essay about energy waste

Waste to Energy A privatised false solution

• State of Power
• Energy Democracy

In the face of a growing energy crisis and a surging global waste forecasted to increase by 70% by 2050, the Waste to Energy (WtE) industry emerges as a thriving yet controversial player. Explored in this essay are the power dynamics, environmental repercussions, and societal resistance surrounding WtE, examining case studies from India, Lebanon, Denmark, and Slovenia. The narrative delves into the industry's rapid expansion, its privatization challenges, and the potential for sustainable waste management under public control. The essay concludes with recommendations for policymakers and activists navigating the complex landscape of WtE.

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The world is not only facing an energy crisis but it is also increasingly littered: the World Bank predicted that global waste would grow by 70% by 2050 . 1 Waste which is buried, dumped at sea or turned into ash pollutes the environment. These two trends have been used to boost a new and thriving private business: the Waste to Energy (WtE) industry, which has expanded worldwide based on contracts that last for decades, and often for 50 years.  

This essay explores the power relations of waste to energy, exploring its rapid expansion, the industry that drives it, the social and environmental impacts, resistance – and alternatives.   This is explored in several case studies. In India and Lebanon, for example residents, activists and (informal) workers are actively resisting WtE, yet face considerable institutional power that is promoting its expansion of and especially its privatisation. In contrast, there are the possibilities, as explored through the case studies on Denmark and Slovenia, for WtE to offer a sustainable contribution to waste management, when it is publicly owned and controlled. The essay concludes with recommendations on how policy-makers and activists can best address the phenomenal rise of WtE.

The rise of waste to energy

Waste to Energy (WtE) is rising fast. While in 2022 its market size was estimated to be of over US$42 billion this is expected to double by 2032 . 2 Currently around 15% of the of global waste collected is burned in WtE plants, 3 most of which are located in the global North, especially Japan, the US and Europe. 4 In Europe, six countries – Germany, the UK (before Brexit), France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and   Italy account for 75% of the EU’s incineration capacity. 5  

The rise of WtE is a global phenomenon. In Asia there are ever more WtE plants being built. China alone is operating 927 plants . 6 India has 106, Thailand plans to build 79 WtE in the next few years and Indonesia has 17 planned. In Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, WtE is new but also on the rise as several countries have started to experiment with WtE, such as Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa in Africa and Brazil and Mexico in Latin America. 7

Several big players have entered the WtE market, among them multinational companies that have a long history in waste management. For example, Veolia runs more than 90 WtE plants worldwide and was recently awarded a contract to build the biggest WtE plant in Europe, which has a capacity for 1.1 million tonnes of waste annually. 8   Other major players are China Everbright and the US companies Waste Management Inc. and Covantana. Engineering companies such as the Hitachi Zosen and the Mitsubishi group are also increasingly entering the WtE market. 9  

The WtE business model relies on an increasing volume of waste and has already created a scramble for waste as many of the leading WtE countries need to import waste to fill their incinerators. Sweden, for example, imports almost 800,000 tons of waste annually from the UK, Norway, Italy and Ireland to be able to operate its WtE incinerators. But Italy and the UK, for instance, are rapidly expanding their own WtE industry. Simultaneously, most European countries are developing waste avoidance and recycling strategies supported by EU legislations. This means that Europe could soon run out of enough waste to operate all the existing WtE plants. This has already happened in China since owing to its effective municipal recycling and sorting strategy the country no longer has not enough waste to burn. Hence, in recent years China’s WtE plants have frequently stood idle due to waste shortages. 10  

Waste to Energy: An environmental solution?

Converting waste into energy may sound like a good idea for addressing two environmental problems at the same time: too little clean energy and too much waste. Yet, in reality WtE offers a solution for neither. On the contrary, it facilitates the problem of increasing waste, and it produces little and not very clean energy. 11 In Europe, where WtE is most advanced, it only provided for 5,134 MW in 2022–2023 , less than 3% of the continent’s energy. Due to its low energy productivity even the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) – the lobby group behind WtE – admitted that WtE makes no sense as an energy source alone . 12

Research undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) showed that WtE produces 1.2 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of waste it burns . Confirming this, a recent study concluded that the ‘ CO2 emissions from plastic waste-to-energy systems are higher than those from current fossil fuel-based power systems per unit of power generated, even after considering the contribution of carbon capture and storage’. 13 The health of residents living nearby is negatively affected. In China, one study found that hazard-index and cancer-risk figures were above safety levels a kilometre downwind from the incineration plants. 14 A Greenpeace study on WtE in the UK found that WtE plants are more likely to be located in the poorest and most racially mixed areas than in the wealthiest, homogeneous white residential areas. 15 In other words, WtE incinerators deepen health inequalities. Consequently, many people living near to these plants are mobilising and resisting the building and expansion of WtE.  

Moreover, WtE is at odds with the circular economy. This is firstly because WtE plants burn mostly recyclable or compostable waste , almost all of which comes from municipal waste. 16   Secondly, WtE plants require a minimum volume of waste in order to be able to operate. Large-scale incinerators need about 100,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a year. As such, WtE creates a dependency on waste, which runs counter to the principles of waste avoidance. UNEP has warned about this ‘ lock in effect ’ through which the need to fill WtE incinerators ‘hamper[s] efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle’. 17 This risk is heightened when WtE is privatised. Incinerators are expensive to build, so for the companies to recover the investment costs and to make profits they usually demand very long-term contracts with municipalities stretching over decades – between 20 and 50 years. These contracts usually bind municipalities to deliver a minimum volume of waste or to pay compensation if they fail to do so (see more on the issue of privatisation below).

Thus, WtE stands in direct contrast to recycling initiatives – formal and informal. The work of informal recycling workers is often forgotten or disregarded. Yet, according to research produced by the International Labour Organization (ILO) there are around 15 and 20 million informal waste workers worldwide who collect , sort and sell and re-use household or commercial/industrial waste on the street, co-operative recycling facilities or in open dumps. 18 While informal waste work is not only both a highly unpleasant and hazardous occupation it provides a means of survival for people and households who often lack other alternatives. In many countries around the world the informal waste workers provide the only form of recycling and often also the only waste collection – and that at no cost to the municipalities. WtE plants that burn recyclable waste are thus taking away their livelihoods. These informal waste workers should be involved in the process of implementing WtE and any other questions regarding solid waste management (SWM) systems. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case. Together with citizens, informal waste workers across the world have therefore organised against WtE. 19

Delhi, India – hazardous emissions and the destruction of the informal circular economy

India has a long history of failed WtE projects. The first attempt was in 1987 in Dehli when a plant was built for US$ 4.4 million by the Danish company Volund Miljotecknik Ltd. The plant was supposed to incinerate 300 tons of municipal solid waste per day to generate 3.75 MW of electricity. In fact, the plant only ran for three weeks. Then it had to shut down as the incoming waste was of inadequate quality (usually calculated in terms of calorific value) for the plant to run.   It attempted to supplement this by adding diesel fuel, but even that failed. 20 

Following the global WtE trend, this experience has not stopped India in persisting with WtE. To date, Delhi alone has three WtE plants. The biggest is the Timarpur-Okhla plant, which was planned for over a decade and started to operate in 2012 and is another Public–Private Partnership (PPP). The plant claims to have the capacity to burn 25% of Delhi’s mixed waste but has been the subject of much controversy.   Residents and activists have raised their concerns for years due to the emissions and health hazards. Indeed, a report by India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted to the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court in September 2020 proved that all three of the WtE plants in Delhi release toxins beyond what is legally permitted. 21 The WtE plants also destroy India’s informal recycling system and threated the employment of about half a million informal waste workers who are making a significant contribution Delhi’s circular economy system. 22 Despite the negative consequences of WtE and the resistance of residents and informal workers India continues to build mostly privatised WtE facilities all over the country. By the end of 2023 India had 109 WtE plants in operation according to Statista. 23  

Beirut, Lebanon – Resistance to WtE

Lebanon has been facing a waste crisis since August 2015. In fact, since the end of the civil war (1975–1990) there has never been a functional waste management system. The government contracted out waste management services without even a call for tender, landfills are overflowing, and much waste has been openly burned and/or just accumulated on the street. Serious environmental damage and air pollution is the consequence and waste spilling over into the Mediterranean is creating global pollution concerns.

The solution to this crisis was thought to be WtE, ignoring citizens who had protested against waste incineration since 1997. A new WtE incinerator was planned to be built in Karantina, an area of Beirut which already suffered from air pollution due to two open-air waste incinerators and the residents suspected that a further WtE incinerator will only worsen and not enhance the situation. 24 The WtE plans went directly against the initiatives to sort the waste and enable recycling. It also ignored the existing informal recycling undertaken mainly by refugees (mostly from Syria) who make a living through such activities. A group of informal recyclers and citizens therefore formed the ‘Waste Management Coalition (WMC)’ to advocate for recycling and sustainable waste disposal in Lebanon. 25

Lebanon’s problematic economic and political situation means it is very reliant on international funding to cover the cost of waste management. The European Union (EU) and the World Bank provided finance for Lebanon to improve its solid waste management (SWM) that mostly involved WtE as well as landfilling. 26 However, a recent study found the 16 SWM facilities that were established through these international grants of €89 million between 2004 and 2017 not only failed to provide local people with improved environmentally friendly waste management but also created the risk of environmental and health hazards – as well as wasting money and incentivising corruption. 27 In June 2023 the EU again allocated €3.7 million to fund a circular economy project implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 28  

Solutions are desperately needed. Citizens have taken matters into their own hands. To date the protests have stopped the building of the WtE plant in Karantina and a few innovative recycling projects have been established. For example, the ‘Drive Throw’ project has now two recycling stations in Beirut where people can dump their recyclables, for which they are paid in cash. While these stations have managed to collect and sort 450 tons of recyclables, they rely on people having private transport, so it is only a small, wealthy and environmentally conscious element of the population that uses the stations. 29 There have also been projects that recycle glass into traditional Lebanese slim-necked water jugs. 30 Yet, these initiatives are not sufficient to establish a functioning and universal waste management system that Lebanon so desperately needs.

