A Green Closed Loop Solution For Plastic Waste

The plastic industry has classified the most commonly used plastic into seven different categories according to their chemical makeup. Each number represents the type of resin used to produce the plastic. These classifications are mostly used for recycling purposes, as each resin type melts at a different temperature and displays different properties.

A pilot project is underway at the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer Station in Derwood, Maryland, becoming the first site in the United States to utilize an innovative technology. The ground-breaking Envion Oil Generator (EOG) is a breakthrough in green technology from Envion Inc. based in Washington D.C. Developed and perfected over the past 15 years, it targets plastic waste and oil at the same time. The EOG can be fed 80% of the petroleum-based waste plastic and will convert it into synthetic light to medium 99% sediment free oil product for less than $10 per barrel. As with crude oil, the synthetic oil can then be processed into commercial fuels or even back into plastic. The secret process uses low-temperature far-infrared thermal cracking in a vacuum. Extracting the hydrocarbons embedded in the plastic waste without the use of a catalyst. Gases are used to generate electricity for the process. One ton of plastic yields 3 to 6 barrels of oil, for as much as 60,000 barrels a year. This technology produces oil and power safely, efficiently, and economically through an environmentally sensitive process that produces a net gain in energy recaptured. It is scalable through the addition of reactors, which facilitate the conversion of new plastic waste (as well as plastic currently sitting in landfills) into a renewable and invaluable resource.

As a solution to the environmental impact of municipal solid waste, the system’s fully self-contained process minimizes emissions and is in full compliance with EPA standards. The plastic waste conversion residue is transformed into emulsified heavy oil while vent gas is recycled within the unit for electricity generation. Both of these byproducts are contained within the Envion unit and serve as a fuel source for power generation.

According to Plastics Europe, a record amount of plastic was produced in 2005 – over 230 million metric tons worldwide. The EPA states that plastic waste accounted for over 12% of total municipal solid waste in the United States in 2007. The EOG accepts PET, HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE, PP, PE, PS, PVC, and several other plastic types such as GPPS, EPS, HIPS, and PA. Based on 2007 EPA statistics, Envion’s technology would have been able to accept from 60% to more than 80% of total plastic waste generated in the United States in that year.

Plastic waste decomposition time can exceed 1,000 years depending on the type of plastic. Plastic waste can potentially leach harmful pollutants into nearby soil, rivers, streams, and aquifers. Greenpeace states that plastic waste dumping accounts for 90% of total ocean waste and creates “rubbish soups” that pollute our oceans. Over 100 million tons of plastic waste has been dumped in the Pacific Ocean. The incineration of plastics releases carcinogenic, noxious pollutants into the air, land, and water; contributes to greenhouse gas emissions; and requires hazardous waste storage for the remaining toxic ash.

The eco-friendly EOG is cost effective, the generator will create one barrel of synthetic light medium oil for less than $10. The conversion cost is estimated at about $17 per ton, which would cost $70 to $200 to dispose of in a landfill, in which 96% of plastic waste ends up and where decomposition time can exceed 1,000 years depending on the type of plastic. Saving landfill space and alleviating some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges in a sustainable and renewable manner.

Since plastic is a derivative of petroleum, plastic possesses a commensurately high level of stored energy content. The energy density of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP) is comparable to that of gasoline and is approximately 51% higher than that of coal. Unfortunately, this high level of energy literally “goes to waste” when plastic waste products are discarded. In 2007 the United States produced 58 million tons of plastic, from which 48 million tons of plastic waste entered the nation’s waste stream.

The Envion unit is assembled on a single mobile base platform with dimensions 47 feet x 13 feet (14.3 meters x 4 meters). In most cases, virtually no civil engineering is required for installation. Scaling up of production capacity only involves the installation of additional reactors, not entire systems. Unit operation requires non-skilled or low-skilled labor, further reducing the operating cost. The unit’s high tolerance of foreign waste material content mixed with the plastic feedstock batch eliminates the need for manual presorting, cleaning, and drying. The unit can achieve high recovery rates averaging 62%, based on typical plastic waste feedstock.

Envion dedicates ongoing R&D efforts to advancing the efficiency and range of its technology and is currently developing a follow-on technology to other petrochemical-based waste feedstock, particularly vehicle tires.

