Pilot DEMO is scheduled, Oct. 8, 2014
Sun Pharmaceuticals, Inc. made a decision to build a DEMO manufacturing facility in USA for the 3rd generation CoDOPA. The designated initial application of the 3rd generation CoDOPA will be quantitative MSW resourcing and on-site treatment of dead animal bodies. CoDOP MSW resourcing technology converts MSW into four value-added products in one-step. MSW of USA contains more than 80% organic materials according to EPA data and our analysis. Higher percentage of organic materials means lower operating cost of CoDOP process. Northern American demand for the products of MSW resourcing is huge. The on-site treatment of dead animal bodies is very useful in developing countries.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)—more commonly known as trash or garbage—consists of everyday items we use and then throw away, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. This comes from our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
Figure 1. MSW Generation Rates, 1960-2012
In 2012, Americans generated about 251 million tons of trash and recycled and composted almost 87 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 34.5 percent recycling rate. On average, we recycled and composted 1.51 pounds of our individual waste generation of 4.38 pounds per person per day.
MSW including food and yard wastes, paper, metals, and electronics.
Figure 2. Total MSW Generation (by Material), 2012
251 Million Tons (before recycling)
I
Established waste treatment technologies
· Composting
· Incineration
· Landfill
· Recycling
As concern about landfill space increases, worldwide interest in recycling by means of composting is growing, since composting is a process for converting decomposable organic materials into useful stable products. Composting is one of the only ways to revitalize soil vitality due to phosphorus depletion in soil. Industrial scale composting in the form of in-vessel composting, aerated static pile composting, and anaerobic digestion takes place in most Western countries now, and in many areas is mandated by law. There are process and product guidelines in Europe that date to the early 1980s (Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland) and only more recently in the UK and the US. In both these countries, private trade associations within the industry have established loose standards, some say as a stop-gap measure to discourage independent government agencies from establishing tougher consumer-friendly standards. The USA is the only Western country that does not distinguish sludge-source compost from green-composts, and by default in the USA 50% of states expect composts to comply in some manner with the federal EPA 503 rule promulgated in 1984 for sludge products. Compost is regulated in Canada and Australia as well.
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high-temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and heat. The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste, and may take the form of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases must be cleaned of gaseous and particulate pollutants before they are dispersed into the atmosphere. In some cases, the heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power. Incineration has a number of outputs such as the ash and the emission to the atmosphere of flue gas. Before the flue gas cleaning system, if installed, the flue gases may contain significant amounts of particulate matter, heavy metals, dioxins, furans, sulfur dioxide, methane, and hydrochloric acid. If plants have inadequate controls, these outputs may add a significant pollution component to stack emissions.
A landfill site (also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump or dumping ground and historically as a midden) is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment. Historically, landfills have been the most common method of organized waste disposal and remain so in many places around the world. Some landfills are also used for waste management purposes, such as the temporary storage, consolidation and transfer, or processing of waste material (sorting, treatment, or recycling). Landfills may cause a number of problems. Damage can include infrastructure disruption, such as damage to access roads by heavy vehicles. Pollution of the local environment may occur as well, such as contamination of groundwater or aquifers by leakage or sinkholes or soil contamination. Pollution of local roads and water courses from wheels on vehicles when they leave the landfill can be significant and can be mitigated by wheel washing systems. Methane generated by decaying organic wastes may be released into the atmosphere. Methane is a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide, and can itself be a danger to inhabitants of an area because it is flammable and potentially explosive. Landfills may become a reservoir of disease organisms and disease vectors such as rats and flies, particularly from improperly operated landfills, which are more common in developing countries. Other issues include injuries to wildlife and nuisance problems such as dust, odor, vermin, noise pollution and reduced local property values.
Recycling is a process to change waste materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" waste hierarchy. Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics.