The institutional power behind WtE

The WtE industry is well organised. In Europe, the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) , the umbrella association of the operators of WtE incinerators, is its most outspoken lobby group. CEWEP represents about 410 plants from 23 European countries and, in its own words, contributes to ‘ European environmental and energy legislation’ through the following:

• ‘Close and permanent contact with the European Institutions
• Careful analysis and proactive contributions to EU environment and energy policy
• Participation in on-going studies (UNEP, OECD and EU)
• Undertaking our own studies, e.g. based on Life Cycle Thinking, composition and recycling of bottom ash etc.’ 

CEWEP also states that it is ‘often in the European Parliament, in order to inform decision makers and the public about Waste-to-Energy’. 31    

In the US, Friends of the Earth revealed that Covanta, one of the biggest WtE companies in North America, lobbied to get billions of dollars in climate funding under the Renewable Fuel Standard. 32 Covanta has for decades advocated for WtE , boasting that it has thereby ‘sustainably diverted over half a billion tons of waste from landfills’. 33    

Not only lobby groups but also the international and regional financial institutions have played a considerable role in the promotion of WtE by financing PPPs with multinational corporations to build and operate WtE plants. As shown in the example of Serbia, the World Bank has not only financed but also advised countries to develop their WtE industry. The European Investment Bank (EIB) also finances several WtE plants, for example the construction of one in Olstyn, Poland in 2021 for €47million . 34   The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has helped to facilitate and finance WtE plants in China, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines. 35 And 2018, a US$100 million ADB loan financed the PPP between Vietnam and China Everbright to also build a series of WtE plants in Vietnam. 36    

Burning of waste – a largely privatised model

Most of the WtE plants worldwide have been constructed through PPPs. Research has shown that in China that around 80% of the WtE plants have been built and operated through PPPs , with three players holding nearly 50% of the market in 2019 – China Everbright (19.7%) International, Henan City Environment (13.2%) and Shanghai SUS Environment 10.5%). 37   In Germany, Europe’s leading WtE country, most of the plants are completely privatised ; 95% are run via PPPs and only 5% are in public ownership. 38 Also, in Sweden and Italy WtE is mostly fully privatised or operated via PPPs, as it is in the UK 39 and the US.

Only very few countries have public ownership of WtE, for example Austria and Denmark. A recent academic study compared private and public ownership of WtE and concluded that ‘private ownership generally leads to inefficiencies’ 40 . This can be seen from the experience of two cities – Belgrade and Ljubljana – which illustrates that public ownership and control is essential for a holistic waste management system that allows the prioritisation of environmental concerns over profit.

Furthermore, the example of Denmark, showed that when it is in public ownership WtE can be adjusted according to the country’s needs. Developing waste prevention and recycling schemes alongside WtE treatment meant that by 2018 Denmark had to import nearly a million tons of waste. 41 Consequently, it decided to reduce its incineration capacity by 30% by 2030, with the closure of seven incinerators in order to expand recycling. These decisions were enabled by the fact that Denmark’s incinerators are in public ownership and hence the country is not facing legal lawsuits for compensation due to the decision to close the plants.  

Belgrade, Serbia – privatised WtE hampers recycling

In Serbia the introduction of WtE has become a barrier for developing the country’s recycling capacity. The privatised WtE came into being through a PPP contract signed with the Suez-Itochu consortium in 2017 for a duration of 25 years for the provision of municipal waste treatment and disposal services, with WtE at the core of the contract. It was then the largest PPP contract in Serbia and had an estimated value of €957 million over the course of the contract. The PPP was financed through loans from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC). The World Bank not only financed WtE but it also advised the city authorities on the legal, regulatory, technical and financial aspects of the project as well as on the public procurement procedures and the selection of the bidder. In other words, the World Bank enabled and shaped the conditions of the privatised WtE in Serbia. According to the contract Belgrade is obliged to deliver around 66% of the city’s municipal waste. The contract also stated that the WtE plant would incinerate municipal waste without prior sorting, thus ruling out the development of a recycling system. This even meant that the EIB, which had first offered support for the PPP, withdrew from the project as it recognised that it would prevent Serbia from achieving the EU’s recycling and circular economy objectives. 42 Yet the deal went ahead anyway without the EU’s financial support. The introduction of WtE is not only a barrier to effective recycling but it is also jeopardising Serbia’s prospects of entering the EU, as EU member states have a binding obligation to recycle at least 60% of municipal waste. Currently, there is no functioning formal recycling system in Serbia (official recycling rates were as low as 0.4 % in 2019. 43 Most recycling is carried out by the informal sector (European Environment Agency, November 2021). Hence, the current WtE project in Serbia also means that, as in other countries (see the example of India and Lebanon below) there is a risk that WtE will also destroy the existing informal recycling system.  

Ljubljana, Slovenia – WtE can work when in public ownership

In contrast, Ljubljana in Slovenia demonstrates that WtE can indeed make a valuable contribution to waste management, when not competing with waste prevention and recycling, but when there is a holistic approach to waste management. Slovenia was for a long time quite the opposite of a good practice case in relation to waste management. Yet, this changed. Between 2006 and 2017, Slovenia managed to achieve the most significant reduction in landfilled municipal waste in the EU, cutting it by almost 70%.  

Now Ljubljana is also branded as Europe’s zero waste capital, with Slovenia pioneering in waste prevention and recycling. For example, the city operates packaging-free vending machines for basic household items, and it is a nationwide obligation for all municipal institutions to use toilet roll that is produced from re-cycled milk and juice packaging. 44

When Slovenia introduced WtE this went in line with these circular economy practices rather than destroying or competing with them. The country constructed a modern waste management treatment plant that served 37 municipalities in central Slovenia and processes over 170,000 tonnes of waste annually. The plant, the Regional Centre for Waste Management (RCERO), which started to operate in 2015, strictly follows the waste hierarchy – waste avoidance, recycling and composting, waste to energy and then landfill. So, the waste is recycled through mechanical treatment and is used to produce solid fuel and organic waste is composted. Some unrecyclable materials are processed into fuel, which has a similar calorific value to brown coal. WtE is used for the rest of the waste that cannot be otherwise re-purposed and the waste that is not suitable for WtE is used for landfill.  

Such a holistic waste management system needs to be motivated by more than a profit. Recycling and composting are more labour-intensive and less profitable than WtE. The RCERO plant was facilitated through public funding with 66% (€77.6 million) coming from the EU Cohesion Fund and the remainder from the national and local government, the construction of the treatment plant was completed in October 2015.  

The example of Ljubljana shows that when waste management is publicly owned and operated it facilitates an integrated system where waste prevention can go hand in hand with recycling as well as WtE, rather than having these three aspects of waste management competing with each other for profit.45

Industrial lobby groups, multinational companies and financial institutions, like the World Bank and the ADB, have promoted WtE as a sustainable alternative to landfill and as a solution for the overwhelming need for waste management in many parts of the world. However, as this essay demonstrates WtE is, in fact, not so environmentally friendly. The first aspect that policy-makers and activists need to be aware of is that WtE, contrary to what the name suggests, does not produce much energy (and the energy it produces is heating rather than electricity so it is a less useful energy source for hot countries). Due to the high emissions of WtE incineration – higher than from other fossil fuelled energy production – it is certainly not a source of green or renewable energy.  

The second aspect of which activists and policy-makers need to be aware is that it creates the need for increasing volumes of waste, because WtE plants need a certain volume of waste in order to operate. Many of the countries with an established WtE industry are already heavily dependent on importing waste, leading for a scramble for waste. This is especially severe as it is often recyclable waste that gets burned in WtE energy plants (the plants need a certain calorific value in order to operate and plastic and paper, for example, are high in calorific value). Hence, even the UN and the EU have advised countries to reduce their WtE capacity.

Thirdly, WtE plants create environmental and health risks. They release not only emissions but also toxins that cause health risks for the people living nearby.  

Fourthly, policy-makers need to recognise that many places where WtE was introduced it deprived many informal recycling workers of their livelihood. While informal recycling work should not be glorified as it is both unpleasant and hazardous, it is securing the livelihood of millions of people. These informal workers are making a tremendous contribution to recycling in many countries.

Currently, most WtE plants across the world are privatised (either fully or via a PPP contract). This means that the municipalities have contractual obligations with the private providers to deliver a certain volume of waste or pay compensation. This directly goes against any waste-reduction efforts. Denmark, on the other hand, where WtE is mostly in public ownership, was able to shut down some of its WtE plants in order to incentivise waste prevention and recycling while reducing its dependence on imported waste.  

The case of Slovenia provides an example of a holistic waste management system that strictly follows the waste hierarchy (waste prevention, recycling and composting, waste to energy, landfilling) when waste management is in public ownership and control.

This essay thus suggests that WtE needs to be in public ownership so that it can be part of a comprehensive approach to waste management that addresses the need of the environment and citizens: local residents, the public that needs a functioning waste management system and the workers (formal and informal) who deal with the waste.

Abou the author

Vera Weghmann is a researcher at the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) at the University of Greenwich, focused on public services, in particular privatisation, remunicipalisation, renationalisation, public sector financing and public sector reforms. Vera has been involved in independent trade unionism in the UK since 2012, she is the co-founder of the United Voices of the Word union and has been involved in the creation of the Independent Workers of Great Britain union.

Notes and sources

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  https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/eu-climate-ambitions-spell-trouble…

 Kwon, S., Kang, J., Lee, B., Hong, S., Jeon, Y., Bak, M. and Im, S.K., 2023. Nonviable carbon neutrality with plastic waste-to-energy.  Energy & Environmental Science ,  16 (7), pp.3074-3087.

 Boré, A., Cui, J., Huang, Z., Huang, Q., Fellner, J. and Ma, W., 2022. Monitored air pollutants from waste-to-energy facilities in China: Human health risk, and buffer distance assessment.  Atmospheric Pollution Research ,  13 (7), p.101484.

