Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
9.1.3 Energy Recovery
Energy recovery can be either via incineration or via biological treatment:
a. Burning of waste material and recovery of a part of the heat energy:
applicable to mixed plastic waste
b. Biological recovery technologies with energy recovery: includes
engineered landfills with leachate and/or gas extraction and anaerobic
digestion
In the United States, landfill disposal still accounts for the majority of MSW
and therefore for plastic waste as well. Mechanical recycling and
incineration (waste to energy processes or WTE) are also in use, but to a
muchlesserextent.InEurope,whateverisnotrecycledismostlyincinerated
for energy recovery. Feedstock recovery, though an attractive option, is not
practicedasalarge-scaleMSWtreatmentoption.
Figure9.5
summarizesthe
available technical options for recovery of plastics waste.
Figure 9.5
Different available recovery options for plastics waste.
