By using the technological equivalent of the power of lightning, a company called
Plasco, has a goal to turn our garbage problem into a profitable energy solution.

Plasmagasification is the process of turning waste into electricity.  Plasma is
sometimes called the 4th state of matter. The first state is solid, add heat to a
solid and it becomes the second state, liquid.  Add heat to a liquid and it is
converted into the third state which is gas. Add heat to gas and you get the fourth
state, – plasma.  The sun and lightning are both examples of plasma.

They harness this lightning like power by creating an electric arc between two
electrodes. A small amount of gas is passed through those electrodes. The gas then
ionizes and is transformed into plasma.  The Plasma torches can reach temperatures
of 5,000 to 10,000 degrees Celsius, that is 4,000 degrees hotter than the outer layer
of the sun.

Even tho it is exposed to intense heat, the waste is not incinerated because
plasmagasification works in the absents or near absents of oxygen, which means it
is a process of decomposition and not combustion. The super heated plasma has the
unique power to totally decompose any kind waste, down to it’s elements.
For example:   diaper in a landfill   = 500 years to decompose
diaper in plasma chamber = 5 seconds to decompose

When the municipal waste arrives at the processing plant it travels up a screw
conveyor, drops into the main chamber of the converter, where it’s converted into a
raw or crude synthetic gas, that “syngas” travels up into the refining chamber where
the plasma torches convert it into the product quality gas. The cooled and clean
syngas is piped over to 5 engines. Each engine capable of producing just under 1
megawatt of power. Once the process gets going, it powers itself.

Almost nothing goes to waste, the plasma torch is used again to melt any of the left
over ash into a glass like slag. This silicate slag can be sold for everything from
road bed aggregate to jewelry.

For cities like New York which pays $90 a ton to handle it’s garbage, the power and
slag that is created by plasmagasification could allow the city to actually EARN
$15 a ton.

The only waste left over in the entire process is 1.3 kilograms per ton of waste, of
heavy metal and activated carbon. That’s just over 2/10th of a percent away from
zero waste.

Plasco’s sophisticated control system produces more power per ton of waste than
any other waste conversion technology yet known.

In the future this technology will be able to turn our trash into any fuel gas, even
hydrogen to power future cars.

This technology is still being tested and approved so it might still be a few years
before plasma is disintegrating your trash and powering your neighborhood.
But it is one step closer to zero waste with very green benefits.