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https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/cooperatives/publications/WCMS_715845…

  ILO (2029) Waste pickers’ cooperatives and social and solidarity economy organizations

  Shah, D. (2011) The Timarpur-Okhla Waste to Energy Venture. https://www.no-burn.org/wp-content/uploads/Timarpur.pdf

 Shree, D. (2023) The challenges in generating power from non-recyclables, 18 March.   https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/the-challenges-in-generating-power-from-non-recyclables-1201194.html he challenges in generating power from non-recyclables (deccanherald.com)

 Meghani, S. (2023) Is there a role for informal waste pickers in the new waste economy?, 1 July. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/developing-contemporary-india…

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https://www.statista.com/statistics/1061462/india-solid-waste-treatment…

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  The World Bank (2022) ‘Lebanon: US$8.86 million Grant to Support Solid Waste Management and Reduce Public Health and Environmental Impacts’ https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/12/20/lebanon-us-8…

  The RITE Independent Review – 2022. Findings and recommendation regarding EU supported solid waste management facilities in Lebanon. https://www.keepandshare.com/doc4/134953/ritereport22-pdf-3-7-meg?da=y

  UN (2023) EU invests 3.7 million Euro to support Green and Circular Economy in Lebanon through a project implemented by UNIDO https://lebanon.un.org/en/238149-eu-invests-37-million-euro-support-gre…  

 France 24 'Drive-throw' recycling aims to ease Lebanon garbage crisis. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230703-drive-throw-recycling-ai…

   Oyinloye, A. (2020)’ From window to jug: Lebanese recycle glass from Beirut blast’ https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/06/from-window-to-jug-lebanese-recyc…

CEWEP (n.d.) A voice of Waste-to-Energy

  https://www.cewep.eu/what-cewep-does/

  EIB (2018) Olsztyn Waste-to-Energy plant. OLSZTYN WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANT (eib.org)

  Friends of the earth (2023) ‘Freedom of Information Act Findings Reveal Covert Incinerator Lobby Blitz’ https://foe.org/news/foia-incinerator-lobby-blitz/

Covantana (n.d.) ‘Protecting Tomorrow’ https://www.covanta.com/who-we-are/our-story

  ADB (2018) ‘ Creating an Enabling Environment for Public–Private Partnerships in Waste-to-Energy Projects’ https://www.adb.org/publications/ppp-waste-to-energy-projects

 Cui, C., Liu, Y., Xia, B., Jiang, X. and Skitmore, M., 2020. Overview of public-private partnerships in the waste-to-energy incineration industry in China: Status, opportunities, and challenges.  Energy Strategy Reviews ,  32 , p.100584.

  Weghmann, V (2021)  Daseinsvorsorge und Rekommunalisierung. Eine Handreichung . Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung. https://www.rosalux.de/publikation/id/45138/daseinsvorsorge-und-rekommu…

  Levaggi, L. et al. (2020) Waste-to-Energy in the EU: The Effects of Plant Ownership, Waste Mobility, and Decentralization on Environmental Outcomes and Welfare. Sustainability. Vol. 141, pp. 35-51.

  Levaggi, L. et al. (2020) Levaggi, L. et al. (2020) Waste-to-Energy in the EU: The Effects of Plant Ownership, Waste Mobility, and Decentralization on Environmental Outcomes and Welfare. Sustainability. Vol. 141, pp. 35-51.

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  Balkan Green Energy News, (2021), Serbia ranked worst in Europe by household waste recycling, as Croatia sees second biggest increase, https://balkangreenenergynews.com/serbia-ranked-worst-ineurope-by-house…

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The world’s energy problem

The world faces two energy problems: most of our energy still produces greenhouse gas emissions, and hundreds of millions lack access to energy..

The world lacks safe, low-carbon, and cheap large-scale energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Until we scale up those alternatives the world will continue to face the two energy problems of today. The energy problem that receives most attention is the link between energy access and greenhouse gas emissions. But the world has another global energy problem that is just as big: hundreds of millions of people lack access to sufficient energy entirely, with terrible consequences to themselves and the environment.

The problem that dominates the public discussion on energy is climate change. A climate crisis endangers the natural environment around us, our wellbeing today and the wellbeing of those who come after us.

It is the production of energy that is responsible for 87% of global greenhouse gas emissions and as the chart below shows, people in the richest countries have the very highest emissions.

This chart here will guide us through the discussion of the world's energy problem. It shows the per capita CO2 emissions on the vertical axis against the average income in that country on the horizontal axis.

In countries where people have an average income between $15,000 and $20,000, per capita CO 2 emissions are close to the global average ( 4.8 tonnes CO 2 per year). In every country where people's average income is above $25,000 the average emissions per capita are higher than the global average.

The world’s CO 2 emissions have been rising quickly and reached 36.6 billion tonnes in 2018 . As long as we are emitting greenhouse gases their concentration in the atmosphere increases . To bring climate change to an end the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere needs to stabilize and to achieve this the world’s greenhouse gas emissions have to decline towards net-zero.

To bring emissions down towards net-zero will be one of the world’s biggest challenges in the years ahead. But the world’s energy problem is actually even larger than that, because the world has not one, but two energy problems.

The twin problems of global energy

The first energy problem: those that have low carbon emissions lack access to energy.

The first global energy problem relates to the left-hand side of the scatter-plot above.

People in very poor countries have very low emissions. On average, people in the US emit more carbon dioxide in 4 days than people in poor countries – such as Ethiopia, Uganda, or Malawi – emit in an entire year. 1

The reason that the emissions of the poor are low is that they lack access to modern energy and technology. The energy problem of the poorer half of the world is energy poverty . The two charts below show that large shares of people in countries with a GDP per capita of less than $25,000 do not have access to electricity and clean cooking fuels. 2

The lack of access to these technologies causes some of the worst global problems of our time.

When people lack access to modern energy sources for cooking and heating, they rely on solid fuel sources – mostly firewood, but also dung and crop waste. This comes at a massive cost to the health of people in energy poverty: indoor air pollution , which the WHO calls "the world's largest single environmental health risk." 3 For the poorest people in the world it is the largest risk factor for early death and global health research suggests that indoor air pollution is responsible for 1.6 million deaths each year, twice the death count of poor sanitation. 4

The use of wood as a source of energy also has a negative impact on the environment around us. The reliance on fuelwood is the reason why poverty is linked to deforestation. The FAO reports that on the African continent the reliance on wood as fuel is the single most important driver of forest degradation. 5 Across East, Central, and West Africa fuelwood provides more than half of the total energy. 6

Lastly, the lack of access to energy subjects people to a life in poverty. No electricity means no refrigeration of food; no washing machine or dishwasher; and no light at night. You might have seen the photos of children sitting under a street lamp at night to do their homework. 7

The first energy problem of the world is the problem of energy poverty – those that do not have sufficient access to modern energy sources suffer poor living conditions as a result.

The second energy problem: those that have access to energy produce greenhouse gas emissions that are too high

The second energy problem is the one that is more well known, and relates to the right hand-side of the scatterplot above: greenhouse gas emissions are too high.

Those that need to reduce emissions the most are the extremely rich. Diana Ivanova and Richard Wood (2020) have just shown that the richest 1% in the EU emit on average 43 tonnes of CO 2 annually – 9-times as much as the global average of 4.8 tonnes. 8

The focus on the rich, however, can give the impression that it is only the emissions of the extremely rich that are the problem. What isn’t made clear enough in the public debate is that for the world's energy supply to be sustainable the greenhouse gas emissions of the majority of the world population are currently too high. The problem is larger for the extremely rich, but it isn’t limited to them.

The Paris Agreement's goal is to keep the increase of the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and “to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C”. 9

To achieve this goal emissions have to decline to net-zero within the coming decades.

Within richer countries, where few are suffering from energy poverty, even the emissions of the very poorest people are far higher. The paper by Ivanova and Wood shows that in countries like Germany, Ireland, and Greece more than 99% of households have per capita emissions of more than 2.4 tonnes per year.

The only countries that have emissions that are close to zero are those where the majority suffers from energy poverty. 10 The countries that are closest are the very poorest countries in Africa : Malawi, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But this comes at a large cost to themselves as this chart shows. In no poor country do people have living standards that are comparable to those of people in richer countries.

And since living conditions are better where GDP per capita is higher, it is also the case that CO 2 emissions are higher where living conditions are better. Emissions are high where child mortality is the lowest , where children have good access to education, and where few of them suffer from hunger .

The reason for this is that as soon as people get access to energy from fossil fuels their emissions are too high to be sustainable over the long run (see here ).

People need access to energy for a good life. But in a world where fossil fuels are the dominant source of energy, access to modern energy means that carbon emissions are too high.

The more accurate description of the second global energy problem is therefore: the majority of the world population – all those who are not very poor – have greenhouse gas emissions that are far too high to be sustainable over the long run.

The current alternatives are energy poverty or fossil-fuels and greenhouse gases

The chart here is a version of the scatter plot above and summarizes the two global energy problems: In purple are those that live in energy poverty, in blue those whose greenhouse gas emissions are too high if we want to avoid severe climate change.

So far I have looked at the global energy problem in a static way, but the world is changing  of course.

For millennia all of our ancestors lived in the pink bubble: the reliance on wood meant they suffered from indoor air pollution; the necessity of acquiring fuelwood and agricultural land meant deforestation; and minimal technology meant that our ancestors lived in conditions of extreme poverty.

In the last two centuries more and more people have moved from the purple to the blue area in the chart. In many ways this is a very positive development. Economic growth and increased access to modern energy improved people's living conditions. In rich countries almost no one dies from indoor air pollution and living conditions are much better in many ways as we've seen above. It also meant that we made progress against the ecological downside of energy poverty: The link between poverty and the reliance on fuelwood is one of the key reasons why deforestation declines with economic growth. 11 And progress in that direction has been fast: on any average day in the last decade 315,000 people in the world got access to electricity for the first time in their life.

But while living conditions improved, greenhouse gas emissions increased.

The chart shows what this meant for greenhouse gas emissions over the last generation. The chart is a version of the scatter plot above, but it shows the change over time – from 1990 to the latest available data.

The data is now also plotted on log-log scales which has the advantage that you can see the rates of change easily. On a logarithmic axis the steepness of the line corresponds to the rate of change. What the chart shows is that low- and middle-income countries increased their emissions at very similar rates.

By default the chart shows the change of income and emission for the 14 countries that are home to more than 100 million people, but you can add other countries to the chart.

What has been true in the past two decades will be true in the future. For the poorer three-quarters of the world income growth means catching up with the good living conditions of the richer world, but unless there are cheap alternatives to fossil fuels it also means catching up with the high emissions of the richer world.

Our challenge: find large-scale energy alternatives to fossil fuels that are affordable, safe and sustainable

The task for our generation is therefore twofold: since the majority of the world still lives in poor conditions, we have to continue to make progress in our fight against energy poverty. But success in this fight will only translate into good living conditions for today’s young generation when we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

Key to making progress on both of these fronts is the source of energy and its price . Those living in energy poverty cannot afford sufficient energy and those that left the worst poverty behind rely on fossil fuels to meet their energy needs.

