Shortstown Online!

Do any of you wonder what happens to the domestic waste that is collected from your bins on a hopefully regular basis?  Since the 1950’s the vast majority of domestic waste will have been deposited within landfill sites situated all over the country.  As one site reaches full capacity new sites are identified and procured and so the sorry story continues.  From the mid 1960’s the production of methane from landfill waste has become an ever increasing problem.  Methane has twenty times more capacity to store heat than CO2, and is therefore classed as a far more potent greenhouse gas.

It is therefore common sense to either use the methane and other gases generated by waste during the anaerobic digestive process (gases given off during the natural rotting process of waste products), or to burn suitable waste to create heat and/or steam to supply turbines that will generate power.  Not only do you get the benefit of useable energy, but the legacy of leaving millions of tons of waste for future generations can be curtailed and eventually eradicated.

The plant at Rookery South Pit appears to be primarily of the incinerator type, and there are many plants of this type operating within the UK.  There will obviously be emissions from the process exhaust, but these emissions are closely controlled by European Directives and our own Environmental Agency.  The technology involved in the incinerating and especially the control of emissions process is extremely complex.  Domestic and industrial waste generation is a global problem, and waste to energy processes should be encouraged by all responsible governments.  The more the technology is allowed to be used and developed, the closer we get to a process that will result in zero emissions.

‘Not in my back yard’ is the common cry.  Well the next time you witness your household waste being transported away from your locality, spare a thought for the people that unfortunately reside in the vicinity of a landfill site that is about to accept your waste.  They have to put up with thousands of scavenging birds, vermin, flies and unpleasant odours.  Their back yard and general environment would be improved beyond description by one of these plants.