting is an illusory benefit. Long term composting economics 
is very limited. 
     Besides the elevated thoughts about working various technologies 
together to reduce landfilling and other counter productive waste management 
practices, the facts are that many of the MRF's have been closed due to economics. 
This has included composting MRF's, including a $150mm North Counties Association 
(San Diego) debacle in which they reached 40% recycling rate which was high 
in the 80's and still were losing money faster than they could tolerate it. 
Thermal Electron built and operated the facility and when they closed the 
facility, TE's contract called   for compensation which all told cost the bond 
holders a total default.   One major US waste company built 42 MRF's and closed 24 
of them at last count. Closings included from odor, lack of market for the 
recycled materials, and of course, discontinuance of government support. Most of 
the materials went to the landfill when they were operating. 
     Any comparison between the US's condition and European operations has to 
be taken with the appropriate background. Tipping fees in EU can reach 
$150/ton. Renewable energy prices to the grid are $.13-.16/Kwhr. Regulations allow 
for incinerators to operate and in many cases, the incinerators do not operate 
within regulatory bounds but the government will not shut them down because 
there is no other option. Naples Italy ships 3000 tons/day of waste to Germany 
because they decided to close all of the landfills in Campagna province, 
planning on setting up MRF's and then incinerators, but when they went to build the 
incinerators, the environmental protestors raised such a stink that they had 
to shelve the idea. There are MRF's in the area which are merely piling up the 
RDF and in some areas, the raw garbage is piling up in the fields, making an 
otherwise beautiful and scenic country very stinky. The fact that land is not 
available for landfilling in Europe may be the first clue that they are 
different than the US. Unless one knows these facts, using whatever Europe does not 
have any bearing or pressure upon the US to do the same. 
     There is a saying that the "Devil is in the Details". Idealism suffers 
very painfully when it encounters facts in contravention, reality, however, 
that is where we have to live. 



Sincerely,
Leland T. Taylor
Leland T."Tom" Taylor
President
Thermogenics Inc.
7100-F 2nd St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone:505-463-8422 Fax:505-268-9206 (call first)
Web:thermogenics.com