Peter,
Is there any data on the fugitive emissions from food wastes delivered "by pipe"? Would the fugitive emissions from food wastes be higher than what must also be occurring with standard sewage?
Also, I was curious about your point that much of the value of food waste is being lost if it isn't source separated. Don't most of the larger POTWs capture and reuse methane from all organic matter that is delivered "by pipe"? If so, this would seem to capture the energy value of the food waste, regardless of which way it reached the plant. Are you mostly worried about the degradation of the biosolids due to commingling with more contaminated wastes?
Doug
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>>> <pslote@no.address> 6/10/2008 12:35 PM >>>
Ann - The City of Oakland Recycling staff has been consulting with EBMUD on their commercial food scraps program. Some issues:
1) Fully capitalized, existing digesters that aren't currently used represent "stranded capacity" which EBMUD is planning to utilize with source-separated, trucked-in food scraps from restaurants and institutions, a high-value feedstock for energy production. This is a major part of the value proposition. Interestingly, these digesters have gone unused due to the flight of the food processing sector from the EBMUD service area to the Central Valley. Well, a lot of that food is consumed here, and it's finding it's way back to these digesters.
2) Another critical part of the value proposition is that the solids produced from digestion of source-separated food scraps can go to existing composting facilities, ones that don't take bio-solids. Furthermore, the solids from food scraps have been stabilized and contain lower VOCs. This is a great fit in the current environment of tightening emissions requirements for composting facilities: it means more tons can be composted at a fixed emissions threshold.
3) I've been told that these same food scraps sent "by the pipe" (via sink disposals) degrade every step of the way creating fugitive emissions.
4) And of course, material sent by the pipe aren't source separated, so a lot of potential value is lost. Source-separation is a hallmark of highest-best use recycling. Same thing applies, with qualifications, to digestion of commercial food scraps.
This isn't a universal answer to management of all organic discards or even all food scraps. It is a great addition to the portfolio of options for clean, source-separated food scraps, where treatment capacity, and the other conditions supporting this effort in Oakland, exist.
Peter Slote City of Oakland Public Works Agency Solid Waste and Recycling Programs Visit www.zerowasteoakland.com now!
On Jun 8, 6:58 pm, Ann Schneider <schneider...@no.address> wrote: > Hi ZWForum, CNRCC Energy & Climate Comm & GRRN: > > Just curious but what is the general feeling in the greater recycling > community about sending food waste to sewage treatment plants (POTWs > publically operated treatment works) so energy can be recovered and the > end product I assume used as a soil amendment. In the study just > released below the food waste is kept separate from other materials > entering the POTW so should be no cross contaimation with sewage sludge. > > If this is a good idea, we may want to add this to suggestions we are > sending to Cool Cities as a good way for gargage and energy to work > together aka achieve both composting and energy goals and sustainability > goals (handling things close to the source) by getting each communities > POTW to add this type of process to their operations. > > Ann Schneider > Chair, National Zero Waste Committee > Sierra Club > Ann.Schnei...@no.address > > > > --------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Peck.C...@no.address > Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:37:01 -0700 > Subject: Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste Final Report Available > > Greetings, > > The US EPA, Region 9 Office of Pollution Prevention and Solid Waste is > pleased to announce the final report "Anaerobic Digestion of Food > Waste." > > In 2006 EPA Region 9 awarded a $50,000 grant to East Bay Municipal > District (EBMUD), a wastewater treatment facility in Oakland, California > to investigate anaerobically digesting food wastes from restaurants, > grocery stores and other food-handling facilities at a wastewater > treatment facility. EBMUD bench-scale digesters were fed only food > wastes, but were operated under a variety of conditions, varying > digester loading rates, temperature, and other parameters. The project > recovered significant quantities of energy from food waste as well as > high volatile solids reduction, showing the potential of diverting large > quantities of valuable food waste from landfills. > > The final report and a fact sheet summarizing the results can be found > on our website athttp://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/organics/ad/index.html > > Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. > > Thank You, > Cara Peck > U.S. EPA Region 9 > Office of Pollution Prevention and Solid Waste > (415)972-3382 > Peck.C...@no.address > > Recycling: It is not just about landfill diversion, it is about > replacing virgin material production which will significantly reduce > energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. > ____________________________________________________________ > Visa, MasterCard, AMEX & Discover. Compare Offers & Apply Online. Click here!http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3m2HW02otB3faR0mTff...- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
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