Once we look at it this way it becomes clear that the twin energy problems are really the two sides of one big problem. We lack large-scale energy alternatives to fossil fuels that are cheap, safe, and sustainable.

This last version of the scatter plot shows what it would mean to have such energy sources at scale. It would allow the world to leave the unsustainable current alternatives behind and make the transition to the bottom right corner of the chart: the area marked with the green rectangle where emissions are net-zero and everyone has left energy poverty behind.

Without these technologies we are trapped in a world where we have only bad alternatives: Low-income countries that fail to meet the needs of the current generation; high-income countries that compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs; and middle-income countries that fail on both counts.

Since we have not developed all the technologies that are required to make this transition possible large scale innovation is required for the world to make this transition. This is the case for most sectors that cause carbon emissions , in particular in the transport (shipping, aviation, road transport) and heating sectors, but also cement production and agriculture.

One sector where we have developed several alternatives to fossil fuels is electricity. Nuclear power and renewables emit far less carbon (and are much safer) than fossil fuels. Still, as the last chart shows, their share in global electricity production hasn't changed much: only increasing from 36% to 38% in the last three decades.

But it is possible to do better. Some countries have scaled up nuclear power and renewables and are doing much better than the global average. You can see this if you change the chart to show the data for France and Sweden – in France 92% of electricity comes from low carbon sources, in Sweden it is 99%. The consequence of countries doing better in this respect should be that they are closer to the sustainable energy world of the future. The scatter plot above shows that this is the case.

But for the global energy supply – especially outside the electricity sector – the world is still far away from a solution to the world's energy problem.

Every country is still very far away from providing clean, safe, and affordable energy at a massive scale and unless we make rapid progress in developing these technologies we will remain stuck in the two unsustainable alternatives of today: energy poverty or greenhouse gas emissions.

As can be seen from the chart, the ratio of emissions is 17.49t / 0.2t = 87.45. And 365 days/87.45=4.17 days

It is worth looking into the cutoffs for what it means – according to these international statistics – to have access to energy. The cutoffs are low.

See Raising Global Energy Ambitions: The 1,000 kWh Modern Energy Minimum and IEA (2020) – Defining energy access: 2020 methodology, IEA, Paris.

WHO (2014) – Frequently Asked Questions – Ambient and Household Air Pollution and Health . Update 2014

While it is certain that the death toll of indoor air pollution is high, there are widely differing estimates. At the higher end of the spectrum, the WHO estimates a death count of more than twice that. We discuss it in our entry on indoor air pollution .

The 2018 estimate for premature deaths due to poor sanitation is from the same analysis, the Global Burden of Disease study. See here .

FAO and UNEP. 2020. The State of the World’s Forests 2020. Forests, biodiversity and people. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en

The same report also reports that an estimated 880 million people worldwide are collecting fuelwood or producing charcoal with it.

This is according to the IEA's World Energy Balances 2020. Here is a visualization of the data.

The second largest energy source across the three regions is oil and the third is gas.

The photo shows students study under the streetlights at Conakry airport in Guinea. It was taken by Rebecca Blackwell for the Associated Press.

It was published by the New York Times here .

The global average is 4.8 tonnes per capita . The richest 1% of individuals in the EU emit 43 tonnes per capita – according to Ivanova D, Wood R (2020). The unequal distribution of household carbon footprints in Europe and its link to sustainability. Global Sustainability 3, e18, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2020.12

On Our World in Data my colleague Hannah Ritchie has looked into a related question and also found that the highest emissions are concentrated among a relatively small share of the global population: High-income countries are home to only 16% of the world population, yet they are responsible for almost half (46%) of the world’s emissions.

Article 2 of the Paris Agreement states the goal in section 1a: “Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.”

It is an interesting question whether there are some subnational regions in richer countries where a larger group of people has extremely low emissions; it might possibly be the case in regions that rely on nuclear energy or renewables (likely hydro power) or where aforestation is happening rapidly.

Crespo Cuaresma, J., Danylo, O., Fritz, S. et al. Economic Development and Forest Cover: Evidence from Satellite Data. Sci Rep 7, 40678 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep40678

Bruce N, Rehfuess E, Mehta S, et al. Indoor Air Pollution. In: Jamison DT, Breman JG, Measham AR, et al., editors. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2006. Chapter 42. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11760/ Co-published by Oxford University Press, New York.

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• Published: 21 February 2024

Reimagining plastics waste as energy solutions: challenges and opportunities

• Angie F. J. Tan 1 , 2 ,
• Cheng Wang 3 ,
• Guan Heng Yeoh 3 ,
• Wey Yang Teoh 4 , 5 &
• Alex C. K. Yip 1 , 2  

npj Materials Sustainability volume  2 , Article number:  2 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Carbon capture and storage
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• Energy and society

A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 13 March 2024

Recent statistics portray a stark reality, particularly highlighting the inadequate recycling measures and the consequent environmental threats, most notably in developing nations. The global ramifications of plastic pollution are elucidated, specifically focusing on the alarming accumulation in regions such as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” and evolving waste management practices in Southeast Asian countries. We emphasize the significance of Waste-to-Energy (W2E) and Waste-to-Fuel (W2F) technologies, e.g., pyrolysis and gasification, for converting difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into a dense-energy source. However, we identify a critical gap in current research: the emission of CO 2 during these processes. This perspective spotlights emergent CO 2 capture and utilization technologies, underscoring their role as a robust turnkey solution in making W2E and W2F methods more sustainable and unleashing the huge potential of using waste plastics as a dense-energy source. The scientific community is urged to develop tailored solutions for reducing CO 2 emissions in plastic waste conversion processes. This approach promotes circular resource utilization and realizes the socio-economic and environmental advantages of plastic waste utilization technologies, advocating their implementation in economically disadvantaged regions.

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Introduction

Borrowing a scene from “The Fabelmans” 1 , the culture of single-use plastics in the United States can be traced back to the late 1950s, a time when their usage and disposal were already rampant in average homes. For decades, consumers have followed a restricted narrative that begins with purchasing off-the-shelf products and ends with discarding them in the first bin without much thought of the aftermath. Fast forward to the present, despite society being a lot more environmentally conscious about waste plastics, especially with the growing concern over microplastics (tiny plastic particles <5 mm in size), there has been little significant change to our diehard habits 2 . The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and simultaneously exacerbated this issue as our reliance on single-use plastics surged 3 . From the convenient packaging of food deliveries to the necessary use of personal protective equipment and medical supplies like masks, gloves, syringes, and blood bags, our consumption of plastics has increased, driven by both choice and necessity. The most pressing problem, we argue, is not with plastic as a material but instead with its lifecycle management and disposal, suggesting a critical re-evaluation of such practices. As a point of reference, the production of plastics in 1950 amounted to 2 million tonnes (Mt) 4 . By 2019, on the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic, that number skyrocketed to 460 Mt. According to projections by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), global plastic use is expected to more than triple by 2060, reaching an astounding 1231 Mt (Fig. 1 ) 5 , 6 . Overall, the generated plastics waste per capita correlates well with gross domestic product (GDP); however, the precise magnitude of this correlation varies significantly across different regions, particularly with consumption habits (Fig. 2 ). For that reason, the level of waste per capita varies widely among high-income nations; One that is characterized by excessive consumptions (e.g., the United States) at the upper end, and one that is marked by environmentally conscious needs for recycling (e.g., Norway) at the lower end. Major contributors to plastics waste in 2016 include the United States, generating 34.0 Mt, India with 26.3 Mt, and China with 21.6 Mt 7 . While it is expected that most countries will see an increase in plastic consumption alongside GDP growth, we have not seen an overall bucking of the trend in terms of plastic waste generation. It suggests that plastic recycling is still insufficient, even among high-income nations. Most of these nations are net exporters of plastic waste. For example, the US exported ~5% of its plastic waste in 2010; France exported 11%, and the Netherlands exported 14% 8 .

The figure illustrates the exponential growth in plastics production in the next four decades on OECD forecasts 5 , 6 .

The symbol shape and size correspond to the year of the data and the country’s population, respectively; the scale of the x-axis is not linear 7 , 8 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 .

The Sankey diagram (Fig. 3 ), illustrating the production, end-of-life, and recycling of packaging plastics, offers an overview of the present state of plastics management. Two critical observations emerge: (1) the low rate of plastic recycling, and (2) the dominant disposal practices via landfilling and dumping lack effective means for plastics decomposition at the end of their lifecycle. Other disposal methods, such as incineration and unregulated dumping—leading to ocean pollution, raise immediate environmental concerns due to excessive CO 2 emissions and marine litter, respectively. A relatively recent study discloses an alarming 11.6–21.1 Mt of microplastics are suspended in the upper 200 meters of the Atlantic Ocean as of 2020 9 . These microplastics, composed primarily of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS), pose a dire threat to marine life and have the potential to enter the food chain, endangering both marine and human health.

98% of packaging plastics originate from fossil fuels, of which 32% of these plastics are mismanaged, with 2–5% of this mismanaged waste entering the oceans via rivers 79 .

As a matter of fact, land waste plastics are easily strayed into waterways and ultimately carried by ocean currents. A sea area of ~1.6 million km 2 between Hawaii and California earned the moniker the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” for trapping ~1.8 trillion pieces (or 80,000 tonnes) of plastics in the swirling ocean current 10 . Similar patches exist in every ocean around the world. The positively buoyant and float plastics represent just the tip of the iceberg, comprising ~1% of the total plastic waste entering the oceans 11 , 12 . The rest, including those that break down into microplastics, are found (1) among the sediment layers on the seafloor, (2) sinking, and (3) trapped or drifting near shorelines 13 . The presence of microplastics, whether in their original form or as fragments from larger pieces, has raised significant environmental and health concerns. Nations surrounded by vast water bodies, which act as conduits for drifting plastics, are particularly vulnerable to microplastic pollution. They include, for example, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), India, Central and South America, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the Mediterranean. While most plastics in their pristine states are inert and a nuisance in larger pieces, like any solid materials, they can adsorb potentially harmful chemicals and microbes. The sheer macrosize of these waste plastics limited the extent of our interactions with them. However, when these plastics break down into micron-sized fragments, they become small enough to be ingested by marine life, thereby entering the human food chain 14 , 15 . As these plastics further degrade into nanoparticles, there is a potential risk that these nanoplastics could penetrate the blood-brain barrier in humans 16 , 17 .