…. as the green future unfolds.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of all electricity generated by US power plants goes to
supply the Building Sector. Buildings are responsible for almost half (48%) of all
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually.

With this in mind, Architecture 2030, a non-profit independent organization, was
established by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030′s mission is to rapidly
transform the US and global Building Sector from the major contributor of GHG to a
central part of the solution to the global-warming crisis.

To accomplish this, Architecture 2030 has issued The 2030 Challenge asking the
global architecture and building community to adopt the following targets:

All new buildings, developments and major renovations shall be designed to meet
a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of
the regional (or country) average for that building type.

At a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area shall be renovated
annually to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance
standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type.

The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings shall be increased to:
*                60% in 2010
*                70% in 2015
*                80% in 2020
*                90% in 2025
Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate).

Already Architecture 2030 has made an impact:

US Department of Energy (DOE) moves forward with Zero-Net Energy Commercial
Buildings Initiative, by requesting proposals from its National Labs and
private sector companies to achieve cost-effective savings of 50 percent (50%)
above the standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and

Air-Conditioning Engineers for new commercial building designs, and a savings
of 30 percent (30%) for retrofits to existing buildings.
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has adopted a new plan, which
includes two strategies in line with the 2030 Challenge: to have all
residential buildings achieve zero net energy use by 2020, and to have all
commercial buildings achieve zero net energy use by 2030.

(NOTE: I used the actual term in the CPUC’s plan, “zero net energy use”, but
I believe “net zero energy emissions” to be more accurate. I’m not just being
picky here, there’s a difference.)

Oregon’s governor announces a 2009 legislative climate change package with
proposals for net zero greenhouse gas emissions for homes and buildings by
2030.

City of Vancouver adopts The 2030 Challenge. The City of Vancouver adopts The
2030 Challenge target of carbon neutral buildings by 2030.

Smart Water

A standalone desalinator needs 17 gallons of diesel fuel and 66.5 kilowatts of
electricity to make 1,000 gallons of freshwater, but now, the Solar Cube, (made
by Spectra Watermakers in California), churns out 1,500 gallons of drinking water
on just 22 kilowatts of its own solar and wind power. The innovation is a pump
that triples efficiency by recapturing hydraulic pressure during the filtering
process. Solar Cubes are now bringing freshwater to remote regions and places
short on infrastructure and electricity without paying the CO2 price – way cool.

Electric Asphalt

Rajib Mallick an engineer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute who studies the
effect of solar radiation on cities, has devised a way to harness heat from baking
blacktop and turn it into electricity. His system pumps water — an excellent heat
conductor — through a network of copper pipes embedded in asphalt. As the water
circulates, it pulls heat from the scorching surface and produces steam to drive a
turbine that cranks out electricity. Mallick is partnering with the University of

Massachusetts Dartmouth and the optics firm Novotech to install a full-scale system
beneath a 10,000-square-foot parking lot near Worcester, Massachusetts, next
summer. By supplying electricity to the adjacent buildings, he expects the $200,000
system to pay for itself in energy savings in a decade.

Plug-N-Play Cars

Zero to 60 mph in about nine seconds may sound sluggish, but it’s a breakthrough
for a zero-emissions, all-electric car that can travel up to 100 miles on a single
charge and hit speeds of 85 mph. That’s the claim of the i MiEV (for “Mitsubishi
Innovative motor Electric Vehicle”), a new plug-in four-door coupe. The i MiEV runs
on a pack of 22 lithium-ion batteries, but unlike other electric cars, including the
Chevy Volt and Tesla Roadster, the i MiEV doesn’t require a liquid cooling system to
avoid overheating. “Proprietary metals in the battery design let us do away with it,”
says Moe Durand, the communications manager for Mitsubishi Motors North America. This
makes the i MiEV lighter and more efficient, which — combined with a small, rear-
mounted electric motor — gives it plenty of zip and extended range. The company is
also developing a two-door i MiEV Sport with a planned top speed of 122 mph and a
124-mile range. Still a concept, the sportier version will have a rooftop
photovoltaic panel for extra power, heat-deflecting windows to save AC, and an
interior made from polymer-producing plants. Mitsubishi is now fleet-testing the
four-door in the U.S. and will sell a $28,000 model in Japan this summer.

source: Popular Science

(Silver Spring, Md.) – Planet Green, Discovery Communications’ multiplatform environmental initiative and leading non-profit environmental organization the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) today announced plans to join forces on a broad range of activities and initiatives including grassroots community outreach, public affairs and content creation.

