Upstate New York County Planning Garbage-to-Gas Plant

April 2nd, 2009 by Dave Tyler

New York’s Ontario County is exploring the possibility of turning garbage into gas at the county’s landfill.

The county is debating whether to let Casella Waste Systems, which runs the landfill in the town of Seneca, build a $5 million pilot plant there. If the pilot proves successful, a $100 million plant could eventually be built on the site, reports the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. The idea will be debated at a public hearing tonight.

[social_buttons] Currently the landfill takes in about 2,200 tons of trash a day from 33 counties, other states and Canada.

The paper (full disclosure: I worked for the D&C for more than seven years) reports the project has stirred passions on both sides of the issue. Supporters say it would mark the county as a leader in reducing the amount of trash in landfills, create jobs and potentially generate revenue through the sale of the methanol that would be created. Opponents say that because of the mix of trash that gets dumped in landfills, burning it creates the risk of toxins being released into the air and water, along with other problems.

Casella says it could turn one ton of recycling scrap (leftovers that can’t be reused) into 100 gallons of methanol or diesel fuel for every hour the plant operates. There’s a well-done graphic explaining the process in the paper edition of the story, but it doesn’t seem to be online.

Lowell, Ind., was considering a similar plant, but vocal opposition has placed that project in limbo. Plasma-based gasification technologies are being explored in Florida, too. General Motors has also been investigating the process.

The Ontario County debate will provide an interesting test case. With landfill space at a premium communities are under pressure to find ways of dealing with their trash. Will this approach take hold?

Photo credit: D’Arcy Norman on Flickr, via a Creative Commons license.

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Tags: garbage, Gas, gasification, methanol, New York, Ontario County, Rochester, Seneca, trash

About the Author

Dave Tyler Dave has over a decade of experience in journalism covering a wide variety of topics. He spent 7 years on the business beat for the Rochester (N.Y) Democrat and Chronicle, covering technology issues including the state's growing green economy. When he's not writing, you'll find Dave enjoying his family, being a bit of a music snob, and praying that the Notre Dame football team can get its act together. He lives in Rochester.

James Van Damme

We’re building one here in Oneida County.
tdotguy

I’ve got plenty of garbage to spare here in Toronto due to a month long garbage workers strike! Where can I drop it off? lol
tdotguy

I’ve got plenty of garbage to spare here in Toronto due to a month long garbage workers strike! Where can I drop it off? lol
June Sisson

They say teach people to recycle. Not 20% recycle anything and everything out of your garbage and multiply that by 1,000’s of people that live around you.

get the good stuff and don’t landfill it give it to people that can use it. they also say recycle it and someone will find a use for it and you’ve just created another business.
June Sisson

They say teach people to recycle. Not 20% recycle anything and everything out of your garbage and multiply that by 1,000’s of people that live around you.

get the good stuff and don’t landfill it give it to people that can use it. they also say recycle it and someone will find a use for it and you’ve just created another business.
http://www.lundellent.com Andrew

Not cost effective… Sort out the good stuff, continue to landfill the bad stuff and you’ll still be extending landfill life while creating energy. There’s technology out there such as Lundell Enterprises Inc. in northwest Iowa that have been trying to fix this simple equation for years, but it’s always about the latest and greatest even when it doesn’t add up. Always political… people with the money and power will do what they want.
http://www.lundellent.com Andrew

Not cost effective… Sort out the good stuff, continue to landfill the bad stuff and you’ll still be extending landfill life while creating energy. There’s technology out there such as Lundell Enterprises Inc. in northwest Iowa that have been trying to fix this simple equation for years, but it’s always about the latest and greatest even when it doesn’t add up. Always political… people with the money and power will do what they want.