Recycling challenges and transboundary disposal

Forecasts by the United Nations indicate that by 2040, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stemming from the complete lifecycle of traditional, fossil fuel-based plastics are poised to contribute a significant 19% of the global carbon budget or ~2.1 gigatonnes of CO 2 equivalent (GtCO 2 e) 18 . The figure is based on the current scenario where 98% of plastics are derived from virgin feedstocks or fossil fuels. Recycling remains the most environmentally friendly option, in the long run, to cope with the rising plastic demand and yet limit emissions.

Despite a global increase in recycling efforts, it may not yet be a comprehensive solution. The focus has been primarily on three types of high-demand plastics: rigid polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) containers, which are plastics of categories 1, 2, and 5, respectively 19 , 20 . They resist natural degradation and accumulate in the soil and water bodies. In addition, most consumers are unaware of other plastic types that may end up in the recycling stream but are considered contaminants, for example, vinyl pipes and polystyrene cups. The issue arises due to specific recycling design and structural requirements needed for processing machinery. Ideally, the energy input for the recycling system requires using renewable energy coupled with energy storage to achieve carbon neutrality or negative at different times of the day. Effective recycling demands substantial materials recovery and sorting infrastructure, typically found in wealthier regions. This infrastructure, including roads and trucks necessary for expanding scalability, is often unavailable in poorer areas already burdened with plastic waste. Concurrently, although not the focus of this article, bioplastics are not yet fully proven to be a foolproof solution to the issues posed by waste plastics 21 , 22 .

Plastic waste distribution is a global issue that varies widely across socio-economic profiles, population density, and geographic locations. There have been instances where waste plastics are exported from one country to another, often to less developed economies. Policy decisions of the exporting countries significantly influence the movement of these waste plastics. For example, in 2017, when China implemented a ban on importing 24 types of plastic waste to prevent it from becoming the world’s dumping ground, there was an immediate surge in the importation of waste plastics from neighboring countries (Fig. 4 ) 23 , 24 . The Basel Convention, designed to regulate the movement of hazardous wastes, including waste plastics, is the primary international treaty overseeing such transboundary practices 25 . Despite this, “strategic” importation of plastics, often labeled for recycling, still occurs in countries with poor policies on waste management 26 . Malaysia and the Philippines have recently taken a stand against plastic waste imports. In 2019, they returned 5400 tonnes of waste plastics to their countries of origin, which included the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom 27 , 28 , 29 .

The figure shows a noticeable rise in plastics waste import in some Asian countries following China’s ban on 24 types of solid waste from abroad 8 .

Navigating beyond conventional waste plastics management

Despite the challenge of the rapid accumulation of waste plastics, age-old landfilling, and incineration remain the most prevalent disposal methods. One preference over the other is essentially critical decision-making between the “lesser of two evils,” which in turn hinges on prioritizing key environmental and, to some extent, economic goals. Landfilling, while widespread, leads to long-term environmental contamination and space constraints. Incineration, while efficiently eliminating solid wastes, adds to direct CO 2 emissions and is disastrous if adopted as the world’s sole disposal method. Conversion of plastics waste to textiles, building materials and 3D printing filaments are innovative solutions to circumvent the accumulation of waste plastics or direct emission of CO 2 . However, adoptions may be limited at the current trial stages.

As far as waste plastics incineration is concerned, direct CO 2 generation is inevitable, although some degree of offsets in carbon emission can be made possible through the W2E conversion. Here, the exothermic heat from the combustion of plastics-containing trash is used to produce hot water for various domestic and industrial applications or to superheated steam to power turbines for electricity generation. Such processes have been successfully implemented in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore and Japan. Others, including China, India, Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico, are beginning to explore similar avenues. Nevertheless, the process is not without controversies due to excessive dioxin 30 and CO 2 emissions. Stringent exhaust treatment and CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) are necessary to curb these emissions. To the best of our knowledge, W2E plant with coupled CCS remains unprecedented. This can be attributed to the limited accessibility to CO 2 reservoirs at this early stage of development. Fly ashes recovered from incineration are valuable materials for CO 2 adsorption and for creating geopolymers (i.e., green concrete), thereby further offsetting the GHG emissions from waste plastics incineration 31 , 32 .

When heated under restricted oxygen content, combustion of waste plastics or, for that matter, harnessing exothermic heat is not possible. Instead, the waste plastics undergo W2F conversion via pyrolysis or gasification. Pyrolysis is particularly effective for handling packaging films, pouch bags, and multi-layered materials, which most mechanical recycling methods struggle to process. Compared to incineration, pyrolysis decomposes plastics at lower temperatures, typically between 350 and 900 °C, in an oxygen-deficient environment or, in specific cases, with a very low oxygen concentration to increase the heating rate and resulting in a higher yield of product gas 33 , 34 . High temperatures lead to dehydration, depolymerization, and fragmentation of the plastics to produce volatile components. This process effectively breaks down the plastics into shorter-chain hydrocarbons. Notably, pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste emits 50% less CO 2 than incineration, i.e., ~1 tonne less CO 2 than incineration per 1 tonne of mixed plastic waste 35 . The pyrolysis product can be refined into diesel and other petrochemical materials. Selectivity control can be achieved through the addition of catalysts, e.g., silica-alumina and proton-exchanged zeolites like protonated Zeolite Socony Mobil–5, to obtain olefins that can, in turn, be repolymerized as virgin plastics thus facilitating the closed-loop recycling 36 .

Compared with pyrolysis, gasification is typically carried out at higher temperatures between 700 to 1500 °C, has a longer residence time, and may include the addition of steam. This results in simple molecules, primarily syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide), that can be further combusted to generate electricity or conversion to synthetic fuels, through water-gas shift reaction (CO + H 2 O → CO 2  + H 2 ), methanation (CO + 3H 2  → CH 4  + H 2 O), and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (for example, paraffin synthesis: nCO + (2n+1)H 2  → C n H 2n+2  + nH 2 O) 37 , 38 .

Depending on the reaction temperature and, hence, the residue char/coke quality from W2E or W2F, they can be used as reinforcing agents in tyres, construction materials, soil conditioners, metallurgical coke, and adsorbents 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 . Such valorizations offset the carbon footprints of the W2E and W2F conversions. A point to practice with caution: despite the derived char/coke being considered a green fuel because it is converted from waste plastics, the emitted CO 2 from its combustion to generate heat/electricity is ultimately traced to the original feedstock of the plastics, i.e., fossil fuels.

It is increasingly clear that fully realizing the benefits of waste plastic conversion necessitates, in one way or another, the management of direct CO 2 emissions. In this context, carbon capture and storage (CCS) or utilization (CCU) is an essential downstream process and among the most urgently anticipated carbon mitigation technologies. There are two critical steps in CCU: firstly, the sequestration of CO 2 from flue gas or other sources of mixed gases, and secondly, the conversion of concentrated CO 2 into higher-value products. The former step is crucial for enhancing the reaction kinetics and, to some extent, the selectivity of CO 2 conversion, leading to a higher yield per unit of energy input.

Pressure swing adsorption is the industry’s most widely adopted technology for gas separation. Its working principle is analogous to gas chromatography, where the gas of interest, CO 2 , is separated from others based on their adsorption affinity and elution time through a packed column filled with adsorbents. Once the CO 2 is eluted, the column is evacuated to remove the remaining adsorbed gases for a new cycle of adsorption 43 . Given the cyclic pressure swings that are costly to operate, current research is focused on developing cost-effective and less energy-demanding CO 2 adsorbents. Materials such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are chosen for their porous structure, facilitating effective CO 2 retention 44 . Robust CO 2 -binding sites in MOFs like Al-PMOF and Al-PyrMOF show exceptional carbon capture capacity even in wet flue gas, which is a major challenge in realistic carbon capture processes 45 . Low-energy separation processes are favored for their clear environmental and process economics benefits 46 , 47 . Membrane separation, utilizing microporous zeolitic materials, is particularly noteworthy as these membranes are semi-permeable to CO 2 and do not necessitate the ultra-high pressurization of flue gas 48 , 49 . Of special mention is ZIF-62, which exhibits high CO 2 selectivity and permeability, making it suitable for industrial applications 50 .

Once CO 2 is recovered in sufficiently high concentrations, it can be further converted into fuels (i.e., CCU) through chemical, photo(electro)chemical, and electrochemical methods 51 , 52 , 53 . The Sabatier or methanation reaction is particularly noteworthy for its ability to convert CO 2 with high efficiency 54 , and can be readily injectable into existing natural gas pipelines. The catalytic conversion of CO 2 to methanol is highly sought-after because methanol is the simplest form of liquid hydrocarbon at ambient conditions (thereby being highly transportable) and a versatile chemical intermediate 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 . Recent studies have been delving into the synergistic effects of multicomponent catalysts, such as Cu-ZnO-ZrO 2 (CZZ), which show high CO 2 conversion and methanol selectivity 60 . Additionally, there is increasing interest in non-Cu-based catalysts, as evidenced by the creation of palladium-promoted In 2 O 3 sites that exhibit high methanol selectivity and stability 61 . Further, conversion from methanol to higher hydrocarbons can be carried out via the methanol-to-X ( X = olefins, dimethyl ether, formaldehyde, hydrocarbons) reaction within the well-defined micropores of acidic zeolite catalysts 62 , 63 . Olefins can be returned as monomer feedstocks to close the loop of plastics recycling, while other products are downcycled as chemicals or fuels for different applications.

Concluding remarks

Managing waste plastics has evolved into a sophisticated practice intertwined with environmental impacts, carbon emissions, and economic viability. Compared to other non-perishable trash, such as metal scraps or E-waste, waste plastics have an economic value that is too low to justify tedious resource recoveries. The ongoing issue of transboundary disposal necessitates political commitment and collaboration between exporting and receiving nations to weed out unscrupulous practices involving false declaration of waste plastics for recycling.

Any efforts to close the recycling loop, either by recovering or reforming the monomers, is deemed the most emission-friendly. The challenge in recycling is to recover sufficiently high-purity monomers that reproduce plastics with comparable quality as that made of virgin monomers. Chemically, this requires meticulous sorting and segregation of different waste plastics and managing their additives.

