Our Biosolids Advantage
The MaxWest integrated gasification system offers several advantages over conventional sludge or biosolids disposal methods.
Compared to land spreading or depositing sludge in a landfill, on site gasification eliminates the both the financial and environmental pollution cost of truck hauling and handling. Further, gasification eliminates the release of green house gases, primarily methane. Methane is considered to have 23 times the global warming impact as an equivalent amount of CO2. And, while land spreading is sometimes considered a "beneficial re-use" as fertilizer, it is increasingly criticized for its surface, air and ground water pollution potential, and even as a vector of diseases. Land spreading has spawned litigation from California to Virginia to Florida and many points in between.
Nationally and internationally, disposal by land spreading or land filling is under increasing regulatory pressure, reflecting a shift in public policy away from problematic, expensive conventional disposal methods, to more favorable waste-to-energy solutions. MaxWest has received positive regulatory response both to its on-site gasification systems and its regional gasification concept.
Compared to the production of fertilizer by pelletizing, gasification will typically cost less. Gasification utilizes only energy embedded within the waste biosolids, not external fuels. For use in dryers and pelletizers, gasification produces thermal energy that replaces natural gas or other fossil fuel at a lower cost. Pelletizer systems fueled by methane or digester gas are often more complex any have higher maintenance costs than a MaxWest gasification system.
Composting, a variation of land spreading, is also criticized for producing high amounts of methane. Composting is often costly and subject to disruption by climate events and seasonal variations in effectiveness.
Because of direct and indirect environmental costs, public health concerns, high financial costs, and negative public perception of landfills, agencies at local, state and national levels are seeking less costly and environmentally friendly disposal alternatives to land spreading and composting. Converting available wastes into renewable energy is fast becoming a national priority. The MaxWest System is consistent with this strong emerging policy.
In most cases, the MaxWest System solution to sludge disposal will be both a low cost solution and an environmentally superior solution.
Financial Benefits:
- Reduces cost of sludge (biosolids) management and disposal
- Reduces or eliminates waste transportation costs
- Reduces waste treatment costs
- Converts waste to valuable renewable energy
- Minimizes cost volatility for biosolids disposal and energy costs
Environmental Benefits:
- Converts noxious waste to renewable “green” energy
- Eliminates release of methane gas from landfill deposits or land spreading
- Reduces or eliminates pollution from truck transportation
- Eliminates potential ground water and surface water pollution from landfills or land spreading
- Reduces use of fossil fuels