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The question is if energy is utilized at which degree.
So, if I talk about waste-to-energy, I refer to co-generation and substituting for fossil
fuels. The use of plastic itself can be saving of
CO2 emissions.
For example, automobiles. Plastic reduces the weight of automobile,
therefore fuel consumption, which means less CO2 emissions.
If at the end, we use let's say the shredder residues (from automobile end-of-life shredding)
in a waste-to-energy plant, we substitute for a fossil fuel.
And so, using mixed plastic wastes for waste-to-energy is helpful in terms of energy efficiency,
resource conservation, and reducing adverse green house gas emissions.
We have done the (material and energy) balances in the city of Vienna (and found) that waste-to-energy
in Vienna is combined with district heating and production of electricity reduces 1.4
tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared to landfilling
the waste with recovery of some landfill gas and using it in gas motors.
So, 1.4 tonnes of CO2 can be saved by 1 tonne of municipal residual waste going into the
waste-to-energy facility in Vienna. That's significant.
- I just had a question for Franz from his perspective in Europe.
One common objection that I hear is that once waste-to-energy facilities are built, you
have to feed the beast. And they work as an economic disincentive
to increasing diversion or recycling programs. I wonder if he has a comment relative to that
and whether that's been true in his experience in Vienna?
- It is not true. You have to see the complete picture (and)
do not misunderstand something. We have some big struggles in the European
Union because we have countries who rely completely on landfills and they have a very strong landfill
lobby with a lot of profit, and business practices I wouldn't like to discuss.
So, in these countries, the cost for just dumping waste in landfills is of course much
lower than having proper waste-to-energy and proper recycling facilities.
Now, we have built in some countries, recycling facilities and waste-to-energy facilities,
let's say which would take US$ 70/tonne and then you have in a neighboring place, not
far away, a waste dump which takes the waste for US$ 20/tonne.
So, the waste is going to where its cheaper. I learned in the United States, a very important
political statement was: Its economics stupid! You have to look into the economics and there
is a very strong economics on the part of the landfill lobby.
It is big business. Environmentalists I would say, and I myself
coming from the environmental lobby and from environmental organizations.
People who understand environmental about environmental issues are more likely to be
pro waste-to-energy. I'll give you a recent example.
The third largest town in Austria is Linz. Linz is a city which does not have a very
good air quality. They have some problems because of industry
and poor meteorology. Now, the idea was to make a waste-to-energy
plant for the utility company of Linz in the city of Linz.
You would think, according to U.S. thinking, and I believe by the time in the U.S., this
is unthinkable. So, we prepared really checking alternatives,
preparing among the alternatives what we would recommend and the State Governor, the responsible
head of this deputy department is a Green Party member.
He issued the permit for that plant. The municipality in the (down) wind direction
of Linz has a Mayor who is a Green Party member. He did not oppose to the plant. He accepted
it. In the public discussions in the city of Linz,
we had not one person objecting to the waste-to-energy plant.
So, we received the permit with no objection. We have built it and everybody is happy with
it. It provides for district heating, and for
some electricity production. (It is) in the middle of the city of Linz.
So, you see (that) the argument that environmentalists are against waste-to-energy does not hold.
There are other - typically either economic issues or lack of understanding - (issues)
in the background. Or maybe inappropriate technology.
I would not exclude that. There are some projects which are not designed
according to what it should be. There are some stupid projects, yes.
But, as a principle, waste-to-energy - if its done in a proper way - is positive.
Also, from the perspective of environmental impact.