Re: Thermoselect stopped!

[Pawel Gluszynski <uugluszy@cyf-kr.edu.pl>]

At 10:59 96-10-30 +0100, Emmanuel de Broux <edebroux@tornado.be> wrote:

>Pawel, are sure this incinerator was for MSW incineration, not MSW
>thermolysis ? To me, there is a huge difference between the two processes in
>terms of environmental pollution. I am very much interested by your answer.

Emmanuel,

In fact, as you know Thermoselect is two stage process:
combination of pyrolysis (600 oC) and high temperature incineration (~2000 oC).
I always refer to it as an "incinerator", as it at least burn waste - 
destroys something that could be avoided/reduced or recycled. 

I know your argumentation that there is some part of waste that
at the moment cannot be recycled or is hard to avoid, thus one has
to agree that it's necessary to process "somehow" these waste.
My organisation and others with whom I co-operate stand on 
the position that if we allow to have any kind of incinderator/
pyrolyser to process these waste, we will be not able to act to change
this situation - work towards waste minimisation and Clean 
Production. Also, as it usually happen, if you allow to have 
this "the only one", then the authorities wish to have more and more, 
as "environmentalist do not oppose to it, and say ok to such and 
such process."

I am sure, if we continue to fight with any type of waste 
incineration/pyrolysis we will be able to force the society to 
look at and to find the way to minimise amount and toxicity of waste.
Alternatives already exist, also these to hazardous waste, but
it's easier to do businness as usual, and industry to have another
market paid by money and health of ordinary people.

You sent me a list of pyrolysis/thermolysis vendors. Look at it: 
90% of companies listed there are also large waste generators.
So for whom is incineration/pyrolysis? For us? To protect us against
waste? NO, for them to take our money for the shit they produce -
waste and "solution" to it.

BTW, as I know there were only two operating commercial facilities
which used pyrolysis to process waste: in Baltimore (900 tpd) and another 
one in Luxembourg (200 tpd). Both were constructed in 70's, and closed in 80's
because of process failure. I have never heard about operating full-scale 
MSW facility. 

Pyrolysis, or as you like "thermolysis", was first used
in Vienna, Stuttgart and Paris in 1900, to produce methane for steam
generation. 
Projects failed to meet energy production and waste reduction targets. 
Since then pyrolysis looks to be "promising technology". Strange long...

Greetings <<<< Pawel
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