“NRDC has taken a leadership role across the spectrum of environmental stewardship, from the water we drink to the fuels we use, to the protection of our fragile ecosystems,” said Clark Bunting, President Discovery Emerging Networks. “NRDC is an important addition to Planet Green’s distinguished group of partners as we work together to inform, engage and inspire people to create a positive and lasting legacy for the planet.”

“Discovery’s Planet Green has become a critical voice for the solutions to our
most pressing environmental challenges,” said Frances Beinecke, NRDC president.
“NRDC’s scientists, lawyers and advocates look forward to working with Planet
Green on the frontlines of today’s most important environmental battles.  Together
we hope to make the world a healthier and more sustainable place for all.”

Working with NRDC and its extensive network of resources, activists and experts,
Planet Green will leverage its 24-hour television channel, marketing, digital media
and education platforms to raise awareness for the critical issues facing the planet today and to highlight action-based solutions and initiatives. NRDC joins Planet
Green’s group of non-profit partners in this endeavor, including Ashoka, Earth
Pledge, Earthwatch Institute, Environmental Media Association (EMA), Global Green
USA, Green Belt Movement, Global Inheritance, National Wildlife Federation (NWF),
Oceana, Ocean Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy.

I think this is great.  Now, hopefully we can get information on the newest
projects in the works all over the world.

If you do not think that there is a movement beginning, you are wrong!

A little town very close to me here in deep East Texas, Lindale, has decided
they need to develop some opportunities to grow the city.  They are now working
with Decker Energy International, Inc., a Florida based privately held company,
to assist them in building a 35-50 megawatt wood-fired biomass power plant.
This plant will have 25 full time jobs.  Along with more jobs to build it. Yeah!

The proposed site is 43 acres that is currently owned by the Lindale Economic
Development Corporation (LEDC) which will also be part of the Lindale
Industrial Park.  This project will cost the city about $130 million.

They have already applied for a air quality permit from the Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality.  This a lengthy process that takes a couple of
months as the commission will have to ascertain whether this project will
be detrimental to the health of the public.  The plant will be called
Lindale Renewable Energy.

The plant is part of a “green initiative” in that biomass energy provides
significant greenhouse gas benefits and is carbon neutral because no new
carbon is added to the active carbon cycle.

Wood chips would be used as fuel for an enclosed boiler to create steam,
which drives a steam turbine.  The wood used would come from construction,
demolition waste, forest residuals, and of course, storm damage.

According to Decker Energy, the use of waste wood products for fuel instead
of allowing them to decay in a landfill, on the forest floor, or on the
side of the road, helps reduce the quantities of methane production.

The plant will be able to supply 40,000 homes and that the electric co-ops
could purchase the energy without affecting the consumers electricity rates.

So far, there is no opposition to the proposed plant.  It will take approx.
1 year before ground can be broken.  And since NO COAL is involved with this
plant, there should be only steam coming from the pipes to be seen probably
on cold nights.

The grass roots movement of going green is alive and well in deep East Texas.

Looks like T. Boone and Walmart are in the lets make a deal phase.  Walmart
has announced it would buy 15 percent of the electricity for its Texas
facilities from Duke Energy wind farm.  That 15 percent equates to 226
million kilowatt hours or 18,000 homes could be powered for a year.

Walmart is buying the power and accompanying renewable energy credits
beginning in April from a Duke Energy wind farm in Notrees, Texas. The power
will supply WalMart’s 360 facilities within the competitive Texas grid.
Walmart operates its own wholesale power company in Texas.  Maybe its about
money.

Walmart has a fleet of 7,200 trucks that T.Boone wants to convert to
natural gas.  Walmart is considering the option along with other alternative
fuels.  Looks like they will buy their natural gas for their fleet from Clean
Energy Fuels, a provider whom T.Boone invests in.  Going green has its beginnings.

