Re: [greenyes] Re: Changing World Technologies

[Alan Muller <amuller@no.address>]

At 11:16 AM 3/11/2004 -0500, JRay3@no.address wrote:
> CWT is real, and their project at the Butterball Turkey plant in Carthage, MO
> has been running for many months now.  It was featured in an issue of one of
> the recycling trade rags last year.  Basically, it is a high temperature, 
> high
> pressure depolymerization process, akin to crude oil refining.  Visit
> http://www.changingworldtech.com/ for more info.

The two papers on the site are interesting, but it is not clear, on a quick 
read, to what extent they reflect actual operating results.


> A Google search will bring up plenty of opinions on the matter, including one
> from mindfully.org that dismisses the process as incineration in disguise.
> They fail to provide any supporting documentation that the use of
> turkey-derived oils will release anywhere near the toxins suspected to be 
> released during
> the incineration of poultry litter.
> http://www.mindfully.org/Air/2003/Burn-Turkey-Waste-Energy16may03.htm

But it seems you are confusing the depolymerization of turkey fat (which I 
think might be doable...) with the incineration of turkey litter (excrement 
plus wood chips).  This is hardly the same thing.

> Biodiesel from turkey fat can be a legitimate ingredient in creating a modern
> society that more closely resembles something sustainable.

Maybe so.  but the company claims to process "(offal, blood, feathers, 
bones, DAF skimming, grease, etc)"

Lets seem some material/energy balances for the process.  An lets see the 
air permits.

>  Dismissing all forms of energy recovery from waste without a more 
> careful examination of each
> case does not serve the environmental cause well.

Who is doing that.?  But that vast majority of cases, when examined, turn 
out to be undesirable, and are usually some deceptively-repackaged form of 
incineration.

This CWT process has been so over-hyped than experienced people are bound 
to be dubious.  Let's hope that there is something useful and beneficial in it.

Alan Muller