Turning Waste into Power

How does it work?

 There is a waste to power plant here in Indianapolis where I live.  It acts as supplemental energy for the city.  I have delivered garbage there in the past and seeing how it works is amazing to say the least, but how does it actually work?  As you can see above, the way it works is fairly straightforward like any other power station.  

Is it a Safer Alternative? 

One good thing about waste to power plants is that it lowers the amount of garbage in the landfills.  The ash, however is deposited in the landfill, but it takes up less space than regular garbage.  One thing that is bad about these facilities, is that it is spewing out greenhouses emissions into the atmosphere.  However, landfills also create a massive amount of methane which is much stronger than carbon dioxide.  So, burning it creates less methane. 

Compared to a coal powered plant, a waste to power plant is less dirty and is generally a safer alternative.  There are still pollutants sent into the atmosphere, so it is a double edged sword.

   How Many Waste to Power Plants in the US?

Currently, there are seventy-five facilities operating in the United States, most of which are on the east coast.  The main obstacles for the facilities are regulations, economic constraints, and many communities don't want them.  It is hard to find space for them and that is why more aren't being built.

What Do You Think?

Personally, I feel these facilities play a role like landfills.  They are, in my opinion, not sustainable and hopefully new technology will render these places obsolete.  As solar, wind, nuclear, and other sustainable energy sources advance, hopefully we no longer have needs for landfills or waste to power plants.  

What do you think?  Do you think these facilities are worth it and do you think they will last?