H-E-B grocery stores get a portion of their electricity from wind power, and
Half Price Books buys only wind power where it’s available.

OR

One of the major drawbacks to renewable energy is that it is not always available
when it is needed.  Researchers at the University of Texas have said they have
made a breakthrough that could lead to a storage solution.

A carbon-based material called “graphene”, which is only one atom thick, has shown
the potential to double the current capacity of electricity storage devices called
ultracapacitors. Those devices store large amounts of electrical energy and can
release it onto the grid on demand, such as when wind or solar sources are not
available.  This development could help make large-scale renewable generation more
practical.

Rapidly accelerating climate change (global warming), which is caused by greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, is now fueling dangerous regional and global environmental events.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration illustrates that buildings are
responsible for almost half (48%) of all GHG emissions annually. Seventy-six percent
(76%) of all electricity generated by US power plants goes to supply the Building
Sector. Therefore, immediate action in the Building Sector is essential if we are to
avoid hazardous climate change. Credible scientists give us 10 years to be well on our
way toward global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in order to avoid
catastrophic climate change.

Architecture 2030, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was
established in response to the global-warming crisis by architect Edward Mazria
in 2002. 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the US and global Building Sector
from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the
solution to the global-warming crisis.

To accomplish this, Architecture 2030 has issued The 2030 Challenge asking the
global architecture and building community to adopt the following targets:

All new buildings, developments and major renovations shall be designed to
meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard  of 50% of
the regional (or country) average for that building type.

At a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area shall be renovated
annually to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance
standard of 50%   of the regional (or country) average for that building type.

-    The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings shall be increased to:
*         70% in 2015
*          80% in 2020
*          90% in 2025
*          Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate).

Already Architecture 2030 has made an impact:

US Department of Energy (DOE) moves forward with Zero-Net Energy Commercial
Buildings Initiative, by requesting proposals from its National Labs and private
sector companies to achieve cost-effective savings of 50 percent (50%) above the
standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers for new commercial building designs, and a savings of 30 percent for
retrofits to existing buildings.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has adopted a new plan, which includes
two strategies in line with the 2030 Challenge: to have all residential buildings
achieve zero net energy use by 2020, and to have all commercial buildings achieve
zero net energy use by 2030.

Oregon’s governor announces a 2009 legislative climate change package with
proposals for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for homes and buildings by 2030.

T. Boone Pickens is delaying his plans to build the world’s largest wind farm, according
to The Arizona Republic, which cited his remarks at a conference on Tuesday in Phoenix.

The Texas oilman, who has created a stir by his endorsement of wind power as part of a
national strategy to reduce dependence on foreign oil, cited the fall in natural gas
prices, a competing source of electricity generation, as a deterrent.

Pickens has leased hundreds of thousands of acres for a giant wind farm in West Texas,
where he plans to erect 2,700 turbines and produce energy for urban areas such as Dallas
and Fort Worth.

Mr. Pickens insisted that wind remained part of a national strategy, however, and
predicted that energy prices would go back up.

From The Arizona Republic:

Until natural-gas prices rise, Pickens said his wind farm and most others in
the country will not go forward because electricity from gas plants will be more
economical. Still, he was confident prices would rise.

He said Americans haven’t understood the nation’s energy challenges because
prices have been low, until last summer when oil hit a record $147 a barrel.

“You haven’t had the leadership in Washington to tell us what the problem
was,” he said. “The American people did not realize where we were. When oil went
to $100, I had a story to tell.”

Pickens’ plan focuses on using natural gas as a transportation fuel and then
counting on wind and solar to take the place of natural gas as a source to generate
electricity. Natural gas currently generates about 20 percent of the electricity in
the U.S.

According to Reuters, Mr. Pickens has already put in orders for $2 billion in wind
turbines, which will be delivered beginning in 2010.

Like other investors, Pickens has been hit hard by the collapse of stock prices.
He said his hedge fund is down 62 percent since July.

Rumor has it here in the state of Texas that there are jobs to be had in the
Panhandle. These jobs are associated with the wind farm. I have yet to find
where to apply but will keep looking and let you know.