Where options for monomer recoveries are not possible, the next best options are energy recovery from incineration (i.e., W2E) or as non-monomer fuels from pyrolysis (i.e., W2F). A notable concern arises with the emission of CO 2 , either directly during the W2E process or predominantly from the combustion of fuels produced via W2F. While the infrastructure requires significant investment, a comparison against landfilling needs to be made regarding environmental implications, land and maintenance costs, and the associated carbon emissions. Different countries are bound by other priorities due to different choices of solutions.

The Maldives, an island nation, is a notable case study of adopting W2E solutions for plastic waste management. Since the 1990s, the Maldives have been disposing of its waste in a lagoon known as Thilafushi 64 , which has transformed into a landfill over time. In this lagoon, waste plastics were commonly burned in the open air. It is estimated that the Maldives produces around 20,000 tonnes of waste plastic annually, with only 5% being recycled 65 . Most of this waste ended up in the lagoon landfill, where it was either openly burned or leaked into the ocean. In a significant shift towards sustainability, the government, since late 2021, has committed to transforming this waste lagoon into a large-scale “plastics-to-energy” facility. This project, costing around US$211 million, is targeted for completion in 2024 65 . The initiative includes establishing a modern waste collection, transfer, and disposal system across the nation, covering 32 islands. When the produced energy reduces the demand for fossil fuel to do the same, it signifies a mutually beneficial outcome in terms of environmental sustainability and economic growth. An intriguing question remains concerning the large amount of drifting waste plastics at or near the shoreline that was washed from other countries, or for that matter, illegally imported waste plastics—whose carbon emissions should be accounted for in cleaning up, and are there adequate economic benefits to do so?

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the MBIE New Zealand under the Endeavour “Smart Ideas” grant (UOCX2206). The authors also thank Professor Shusheng Pang (University of Canterbury) for sharing insights into pyrolysis and gasification technologies and Professor Shauhrat Chopra (City University of Hong Kong) for the fruitful discussions on carbon footprint analyses. W.Y.T. acknowledges the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia via the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2022/TK08/UM/02/43), Australian Research Council (DP200102121), Southeast Asia-European Joint Funding Scheme (JFS21-123 HYPERMIS), and UM Matching Grants (IMG002-2022, MG001-2023).

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Angie F. J. Tan, Sam Yu & Alex C. K. Yip

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Angie F. J. Tan & Alex C. K. Yip

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

Cheng Wang & Guan Heng Yeoh

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A.F.J.T.: conceptualization, methodology, discussion, writing-original draft, review & editing. S.Y.: discussion, writing-original draft. C.W.: discussion, review & editing. G.H.Y.: discussion, writing-original draft, review & editing. W.Y.T.: conceptualization, discussion, writing-original draft, review & editing. A.C.K.Y.: conceptualization, discussion, writing-original draft, review & editing.

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Tan, A.F.J., Yu, S., Wang, C. et al. Reimagining plastics waste as energy solutions: challenges and opportunities. npj Mater. Sustain. 2 , 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-024-00007-x

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Energy Conservation Essay for Students and Children

500 words energy conservation essay.

Energy conservation refers to the efforts made to reduce the consumption of energy. The energy on Earth is not in unlimited supply. Furthermore, energy can take plenty of time to regenerate. This certainly makes it essential to conserve energy. Most noteworthy, energy conservation is achievable either by using energy more efficiently or by reducing the amount of service usage.

Importance of Energy Conservation

First of all, energy conservation plays an important role in saving non-renewable energy resources. Furthermore, non-renewable energy sources take many centuries to regenerate. Moreover, humans consume energy at a faster rate than it can be produced. Therefore, energy conservation would lead to the preservation of these precious non-renewable sources of energy.

Energy conservation will reduce the expenses related to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are very expensive to mine. Therefore, consumers are required to pay higher prices for goods and services. Energy conservation would certainly reduce the amount of fossil fuel being mined. This, in turn, would reduce the costs of consumers.

Consequently, energy conservation would strengthen the economy as consumers will have more disposable income to spend on goods and services.

Energy conservation is good for scientific research. This is because; energy conservation gives researchers plenty of time to conduct researches.

Therefore, these researchers will have more time to come up with various energy solutions and alternatives. Humans must ensure to have fossil fuels as long as possible. This would give me enough time to finding practical solutions.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Another important reason for energy conservation is environmental protection. This is because various energy sources are significantly harmful to the environment. Furthermore, the burning of fossil fuels considerably pollutes the atmosphere. Moreover, nuclear energy creates dangerous nuclear waste. Hence, energy conservation will lead to environmental protection.

Energy conservation would also result in the good health of humans. Furthermore, the pollution released due to energy sources is harmful to the human body. The air pollution due to fossil fuels can cause various respiratory problems. Energy sources can pollute water which could cause several harmful diseases in humans. Nuclear waste can cause cancer and other deadly problems in the human body.

Measures to Conserve Energy

Energy taxation is a good measure from the government to conserve energy. Furthermore, several countries apply energy or a carbon tax on energy users. This tax would certainly put pressure on energy users to reduce their energy consumption. Moreover, carbon tax forces energy users to shift to other energy sources that are less harmful.

Building design plays a big role in energy conservation. An excellent way to conserve energy is by performing an energy audit in buildings. Energy audit refers to inspection and analysis of energy use in a building. Most noteworthy, the aim of the energy audit is to appropriately reduce energy input.

Another important way of energy conservation is by using energy-efficient products. Energy-efficient products are those that use lesser energy than their normal counterparts. One prominent example can be using an energy-efficient bulb rather than an incandescent light bulb.

In conclusion, energy conservation must be among the utmost priorities of humanity. Mahatma Gandhi was absolutely right when he said, “the earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs but not every man’s greed”. This statement pretty much sums up the importance of energy conservation. Immediate implementation of energy conservation measures is certainly of paramount importance.

FAQs on Energy Conservation

Q1 state one way in which energy conservation is important.

A1 One way in which energy conservation is important is that it leads to the preservation of fossil fuels.

Q2 Why energy taxation is a good measure to conserve energy?

A2 Energy taxation is certainly a good measure to conserve energy. This is because energy taxation puts financial pressure on energy users to reduce their energy consumption.

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The environmental impact of wasted electricity

Electricity is a basic necessity in today’s society. Without it, most businesses would be closed by sundown – essentially putting a halt on life itself. Imagine for a moment, living in a world where the sunset signifies the end of your entire day – that would be a massive change for anyone awake after as early as 5pm in the winter or 8pm in the summer.

We understand electricity is necessary, but the way its generated impacts our environment. Coal, for example, is the second largest fossil fuel used in the US to generate electricity. The issue isn’t the type of energy coal generates, but how it’s being generated.

Coal is a flammable sedimentary rock that is mostly made up of organic carbon. So when it is crushed into a fine powder and then heated in order to produce electricity, it releases carbon emissions. The over reliance on fossil fuels creates a greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is the exchange of incoming and outgoing radiation that warms the Earth. According to  Live Science , “The greenhouse effect, combined with  increasing levels of greenhouse gases  and the resulting global warming, is expected to have profound implications, according to most climate scientists.

In order to understand the full consequences excessive electricity usage has on our environment, we first need to get a grasp of the US electricity system.

A quick breakdown of the US electricity market

When looking at the energy landscape, fossil fuels still dominate the market, with a 62.7% share of the US electricity generation market, per the  US Environmental Information Administration (EIA) . Lately, however, natural gas has taken over as the dominant fossil fuel – but not by much. In 2017, natural gas accounted for 31.7%, and coal accounted for 30.1%.

Let’s look at those numbers for a moment. Thirty percent of the electricity generated in the US came from coal – the ultimate carbon-emitting fossil fuel. The other 31% came from natural gas, which emits methane – which isn’t much better. Methane emissions are much stronger than carbon emissions, even though their lifespans are much shorter. According to  Scientific American , “While CO2 persists in the atmosphere for centuries, or even millennia, methane warms the planet on steroids for a decade or two before decaying to CO2.”

Think about that for a second – methane warms the planet on steroids. Keep that thought on your mind; we’ll get right back to it.

How energy inefficiencies are hurting the US

The inefficient use of electricity in the US is profound. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) came out with a  survey  on the world energy rankings. Do you know where the US placed?

Tenth place, two spots behind its eighth place finish in 2016.

When we take a deeper look into the energy consumption in the US, you’ll be shocked at just how inefficient we are. According to a diagram from the  Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) at the Department of Energy , in 2017, 66.7% of energy generated in the US was rejected energy. This means that two-thirds of the energy we generated ended up wasted.

Remember earlier when we spoke about methane and we told you to hang on to that thought? Wasted energy still means that it was produced. Therefore, we burned a ton of fossil fuels for no reason. That means there were both carbon and methane emissions, for electricity that was never even used.

As a nation, we are not the most efficient with our appliances, which has a cumulatively negative effect.

Let’s take lights for example. How often have you left the lights on while heading out for the night? I’m sure plenty of times. We’ve all been guilty of leaving the lights on. The problem is that since it is such a common habit, it easily adds up, contributing to the 66.7% of wasted energy.

How we can stop wasting electricity on a micro scale

As homeowners, renters, or business owners, it is our job to moderate the usage of our appliances. What we mean by that is:  use your appliances only when you need to . If your home is already feeling cool inside as temperatures begin to drop, crack open your windows and turn off your AC.

The electricity that you can save from utilizing outdoor climate might seem small, but when large groups of people join you, the change will create a tremendous impact.

One way to stop wasting energy is to start relying on renewable resources. Solar, wind, and hydro represent different alternatives that offer zero carbon and methane emissions. These renewable sources are the key to our future. Coal reserves are declining and will eventually run out. Natural gas will also follow suit, even though for now, there’s still plenty left. Solar and wind, however, have no expiration date.

The sun isn’t going anywhere and neither is the wind. As a result, research into and development of renewable energy needs to continue moving forward. At the beginning of this article, we talked about how it would be insane to live in a world where the entire day ends at sunset. With the finite amount of coal and natural gas, you can now see how that day can actually happen. As we continue to waste electricity, we continue to emit more carbon and methane into our atmosphere. With fossil fuel gases trapped in our atmosphere, we end up with scorching summers and brutal winters. Our globe continues to warm, melting our polar ice caps, and threatening coastal cities that will begin to be covered by rising sea levels. Once this happens, most of the US will become uninhabitable.

