Anybody want to set the record straight? We need to make sure the US
Composting Council members understand our perspective.
Gary
From: "M Reilly" <maureen.reilly@no.address>
To: "US Composting Council Compost Discussion List"
<compost@no.address>
Subject: Re: [USCC] Biomass energy priorities ...
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 19:28:07 -0400
Due to the high levels of metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and
persistant pollutants that can be found in sewage sludges ('biosolids') it
makes far more sense to use them for energy generation than to compost them,
and thereby concentrate the persistant toxins for further distribution into
the foodchain.
Maureen Reilly
Toronto
----- Original Message -----
From: Lowell Prag <lprag@no.address>
To: US Composting Council Compost Discussion List
<compost@no.address>
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 11:55 AM
Subject: [USCC] Biomass energy priorities ...
> On Thu, 9 Sep 2004, Jim McNelly wrote:
>
> ... see below ...
>
> Hello Jim and other readers,
>
> I read the study you posted below on biomass energy.
>
> My observations are:
>
> It seems foolish to use farmland for growing crops for conversion to
> fuels rather than food production, until we have exhausted all other
> means for providing alternative fuels to wean us from fossil fuels,
> which is not the case.
>
> i.e:
>
> what is the methane content of all the organic waste in the USA
> which we are currently putting in landfills and incinerators?
>
> If we recovered that methane through the use of anaerobic composting,
> how much of our current fossil fuel use would that displace?
>
> It is obvious that such recoverable methane is an enormous amount but I
> have yet to see the exact figures for the USA and I should think that
> calculating and promoting that data would be the highest priority for the
> USCC, if one is serious about the wide spread implementation of anaerobic
> composting in the USA.
>
> Lowell Prag
>
> > >* Use of Biomass for the Production of Energy and Materials - On
> > >September 6, OECD issued a News Release, titled "Amid Volatile Oil
Prices
> > >OECD Report Calls for Policy Changes to Promote Biomass," which states
in
> > >part that " ... Plants and animal waste could become viable
alternatives
> > >to fossil fuels in providing energy and materials if governments
changed
> > >strategies ..." according to a new OECD report out today, which is the
> > >proceeding of an OECD Workshop on Biomass and Agriculture, held June 10
> > >through 13, 2003 in Vienna, Austria - The report is titled "Biomass and
> > >agriculture: sustainability, markets and policies" - According to the
> > >report " ... Instead of offering financial incentives or subsidies to
> > >stimulate the use of such organic material, known as 'biomass,'
> > >governments should encourage technical innovation as a way of narrowing
> > >the price gap with oil and gas products. This would stimulate demand
and
> > >boost the supply of bioproducts. Indeed, the recent volatility in oil
> > >prices has underlined the potential increased cost competitiveness of
> > >energy and raw materials produced from biomass. The report considers
that
> > >financial incentives for bioproducts, currently used in many countries,
> > >should be avoided as they distort markets and lead to a long term
> > >dependency on subsidies. Agriculture as a whole is under pressure to
> > >reduce overall support levels and establish carefully targeted policies
> > >and market-based approaches. Similarly, the report argues against
> > >subsidies favouring the use of fossil fuels. According to the report,
> > >long-term strategies should be developed that recognise the potential
of
> > >local resources and encourage the establishment of bio-refineries to
> > >recycle a range of farm by-products in addition to using grains,
oilseeds
> > >and sugar ..." - The complete text of the news release is posted at
> >
><http://www.oecd.org/document/63/0,2340,en_2649_33791_33701567_1_1_1_1,00.h
tml>http://www.oecd.org/document/63/0,2340,en_2649_33791_33701567_1_1_1_1,00
.html
> > >- The report is posted at
> >
><http://webdomino1.oecd.org/comnet/agr/BiomassAg.nsf>http://webdomino1.oecd
.org/comnet/agr/BiomassAg.nsf
> > >- OECD is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a
> > >group of 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic
government
> > >and the market economy - Its work covers economic and social issues
from
> > >macroeconomics, to trade, education, development and science and
> > >innovation - The OECD produces internationally agreed instruments,
> > >decisions and recommendations to promote rules of the game in areas
where
> > >multilateral agreement is necessary for individual countries to make
> > >progress in a globalised economy - Information about OECD is posted at
> >
><http://www.oecd.org/about/0,2337,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html>http://w
ww.oecd.org/about/0,2337,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
> > >
> > >
> >
>http://www.oecd.org/document/63/0,2340,en_2649_33791_33701567_1_1_1_1,00.ht
ml
> > >
> > >Amid Volatile Oil Prices OECD Report Calls for Policy Changes to
Promote
> > >Biomass
> > >
> > >06/09/2004 - Plants and animal waste could become viable alternatives
to
> > >fossil fuels in providing energy and materials if governments changed
> > >strategies, according to a new OECD report out today.
> > >
> > >Instead of offering financial incentives or subsidies to stimulate the
use
> > >of such organic material, known as "biomass", governments should
encourage
> > >technical innovation as a way of narrowing the price gap with oil and
gas
> > >products. This would stimulate demand and boost the supply of
bioproducts.
> > >Indeed, the recent volatility in oil prices has underlined the
potential
> > >increased cost competitiveness of energy and raw materials produced
from
> > >biomass.