I also believe they drove the prices up so that they could afford to drive them down
for a duration of time to wage an economic war against those like Mr. Pickens
who believe and are striving for alternative means of energy such as wind and solar.
Mr. Pickens is in it for the money, make no bones about it.

Big Oil is gunning for this new sustainable energy industry and they are playing
a wicked little game of cost undercutting to lull the American people into a false
sense of security by “drill, baby, drill”. Thus driving the prices back up and
hope that the entrepenuers will give up on alternate energy. The end result will
be that they can set the price of oil at anything they want plus take over this
new industry and keep us dancing like puppets on a string like they have for the
last century.  I wish them luck!

This is a guest article focused on the environmental effects of domestic oil
refinery use from Mesothelioma.com, a leading web resource for information about
mesothelioma cancer and its various causes.

CFCs and Fossil Fuels Have Short, Long Tail Effects

Often when considering the environmental hazards presented by human behavior, we fail to
see further than the direct effect on our planet. However, if we examine further, we can
gather that our behavior is affecting not only the earth we live on but also the general
human condition. There are essentially two levels to the damage posed by destructive
environmental actions. Let’s examine each of them in depth for a better comprehension of
this hazard.

The first adverse effects are the direct human health costs associated with the burning
of fossil fuels and the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, associated with atmospheric
ozone depletion) in the atmosphere. Asthma rates in areas with high smog indices
(associated with fossil fuel pollution) are near double that in smog neutral areas. In
South Africa and Australia, where the ozone is among the most depleted on the planet,
skin cancer rates are astronomically high, as UV rays piercing through our atmosphere are
that much more intense. These are the very real and direct impacts of destructive
environmental behavior and energy policies.

The second tier that I wish to bring more attention to is the working conditions in the
processing of fossil fuels, which present some of the greatest occupational hazards of
any jobsite. Oil refineries and coal plants are loaded with older asbestos insulation
fixtures, which have been directly linked to the deadly asbestos cancer, mesothelioma.

Even as asbestos was banned in the late 1970s, older asbestos fixtures (which are much
more hazardous) still pervade this industry. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they lodge
in the lining of the lungs and abdomen, which lays the groundwork for mesothelioma and
other deadly respiratory complications many years down the road. Harmful asbestos
exposures are not the only hazard in these industries, however. Countless other
industrial hazards such as benzene, which has been classified as a carcinogen, also have
been clearly linked to the processing of fossil fuels and other dirty industries.

We can see now that the effects of destructive environmental behavior go well beyond the
direct impact on the planet. We are beginning to see now that our current paradigm may
ultimately cost lives if we don’t change our ways. Through change, we will preserve the
planet for our children and the lives of its inhabitants today.

Thank you Jennifer Miller!

Since Hurricane Ike, the City of Houston has been trying to figure out how
to recycle the wood debris.  From Galveston to North of Houston, there is
plenty of wood debris to be collected but not sent to the local landfills.

So the City has come up with a nationwide contest in hopes of someone coming
up with a recycling idea that will get rid of 5.6 million cubic yards of
tree waste cleaned up from households and front yards.

The contest will pay $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 for the top 3 ideas.  Currently,
the debris is enough to fill the Astrodome nearly 4 times over.  So, if you have
an idea on how to recycle all of this debris, you can submit it to recycleike@
cityofhouston.net.  Visit Recycle Ike for more details.

So far, the city has given two companies 700,000 cubic yards of the wood waste
who will turn it into mulch and compost for resale.  There have been other
thoughts of using it for erosion control, boiler fuel and electric generation.

Of course, other cities/companies have ponied up to the bar for wood chips.

Dallas-based Living Earth Technology Co. has agreed to accept up to 200,000
cubic yards of tree waste from Ike and package it for resale. The company will
donate 10 cents from each bag and 50 cents of every bulk yard sold to the city,
and the money will be used for Houston recycling programs.

Phoenix-based Allied Waste has agreed to take up to half a million cubic yards
of tree waste chips for composting.

And last but not least, there has been one statement that says it all.

Make toilet paper out of it and we can use it to wipe away the filth of the
Wall Street bailout.

Do you have any ideas?