Wasting electricity creates the ultimate domino effect that can one day leave us with a country with insufficient room for all of its citizens. So next time you leave your home and you see the lights on, do us all a favor and turn them off – the environment will thank you.

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Essay on Save Energy

Students are often asked to write an essay on Save Energy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Save Energy

Importance of saving energy.

Saving energy is crucial for our planet. It helps in reducing pollution and conserving natural resources.

Ways to Save Energy

Switching off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and limiting the use of air conditioners can save energy.

Benefits of Saving Energy

Energy saving reduces electricity bills, decreases carbon emissions, and helps in preserving the environment for future generations.

Everyone should make efforts to save energy. It’s not only beneficial for us but also for our planet.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Save Energy

250 Words Essay on Save Energy

Introduction.

Energy conservation is a pressing global issue, demanding immediate attention. As the world’s natural resources are rapidly depleting, the need to save energy becomes paramount. It is our responsibility to ensure the sustainability of our planet for future generations.

The Importance of Saving Energy

Energy is the lifeblood of modern civilization. It powers our homes, fuels our transportation, and drives our industries. However, the excessive and inefficient use of energy contributes to environmental degradation, climate change, and resource depletion. By saving energy, we can reduce our carbon footprint, slow down global warming, and preserve the earth’s natural resources.

There are numerous ways to save energy, ranging from simple everyday habits to significant technological advancements. At an individual level, we can conserve energy by switching off lights and appliances when not in use, using energy-efficient devices, and choosing public transportation or carpooling.

On a larger scale, industries can adopt energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy sources, and waste-to-energy conversion methods. Governments can promote energy conservation through policies, regulations, and public awareness campaigns.

In conclusion, saving energy is not just a choice, but a necessity for our survival. It requires collective efforts from individuals, industries, and governments. By saving energy, we can ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for our planet and its inhabitants.

500 Words Essay on Save Energy

Energy, in its various forms, is the backbone of modern civilization. It powers our homes, fuels our transportation, and drives our industries. However, the overconsumption of energy resources, particularly non-renewable ones, is leading to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Therefore, the concept of ‘Save Energy’ is not just a slogan but a dire necessity and a global responsibility.

Energy conservation is critical for several reasons. Firstly, a significant proportion of the world’s energy comes from non-renewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas. These resources are finite and are depleting at an alarming rate due to overconsumption. Saving energy means reducing the rate of depletion of these resources, thus prolonging their availability.

Secondly, the extraction and use of these non-renewable resources have severe environmental implications. They contribute to air and water pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. By saving energy, we can mitigate these environmental impacts and contribute to the sustainability of our planet.

Energy conservation does not necessarily mean compromising on our needs or comfort. It is more about using energy efficiently and wisely. There are several ways in which we can save energy in our daily lives.

One of the simplest ways is by improving energy efficiency. This involves using appliances that consume less energy for the same output, such as LED lights instead of incandescent bulbs, or energy-efficient refrigerators and air conditioners.

Another method is by adopting renewable sources of energy, like solar and wind power. These sources are sustainable and have minimal environmental impact. By installing solar panels or wind turbines, we can generate our own electricity and reduce our dependence on non-renewable resources.

Role of Technology and Innovation

Technology and innovation play a crucial role in energy conservation. Advances in technology have led to the development of energy-efficient appliances, electric vehicles, and smart grids, all of which contribute to energy saving.

Innovations in renewable energy technology have made it more efficient and cost-effective, making it a viable alternative to traditional energy sources. Smart technologies like IoT and AI can help in monitoring and managing energy consumption in real-time, leading to significant energy savings.

In conclusion, saving energy is a collective responsibility that requires the participation of all stakeholders, including individuals, communities, governments, and corporations. By adopting energy-efficient practices and technologies, and by shifting towards renewable sources of energy, we can ensure the sustainability of our energy resources and contribute to the well-being of our planet. The ‘Save Energy’ concept is not just about preserving resources for the future, but also about creating a sustainable and healthy environment for all.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on One Step Towards Green and Clean Energy
• Essay on Importance of Energy Conservation
• Essay on Green Energy for Carbon Neutral Ecosystem

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Energy and Waste Management

Updated 23 January 2024

Subject Learning

Downloads 58

Category Education

Topic University

Through my specialism in management, I have learnt much about effective supply chain management and how it can significantly impact the day to day running of a firm or institution. For this report, I shall be investigating how the control of DCU can instigate changes in their supply chain that will, in turn, lead to an improved level of energy and waste management by those interacting with the supply chain within DCU (staff and students). Below I have outlined critical readings from my literature review comprising of examples of useful waste and energy management initiatives instigated by University's as well as relevant information pertaining to the supply chain management of higher level institutions and the role they play in promoting change for those who interact with the supply chain on campus via purchasing decisions and what drives these decisions. I shall then analyze the data set gathered in conjunction with the information from the literature to draw conclusions and recommend an actionable plan to improve energy and waste management in DCU via effective supply chain management and user interaction within this supply chain.

Literature Review

A sustainable university campus can be defined as: “a higher education institution that addresses, involves and promotes the minimisation of environmental, economics, societal and health negative effects in the use of their resources (in) its main functions of teaching, research, outreach and partnership, and stewardship to (help) society make the transition to sustainable lifestyles”.

(Velazquez Contreras, p. 155).

Waste Management

Products encouraging waste management

As noted by Too, L. and Bajracharya, B. (2015) consumer purchasing decisions regarding sustainable products/services tend to be based on a combination of resources and reasoning coupled with environmental knowledge and attitudes. Therefore, it can be said that it is essential that supply chain management keep this in mind when developing a value proposition to entice consumers interacting with the supply chain to make more environmentally sensitive decisions with their purchasing patterns.

Ottman et al. (2006) conducted a study of green products and discovered that five key desirable traits influence consumer purchasing decisions. They are efficiency and cost-effectiveness, health and safety, performance, convenience and symbolism and status. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are at the forefront of any green initiative. Usually, there is a higher capital outlay, to begin with, however, in the long run, operational cost savings are made, for example improving insulation or the use of eco-friendly light bulbs. Performance of the product/service should not be hindered due to its environmentally friendly nature, i.e. a bio-degradable coffee cup should not disintegrate in one’s hand.

Waste management initiatives in universities

“In today’s consumption-driven societies, large amounts of paper waste, food waste, e-waste, plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and excessive packaging are causing socio-economic and environmentally adverse impacts.” (Kumar et al., 2005). Universities and other higher education institutions are well positioned in society to become instigators of change regarding waste management. Appalachian State University handles over 3,200 tons of waste on an annual basis. In 2012 they committed to being a zero waste campus by aiming to achieve 90% diversion from landfill by 2022 (Ebrahimi and North, 2017). To instigate this change, the university identified 23 key stakeholders within the University's Organizational network to roll out some key initiatives. In 2013 a mini bin system was launched for academic and admin offices on campus which resulted in a 30% increase in recycling. (Appalachian State University Office of University Sustainability that they are implementing a policy of ‘sustainable procurement’ whereby paper and packaging reduction is the primary area of focus. The system requires suppliers of Arizona State to meet specific criteria regarding packaging, i.e. 100% biodegradable, recyclable, reusable and non-toxic.

Michigan state university diverts over 122,350 pounds of organic waste matter, 2015).

Arizona State University has stated in their ‘Roadmap to zero waste.'

from landfills via its organics and compost collection points located on campus

Energy Management

Energy Efficient Buildings

“ Universities can be compared to complex buildings like hospitals and mega hotels regarding waste generation, water and materials intake, as well as electricity and hydrocarbon fuels consumption in operating machinery, heating and lighting, transportation etc. each with implications for environmental quality." (Alshuwaikhat and Abubaker, 2008). The green buildings initiative is a set of projects designed at reducing waste but most notably to drastically reduce energy consumption and promote energy-efficient buildings. One of the main parameters of the initiative is the promotion of eco-friendly building materials that are locally sourced to impact the environment in the minuscule way possible while also adding a design function of improving internal air quality while remaining energy efficient.

Existing Practices

A practice widely used the world over by higher level institutions regarding sustainability is the ISO 14001 standard. "ISO 14001 guides organizations in managing the impact their products, services, and operations have on the environment and for external certification and it is becoming one of the dominant international standards for assessing environmental management processes."(Morrow, 2002). The main issues addressed include reducing waste, resource depletion and environmental pollution. However the principle reason for its adoption by numerous universities and third level institutions is that it provides a platform for the generation of awareness within the community while helping management continually improve environmental performance and thus demonstrating the commitment to environmental protection by the institution beyond regulatory compliance.

The dataset used for this assignment was collected via a survey by last year's MG334 class. The study covered topics relating to improving sustainability activities within DCU. Questions surveyed were: student engagement, energy, waste, water, smoke-free campus and re-usable mugs and plastic bottles. The data was presented in a raw format via a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and I needed to deduce what information was relevant to my topic of choice and the academic literature I had accessed. Of particular interest to my question was energy, waste and water as well as re-usable mugs and plastic bottles.

Analysis & Discussion

The obtained showed that a tiny percentage, about 30%, of the students and the staff in the DCU engage in improving energy and waste management. The table below gives the summary of the students and faculty in DCU respond to the engagement of the environmental improvement;

Those who engage themselves in environment improvement

Those who do not participate themselves in environment improvement

Smoke-free campus

From this data, only a few students and staff have a feel for energy. The research indicated that many students use the library computers, but once they are done, they leave the computers on standby. eA significant number of students do not switch off their laptops after use, they charge them in the library overnight and do not switch off laptop charges when not in use. Only a few do this. In the residential houses and homes, it was found that most students and staffs do not use energy efficient bulbs and do not switch them off. Most staffs proofed that they do not switch off the campus' technology equipment when not in use. Most students reported that they were aware of energy saving initiative but had just ignored it due to the lifestyle they have been used to. Many students suggested ways in which they can be engaged in energy-saving efforts in the campus which included: switching off lights, chargers, technology equipment and other power consuming devices when not in use.

In connection to the above, a few staffs and students were conscious of how much water they used, the user to switch off the taps after using the water, they could shower only seven times a week to save water. On the other hand, many of the residents and those who were in sports reported that they could shower up to fourteen times a week. A higher number said that they leave the taps running even after use and do not bother how much water is used up in the campus. Most of those who were interviewed believed that the valves which switch themselves off would be beneficial and thought that removing hot water from the hand basins in the toilet facilities won’t affect hygiene. The students suggested that if they can team up and start an operation “save water” would greatly help them save water. They said that they would ensure that taps are off immediately after use and reduce the number of times they shower in a day.

