Re: greenyes-d Digest V99 #346

ZeroWaste@aol.com
Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:03:54 EST

Regarding Blair Pollock's question about renewable energy sources, the issue
as far as I'm concerned is that burning waste materials for energy almost
always generates less energy than the amount of energy that is conserved by
recycling that waste material. Using the waste material as a material input
for manufacturing new products conserves all the energy required to harvest
virgin materials for use in manufacturing products. Our study for Ontario
Hydro's 25-year supply-demand plan was one of the research reports that
established this fact several years ago. [For a peer-reviewed published
version see Jeffrey Morris, Recycling versus incineration: an energy
conservation analysis, Journal of Hazardous Materials 47 (1996) 277-293, or
the longer original study available through our website at soundresource.com,
or see Denison, Richard A., "Environmental Life-Cycle Comparisons of
Recycling, Landfilling, and Incineration: A Review of Recent Studies," Annual
Review of Energy and the Environment, 1996, Volume 21, pp.191-237]

Hope this helps the discussion.

Dr. Jeffrey Morris
Sound Resource Management
1477 Elliott Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119-1304

206-352-9565
206-352-9566 fax
ZeroWaste@aol.com, or info@ZeroWaste.com
www.SoundResource.com, www.Yelmworms.com, and www.ZeroWaste.com

SoundResource.com/SoundResource.com/Sound Resource.com
Visit Sound Resource Management's website at www.SoundResource.com for
downloadable research reports and The Monthly UnEconomist newsletter,
covering current research on the environmental benefits and everyday
economics of recycling. Also downloadable recycling market price history
(five to ten years, updated at least bimonthly) and forecast charts and
tables for mixed paper, newspaper, cardboard, glass, aluminum cans, steel
cans, PET bottles and HDPE bottles for the Northwest and Northeast, as well
as comparisons of historical prices for recycled versus virgin materials. Low
subscription fee of $19.50 gives you password access for 12 months to this
important and regularly updated information on recycling.
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