On June 2, 2014, EPA proposed a commonsense plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants. States, cities and businesses across the country are already taking action to address the risks of climate change. EPA's proposal builds on those actions and is flexible - reflecting that different states have a different mix of sources and opportunities, and reflecting the important role of states as full partners with the federal government in cutting pollution. This proposal will maintain an affordable, reliable energy system, while cutting pollution and protecting our health and environment now and for future generations. Under the Clean Power Plan for existing power plants, each state has its own target (due to regional variation in generation mix and electricity consumption). Overall, the rule is designed to cut emissions 30 percent from 2005 emissions by 2030, with an interim target of 25 percent on average between 2020 and 2029. EPA is expected to finalize this rule by June 2015.
Green deicer
Depending on where you live, deicing may be an inevitable (and frustrating) part of your daily life.
People has seen an increasing interest in "green" deicers in recent years. "The whole world is going in that direction. Ten years, fast forward, you won't be able to buy things like rock salt because they'll be outlawed," Many chemicals in deicers are known to cause burns on pets' paws, and in the case of cats can be toxic if they ingest the deicer while cleaning themselves.
When looking at deicers, the first things you may want to consider are ways to reduce or eliminate use. For example, you can use an ice chopper, which is hard work, but better for the environment. If you do use a deicer, timing the usage with snow removal can make a big difference.
1. For dry/powdery snow, to sweep or shovel the snow as soon as possible to eliminate the need for deicer.
2. For heavy/wet snow, apply deicer as soon as snow begins falling in order to prevent it from bonding and creating an ice barrier.
3. For sleet/freezing rain, apply deicer early in order to prevent build-up.
4. And for significant snowfall, more than two inches, shovel first and then put down the deicer.
Chemical deicers generally work by either generating heat or extracting heat from the environment, contact between the ice and deicing chemicals creates "brine." The brine seeps downward to contact paved and other impervious surfaces. The brine then spreads outward, breaking the bond between ice and cold surfaces. Many commonly used deicers can create an environmental hazard from run-off into bodies of water or by damaging salt-sensitive vegetation.
The 8 most commonly used chemicals for deicing
1. Sodium chloride, otherwise known as salt, began being used on roadways in the 1940s. Salt is cheap, but the most damaging to the environment according to research by the Iowa State University. Salt is also corrosive to concrete and metal. Salt becomes less effective below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Calcium chloride comes in flake, pellet or liquid form. Calcium chloride often out-performs other deicers due to its ability to give off heat as it melts as well as being able to work at extremely low temperatures.
3. Potassium chloride usually has a high salt index and is known to damage foliage and inhibit root growth.
4. Urea, which is synthesized from ammonia, has a lower potential to damage foliage than potassium chloride.
5. Calcium magnesium acetate is a relatively new melting agent which is salt-free. The compound is made from dolomite limestone and acetic acid. Calcium magnesium acetate causes little damage to concrete or plants. It is often used in areas that are environmentally sensitive.
6. Potassium Acetate for Ice and Snow Melt, Safe for runways: meets FAA approved specifications, Minimal environmental impact: non-persistent, biodegradable, low BOD, Fast: runways are available sooner for Extended airport operation, Staying power: works longer, requiring fewer applications, Easy to apply: applied with existing equipment, Active at sub-zero temperature (freeze pt. -75°F), Improved safety during weather event, Cost effectiveness, Moderate pH range (9.3-10.3)
7. The freezing temperature of calcium acetate is lower than that of sodium chloride when they have same molar concentration, the deicing performance of calcium acetate is better than that of sodium chloride when they have same moles, calcium acetate almost is not corrosive on steel-nail.
Reported by American Chemistry Council, Formic Acid and Formates Panel, multigenerational studies of calcium formate indicate very low environmental impact at the Halifax airport, in support of the use of calcium formate as a green deicing compound on runways.
MSW will clean air pollution, September 2014
Product A form MSW resourcing is found to be capable of oxygen activation at room temperature. Activated oxygen molecules can destroy all VOCs and microbes in air.