> > >
> > >The report considers that financial incentives for bioproducts,
currently
> > >used in many countries, should be avoided as they distort markets and
lead
> > >to a long term dependency on subsidies. Agriculture as a whole is under
> > >pressure to reduce overall support levels and establish carefully
targeted
> > >policies and market-based approaches. Similarly, the report argues
against
> > >subsidies favouring the use of fossil fuels.
> > >
> > >According to the report, long-term strategies should be developed that
> > >recognise the potential of local resources and encourage the
establishment
> > >of bio-refineries to recycle a range of farm by-products in addition to
> > >using grains, oilseeds and sugar. Such complexes would be capable of
> > >producing both energy and materials derived not only from annual crops
but
> > >also grass, short rotation trees, cereal straws and other by-products.
> > >
> > >The report, Biomass and agriculture: sustainability, markets and
policies,
> > >comprising a series of papers presented by international experts,
argues
> > >that a significant shift could take place this century from a fossil
fuel
> > >to a biomass-based economy. To aid this process it suggests creating
> > >carbon markets which would provide credits to biomass producers for
> > >displacing fossil fuels.
> > >
> > >The report also reveals that:
> > >
> > >The prices of some niche market bioproducts such as plastics derived
from
> > >arable crops are already competitive with certain petroleum-based
> > >plastics. The car industry, for example, is making increasing use of
> > >bioplastics.
> > >
> > >Around 7% of heat generation and 1% of total electricity in OECD
countries
> > >is provided by agricultural bioenergy. In developing countries an
> > >estimated 25% of total energy demand is met by biomass, principally in
the
> > >form of firewood and animal dung.
> > >
> > >Because bioethanol, produced from sugar and grains, can be used in
> > >existing engines with little modification, it is easier to exploit than
> > >other alternative transportation fuels such as hydrogen.
> > >
> > >The report calls for international standards and codes of practice to
be
> > >established for biomass products to ensure that greenhouse gas
emissions
> > >are reduced and environmental benefits are maximised. A better
assessment
> > >of costs and benefits taking into account economic, environmental and
> > >social aspects is therefore needed. It adds that clear lines of
> > >communication should be established between the suppliers, processors
and
> > >potential users. Also, public education campaigns about the biomass
sector
> > >should be developed.
> > >
> > >Journalists may obtain a copy of the report from the OECD's Media
> > >Relations Division (tel: + 33 1 45 24 97 00). For further information
see
> > >the OECD website at www.oecd.org/agr/env, or contact Kevin Parris,
OECD's
> > >Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Directorate (tel: +33 1 45 24 95 68).
> > >
> > >END
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >The above information was sent to you by:
> > >
> > >Jack L. Cooper
> > >Food Industry Environmental Network
> > >33 Falling Creek Court
> > >Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
> > >Phone: 301 384 8287 --- Fax: 301 384 8340
> > >E- Mail: JLC@no.address
> > >WWW: http://www.fien.com
> _______________________________________________
> Compost maillist - Compost@no.address
>
> This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council.
>
> This month's sponsor of the list is:
> Cover-All Building Systems -
> Cover-All. buildings are the leading steel-framed, tension-membrane
buildings that are quick to install and offer multiple foundation options to
meet all composting building needs. Each building is constructed with
quality corrosion-resistant steel components and Cover-All's DuraWeave.
fabric membrane cover will never rust, even under the harshest conditions.
Contact 1-800-268-3768 or www.coverall.net
>
> Food Industry Environmental Network (FIEN), a regulatory and policy e-mail
alert service for environmental, food and agricultural industry
professionals.
> Contact Jack Cooper 301/384-8287 JLC@no.address --- www.fien.com
>
> Renewable Carbon Management, LLC with the containerized, in-vessel
NaturTech Composting System www.composter.com rcm@no.address
>
> (c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights reserved
> Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the Foundation
or Board of Directors.
>
> Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through our website
at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm For discussion list
policies and information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or
other options, go to:http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
>
> For additional help in unsubscribing or to report bugs and problems, send
a message to the List Manager, Jim McNelly, at jim@no.address
_______________________________________________
Compost maillist - Compost@no.address
This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council.
This month's sponsor of the list is:
Cover-All Building Systems -
Cover-All. buildings are the leading steel-framed, tension-membrane
buildings that are quick to install and offer multiple foundation options
to meet all composting building needs. Each building is constructed with
quality corrosion-resistant steel components and Cover-All's DuraWeave.
fabric membrane cover will never rust, even under the harshest conditions.
Contact 1-800-268-3768 or www.coverall.net
Food Industry Environmental Network (FIEN), a regulatory and policy e-mail
alert service for environmental, food and agricultural industry professionals.
Contact Jack Cooper 301/384-8287 JLC@no.address --- www.fien.com
Renewable Carbon Management, LLC with the containerized, in-vessel
NaturTech Composting System www.composter.com rcm@no.address
(c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights reserved
Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the Foundation
or Board of Directors.
Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through our website
at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm For discussion
list policies and information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest
or other options, go to:http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
For additional help in unsubscribing or to report bugs and problems, send
a message to the List Manager, Jim McNelly, at jim@no.address
Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485
www.garyliss.com
|