Key Facts and Benefits

Key Facts & Benefits of Advanced Thermal Recycling (ATR) and Energy from Waste (EfW)

Much is done to protect wildlife, marine life and citizens. However, even at best efforts not all municipal solid waste (MSW) can be avoided or recycled. In keeping with one’s Cities and/or Counties environmental stewardship focus, the remaining MSW must not be land filled but should be disposed of through ATR the most advanced form of EfW. Here are the reasons why:

• EfW serves over 300,000,000 people worldwide with over 600 facilities.
• EfW facilities currently power over 2 million homes in the U.S.
• EfW serves two key public needs: Environmentally sound, reliable solid waste disposal and considered a clean, reliable and renewable source of energy.
• EfW reduces our dependency on foreign resources such as oil and natural gas.
• EfW is a necessity in a sustainable society offering significant economic benefits today and most of all for future generations vs. land filling.
• EfW significantly reduces greenhouse gases (GHG). For every two tons of MSW disposed of in EfW versus land filling, GHG is reduced by one ton. Current U.S. EfW facilities reduce CO2 by 33 million metric tons annually.
• ATR’s release of dioxin and furans is not detectable thus no longer a threat.
• EfW communities recycling rates are almost 20% higher than non- EfW communities.
• EfW boosts the local economy by offering significantly more local construction, management and operation jobs than, for example, a rail transfer station.
• EfW is recognized by the EPA, DOE and many other organizations as a cleaner source of energy than energy produced by even natural gas.
• EfW enables local government to retain control over the waste management system used by the community.
• EfW, unlike even the most sophisticated landfills, does not leak any elements into the ground such as heavy metals and dioxins, which have serious affects on our health.
• EfW has become the chosen method in many countries replacing land filling.
• EfW “smokestacks” emit significantly less harmful emissions than even the most sophisticated landfills… ATR, the most advanced EfW technology available, emits even less emissions than that.
• ATR facilities vs. landfills are monitored 24/7 for any and all emissions by the EPA and all other applicable agencies through a direct data link.
• ATR facilities have an internal vacuum system with the result that there are no emissions other than the ones from the “smokestack”.
• ATR facilities are absolutely quiet and do not smell. The only recognizable noise comes from the delivery trucks.
• ATR process produces commercial end-products (ferrous and non-ferrous metals, gypsum, HCL, salts, and bottom ash/slag used in construction) resulting in zero land filling!