Lara Abrams Communications

Hi Tech Trash Solutions –

Time to explore high tech trash solutions
Toronto’s landfill purchase need not be only investment

Mark Evans, Financial Post

Published: Thursday, September 28, 2006
With a municipal election on the horizon, Toronto Mayor David Miller is probably feeling pretty buoyant after the City addressed one of its biggest issues — the disposal of garbage — by purchasing the Green Lane landfill site outside St. Thomas, Ont.Instead of trekking 750,000 tonnes of garbage a year across the border to Michigan, Toronto will send it to a landfill site a few hours down Highway 401 starting in 2010. Mind you, it could cost the City as much as $500-million over 20 years for this convenience.

Without wading into the frothy political battle emerging from the Green Lane deal, a question that begs to be asked is whether there are ways to use technology to deal with Toronto’s garbage or, at the very least, reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfill sites?

For whatever reason — political, economic, environmental — there seems to be little discussion about technology when it comes to dealing with the trash “problem,” which has become more urgent since Toronto’s Keele Valley Landfill site was closed in 2002.

In particular, there is a reluctance to discuss the “i” word — incineration. Whenever the idea of burning trash is raised, concerned citizens and environmentalists start talking about the harmful emissions and the large amount of ash generated that still has to be put in landfill sites.

While these concerns should not be dismissed, garbage is being incinerated around the world, particularly in Japan and Europe where there is a scarcity of land. Technology has played a key role in cutting the amount of pollution and toxins produced by incinerators, while, in many cases, generating electricity.

Earlier this month, Halton Region (north of Toronto) said it is exploring the idea of building an incineration plant. Halton is talking about a $250-million to $700-million facility that would convert trash into electricity.

In Florida, Geoplasma wants to build a US$425-million plasma arc gasification facility that would gasify and melt 2,721 tonnes of garbage a day by creating an arc between two electrodes and using high pressure air to create plasma.

Closer to home, Rod Bryden is trying to hit the entrepreneurial jackpot again with Plasco Energy Group, which has technology that can convert garbage into energy-rich fuel and material that can be used in concrete and asphalt. Last month, construction started on a $27-million demonstration plant in Ottawa that will handle 100 tonnes of garbage a day and produce 100 megawatts of power.

“Until a better solution is found, I believe when this plant is operating, it will be recognized as the method of choice to deal with waste,” Mr. Bryden said. “I would be very surprised we will continue to bury waste in this country after this technology is demonstrated. We can’t afford to to bury a megawatt of power for every tonne of waste.”

While high-tech methods are tantalizing, there are plenty of low-tech solutions for reducing trash. It wasn’t too long ago that composting consisted of putting garbage such as vegetables into a bin in your backyard, and hoping it turned into rich compost rather than a stinking pile of, well, garbage. Today, Toronto operates state-of-the-art facilities that turn everything from vegetables and meat to diapers and household plants into compost.
The amount of landfill destined for sites in Michigan and St. Thomas could also be reduced by encouraging/mandating companies and consumers to recycle glass and cans. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, for example, could charge a 50 cents deposit on every bottle it sells, much like the Canadian beer industry which gets a return rate of more than 97% on glass bottles.While it would be wrong to suggest technology, composting and recycling will eliminate the need for landfill sites, it is also wrong not to explore alternatives to burying our trash. Toronto may need to spend $500-million on a landfill site to meet its short-term needs but it must also make investments in other garbage-reduction methods. Some, such as incineration, may not be politically friendly but there must be better methods than putting garbage in the ground.

© National Post 2006