Recycling Energy Values of Municipal Solid Waste
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 117, Issue 3
Abstract
The equivalent fuel value methodology was used to compare recycling to recover material values with recycling to recover energy values at a mass burn waste to energy (WTE) plant and a refuse derived fuel (RDF) WTE plant, both generating electrical power. It was determined that the equivalent fuel value, under conditions that existed in Pinellas County Florida during the Middle East crises, reached $57.41 per ton of as‐received municipal solid waste. There is a saving of from 1.15 to 1.35 barrels of No. 2 fuel oil per ton of municipal solid waste (MSW) when the waste is used to generate electrical power. Some of the other waste component equivalent fuel values determined were 2.4 barrels of No. 2 fuel oil per ton of newsprint, 5.63 barrels of No. 2 fuel oil per ton of polyethylene, and 0.81 barrels of No. 2 fuel oil per ton of lawn grass with 65% moisture. Various environmental impacts that can result from collection, shipping, and the lost energy opportunity values appeared to exceed the environmental benefits of recycling the material values of combustible MSW components.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 117 • Issue 3 • December 1991
Pages: 133 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © 1991 ASCE.
History
Published online: Dec 1, 1991
Published in print: Dec 1991
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