[USCC] Biomass energy priorities ...

[Gary Liss]

I am forwarding these from another list for the Compost list members' info.

>Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 14:45:35 -0300
>From: David Wimberly <davidwimberly at eastlink.ca>
>
>I have been a long time anti-incineration activist and have also
>consistently promoted more sustainable and healthy alternatives.  I live in
>the Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada area where I was the chief citizen
>architect and advocate of our Waste/Resource Management System. Paul Connett
>and many others have stated it is the best in the world although it is far
>from perfect.  Currently we conserve about 48 to 49% of what was once MSW.
>This week an initiative will be announced designed to get us to 60%. Our
>citizen's strategy outlined how to reach 88%.  A very current critique using
>state of the art evaluation including costs/benefits to the environment is
>available at http://gpiatlantic.org/ I helped write/research the final
>section on how to go forward.  Please download it.  Other reports there will
>also be widely useful.
>
>I have led and help lead successful battles to stop imported waste
>incinerators, a PCB incinerator, a MSW incinerator, a medical waste
>incinerator, and a sewage sludge incinerator.  Currently my main interest is
>in helping others acquire the tools and perspectives to be successful in
>compassionate social action in a wide spectrum of arenas in modern society.
>
>Here in Nova Scotia citizens are very strongly opposed to incineration.
>Only one remains and it is in Cape Breton.  I am horrified to see how much
>incineration is being promoted elsewhere. And I find repugnant suggestions
>to incineration sewage sludge.
>
>Our local government is promoting a very unsustainable form of sewage sludge
>land application for current materials.  They want to use a slightly less
>problematical form in the future, which I and many others don't accept
>either.
>
>The only long term solution to the pollutants in sewage sludge is to never
>put them there in the first place.  Much better source controls is where I
>chose to put my energy in this area.  I propose source controls based on
>"Zero Toxic Discharge" and the "No Net Degradation" regulatory model.  These
>should be informed by the Precautionary Principle.  If we endorse
>"solutions" to any material that includes landfill, incineration or any
>other form that permanently wastes or destroys them, then every living thing
>looses. Eventually we will have turned our world into waste.
>
>The core of the NS/Halifax MSW program is source-separated composting, which
>produces clean organic material we have real need for with our thin soils on
>rocky ground.  Similarly we need to promote systems that are actually
>sustainable for the organics in sludge.  Pathogens and toxins are difficult
>problems, but lets only promote methods that truly eliminate them, not turn
>them into one more problem like incineration or landfilling.
>
>Here in Nova Scotia we have a few Solar Aquatics sewage treatment systems
>that turn sludge into plants and leaves the water clear and clean. Only
>slight ultraviolet treatment is done, mostly as a precaution.
>
>With every best wish,
>David
>
> > >>From: "M Reilly" <maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca>
> > >>To: "US Composting Council Compost Discussion List"
> > >><compost at compostingcouncil.org>
> > >>Subject: Re: [USCC] Biomass energy priorities ...
> > >>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 19:28:07 -0400
> > >>
> > >>Due to the high levels of metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pathogens,
>and
> > >>persistant pollutants that can be found in sewage sludges ('biosolids')
>it
> > >>makes far more sense to use them for energy generation than to compost
>them,
> > >>and thereby concentrate the persistant toxins for further distribution
>into
> > >>the foodchain.
> > >>
> > >>Maureen Reilly
> > >>Toronto
> >

Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485
www.garyliss.com