adam2 wrote:Burning waste to produce power is better than dumping it in landfill, but it would be better still to recycle more of the waste, and better still not to produce as much waste in the first place.
What exactly is the problem with dumping it into landfill? It's a lot less energy intensive than recycling it.
Apart from the other replies you ought to know that we are running out of holes to dump waste in so we have to find other solutions in Britain.
Also, waste in landfill has to be covered by inert layers and then topsoil to be able to use the land again. The organic components of the waste go through anaerobic decay and generate methane which leaks out of the site. That might be collected and used as fuel or it might just became more greenhouse gas.
It is much better to use the organic components as fertiliser and recycle any other material that can be recycled.
It's biodegradable. In fact, slugs eat it. It 'disappears'.
But people are required to scoop it up and put it in plastic bags.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
Surely the biggest problem is transporting all the waste to the processing plant.
Yopu can hardly build a pipeline to it so I guess it`s all going to be transported by lorry running on... (you guessed it!)
I`m not saying landfill is they way to go but this is no magic answer either.
adam2 wrote:Burning waste to produce power is better than dumping it in landfill, but it would be better still to recycle more of the waste, and better still not to produce as much waste in the first place.
What exactly is the problem with dumping it into landfill? It's a lot less energy intensive than recycling it.
True - in fact I think I'll just chuck my rubbish over next door's wall from now on, it's a lot less energy intensive than having to put the bin out on a Thursday.
True - in fact I think I'll just chuck my rubbish over next door's wall from now on, it's a lot less energy intensive than having to put the bin out on a Thursday.[/quote]
You only have to look in almost any ally in almost any town to see that this is already standard practice!
fubar1977 wrote:Surely the biggest problem is transporting all the waste to the processing plant.
Yopu can hardly build a pipeline to it so I guess it`s all going to be transported by lorry running on... (you guessed it!)
I`m not saying landfill is they way to go but this is no magic answer either.
If all the non recyclable plastics and other organic stuff was subjected to pyrolysis it could produce a biodiesel to power the collection vehicles.
