Hope in Garbage

Living in a third world country, we are plagued by our inefficient garbage disposal. Although we currently have laws in place, instructing us to segregate our plastics, biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage, but strict penalties are not enforced in case we do not comply. This is mainly because our friendly neighborhood garbage men takes care of it for us because there’s money in it for them. They get to sell the paper, aluminum cans, etc. for themselves. Yet, we still have loads of municipal wastes that are simply dumped in open fields. We do not have enough proper recycling centers, properly managed landfills or even incinerator plants.

Those three garbage disposal centers are the most common facilities throughout the rest of the world when it comes to handling your garbage. Recycling plants only handle about 30% (in the U.S.) and 40%-60% (in Europe) of the total garbage generated. Landfills take forever to decompose garbage. Plus the fact that if it’s not handled properly, there is a danger of it contaminating the ground water. Although incinerator plants seem ideal because they get rid of trash and at the same time generate electricity, but they emit huge amounts of carbon monoxide in the air thus converting our beloved garbage into something we could literally breathe in and adds greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

When it seemed like there is truly no hope of ever getting rid of our trash problem, here comes a new addition to the list of garbage disposal facilities created by the Plasco Energy Group. It is a waste-to-energy plasma gasification plant. Basically, what it does is it uses plasma to not only effectively decompose garbage at a fast rate and reduce it to 1.3kg of heavy metals and activated carbon per tonne, it also produces synthetic gas which could power engines to produce electricity (or can produce fuel gas like hydrogen). The ashes generated from the plasmagasification of the garbage creates slag which could be used for building materials, road bed aggregates, insulators and even jewelry. To top it all off, instead of the city paying for garbage disposal services, it can actually earn from getting rid of it. Thus, making garbage in itself, a commodity.

Their ingenuity has filled me with hope for my own country. If a third world country like ours cannot afford to buy a plasma gasification plant, then it is possible to sell our garbage instead of paying someone to get rid of it. Then, maybe in time, we would be able to afford one. It could in turn help bring down electricity costs, help us convert to hydrogen powered vehicles easier and soon after, could bring down costs of basic commodities and goods. It could also bring so much needed focus on conserving our beautiful tropical country with its gorgeous scenery, dive sites, beaches and wonderful people who deserve much more than what they have now.

I know I am over simplifying things and we’re still a long way off since the plasma gasification plant is still in its testing and approval stages, and the fact that my government has to sort through a lot of internal problems, I can’t help but feel hopeful that I might be able to see a huge environmental transformation in the world within my lifetime. It may be, that the very garbage we are using to harm our earth might be the very same thing that can help transform it.