Regarding the waste, only a few numbers of students separate their waste into two, which is those which is harmful to the environment from those which are less dangerous. A few numbers use the recycle bins and the brown bins on the campus. A considerable amount does not separate the waste, do not use the brown containers on the campus and dispose of wastes anyhow. Most of them reported that recycling would waste their time. Only a few who recycle waste and advocated for more brown bins to be widely distributed in the campus.

Lastly, a small number of both students and staff smoke at least two times a day when inside the campus, during break times and during recreation time. Some of them did give a response to smoke in the areas of a request and reported that that sometimes it is urgent and therefore would be time-consuming if given places especially during a busy day. They stated that they do not think whether smoking can bother those who do not smoke. On a few students and staffs said that they could be happy if they are helped quit smoking and said that smoke-free campus would greatly help them. Most of the smokers are not bothered by any issue concerning tobacco. They suggested that the non-smoking campus rule will be accompanied by autocracy rules that will discipline the smoker so that when one is caught can teach the others a lesson. They reported that setting rules with consequences would greatly help in pinning down those who smoke.

These results show how people have neglected what is visible. It is well seen that many of the waste comes from the packaging materials and papers. People have overlooked their role in disposing of the used materials and instead just through it anywhere. From the literature review, it is similar that most of the waste comes from packaging and therefore it is our role to come up with ways of minimizing it.

From the graph, it is evident that those who do not participate in energy improvement and waste management are almost thrice of those who attend.

Most of the waste comes from the green goods due to their low cost and efficiency in consumption. Everyone feels for the environment in one way or another, improving energy and waste management may not be an easy task if there are no stakeholders to gear up the process. The students in the colleges and the universities are therefore called upon to steer up this process since they are informed, knowledgeable and influential. They can be used as the essential tools to help the others engage in energy and waste management. Set a good example for the institution they are in so that the community outside can learn a lesson from them. The paper and the packaging materials should be avoided to reduce the amount of waste disposed of everywhere since much of it comes from packaging. Many of the attempts have been embraced in the universities and other higher institution regarding manage the environment, and this has been used as a measuring tool to determine the nature of leadership in the institution. To maintain the standards of an institution, garbage and waste disposal, as well as energy conservation, must be put in the front line.

Recommendation

Students should be at the front line in improving energy and waste management through the creation of awareness to those who seem not to know or those who may not have that knowledge. The government should come up with measures that must be put to use to improve energy and manage waste. There should be strict government laws concerning garbage disposal to regulate the amount of harmful substance being encompassed in the environment without care. The government through the ministry of energy should come up with a way of punishing those who misuse the energy. Those who leave the lights on even during the daytime and use non-energy saving gadgets like bulbs. The government should assign this topic to universities and other institutions of higher learning as a measure of the management and type of leadership to maintain high standards of clean environment and low energy costs in turn. This will help the institutions control to ensure all will be well-pertaining energy consumption and waste accumulation.

Morrow, D. and Rondinelli, D., 2002. Adopting corporate environmental management systems:: Motivations and results of ISO 14001 and EMAS certification. European management journal, 20(2), pp.159-171.

Alshuwaikhat, H.M. and Abubakar, I., 2008. An integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability: assessment of the current campus environmental management practices. Journal of cleaner production, 16(16), pp.1777-1785.

Khaledian, Y., Kiani, F., Ebrahimi, S., Brevik, E.C. and Aitkenhead‐Peterson, J., 2017. Assessment and monitoring of soil degradation during land use change using multivariate analysis. Land Degradation & Development, 28(1), pp.128-141.

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Your turn: Clean energy investments are a win-win-win

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I’ve been working to share the message of Illinois’s strength all across the globe.

Earlier this year, I led an official visit to Sweden and the Netherlands to meet with leaders in their energy sectors and see firsthand some of the innovative renewable energy technologies and practices their organizations are helping pioneer.

Part of my visit was also focused on learning more about how our partners are working to both tackle the climate crisis and help people keep more of their hard-earned money, as well what we can do to bring those innovations back to America so they can improve the lives of — and create good-paying jobs for — working families right here at home.

Leaving that official visit in Sweden and Netherlands underscored what I already knew to be true: If Illinois — and our nation — want to cut global emissions to protect the health of current and future generations while saving taxpayers money, it is critical that we partner with our allies who share similar goals so we can learn from each other and lead by example.

The Netherlands and Sweden have a lot to teach the world about recycling, waste management and energy production with their innovations in eliminating single-use plastics, recycling EV batteries and reusing materials to extend the lifecycle of goods, instead of discarding massive amounts of potentially-valuable or reusable waste to landfills like many nations, our own included, still do.

More: Biden calls Belvidere, Illinois, "the great comeback story' during State of the Union

Thankfully, I know Illinois — a hub of agriculture, manufacturing, energy, transportation and technology — is up for the task of bringing the United States into a more sustainable future. With our great state being home to multiple major airports, strong agricultural infrastructure, world-class research labs and institutions, several fresh water sources and a robust, highly-skilled workforce, we are also the ideal location for international partners that are looking to expand their green energy investments in the U.S. and help deliver cleaner, lower-cost energy alternatives right here in our state. And thanks to the adoption of responsible and sustainable precision farming methods by our farmers, Illinois can lead the nation in green energy.

If we can secure those investments, we’d be helping lower both the average family’s energy bills and the pollutants in the air that they breathe. We’d also create good-paying jobs that would help grow our local economies and, crucially, we’d also make significant progress toward averting the consequences of the climate crisis. I can imagine that future so clearly for Winnebago County, and I am actively working to make it a reality so that our whole state can benefit too.

That’s why I’m in Rockford today to talk about clean energy projects — like the efforts from clean energy developers like Monarch Energy — and am excited to support these kinds of investments in our state to drive our green economy forward.

With this city’s proximity to an international airport, Monarch is considering building a facility that would use the emissions from nearby landfills that are already overburdened with waste from metro areas, converting them into American-made Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) that could then be used at Rockford International Airport.

Right now, most SAF comes from biofuels or biomass derived fuels—which can be made with plants, crops or waste — creating the perfect opportunity for the region to lead efforts to transition our country to a greener economy. By repurposing that waste into renewable energy, we can simultaneously decrease the burden of overflowing landfills, which are not a long-term, sustainable solution for the waste management needs in the area. And SAF wouldn’t just strengthen our economy — it would also bolster our national security by allowing us to decrease our reliance on foreign oil from places like Russia and the Middle East, replacing it with cleaner, American-made renewable fuels.

And those aren’t the only benefits we could see if we successfully replicate these innovative waste-to-energy systems in our state. As co-founder of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, I’m also eager to realize the environmental justice and quality of life improvements that a greener future could bring to hardworking families in and around Rockford.

Far too often, disadvantaged communities and working communities of color bear the brunt of industrial toxins and waste that pollute their air, land and water, damaging the health of children and adults alike in those communities while also driving away the kind economic opportunities all Americans deserve. The same smart policies paired with innovative waste and energy technologies that help strengthen both our economy and our national security could also help alleviate the injustices these communities have faced for too long.

Clean energy investments are a win-win-win. And I’ll keep working to achieve it for Rockford, for Winnebago County and for our whole state.

Tammy Duckworth was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. She started serving as a Democrat representing Illinois the following year after serving four years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

New Initiative Aims to Bring More Efficient, Rooftop Heat Pump Technologies to Market as Soon as 2027

WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the annual Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced new Better Building Initiatives to help organizations in all sectors of the U.S. economy save energy while reducing costs and emissions. Among the new initiatives is the Better Buildings Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator , through which manufacturers will produce higher efficiency and life cycle cost-effective heat pump rooftop units and commercial organizations will evaluate and adopt next-generation heat pump technology. DOE’s Better Buildings Initiative is partnering with leaders in the public and private sectors to advance next-generation solutions, promote climate leadership, and support workforce development—underscoring the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to drive energy innovation, lower energy costs, and address the climate crisis. 

“Since 2011, DOE’s Better Buildings Initiative has helped paved the way for cost-effective energy efficiency and decarbonization solutions across America’s building sector,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Our new Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator builds on more than a decade of public-private partnerships to get cutting edge clean technologies from lab to market, helping to slash harmful carbon emissions throughout our economy.” 

The U.S. spends about $800 billion each year to power buildings, plants, and homes. On average, between 20% and 30% of the nation’s energy is wasted, presenting a significant opportunity to increase energy efficiency. Through the Better Buildings Initiative, DOE partners with public and private sector stakeholders to pursue ambitious portfolio-wide energy, waste, water, and/or emissions reduction goals and publicly share solutions. By improving building design, materials, equipment, and operations, energy efficiency gains can be achieved across broad segments of the nation’s economy. 

The Accelerator was developed with commercial end users like Amazon, IKEA, and Target, and already includes manufacturers AAON, Carrier Global Corp., Lennox International, Rheem Manufacturing Co., Trane Technologies, and York International Corp. The Accelerator aims to bring more efficient, affordable next-generation heat pump rooftop units to market as soon as 2027—which will slash both emissions and energy costs in half compared to natural gas-fueled heat pumps. If deployed at scale, they could save American businesses and commercial entities $5 billion on utility bills every year. 

DOE’s Public and Private Sector Partnership for Accelerating Climate Solutions  The Better Buildings Summit is an annual leadership conference that convenes more than 800 attendees for three days of partner-led meetings, peer exchange, and recognition. DOE also announced the following at the Summit today:  

• Recognizing Leadership: More than 40 organizations received Better Project, Better Practice and Climate Finance Innovator awards for their industry-leading accomplishments in decarbonization, energy and water efficiency, or waste reduction. 65 organizations were recognized as recipients of the tenth annual Green Lease Leaders awards for their leadership in leveraging green leases for the advancement of sustainability or net zero goals.  
• New Working Groups on Decarbonization: DOE launched three new working groups for Better Climate Challenge partners focusing on central plant decarbonization, shifting to low-impact refrigerants, and financial strategies for industrial decarbonization.  
• Sharing Successful Pathways: DOE’s Better Buildings Solution Center has been overhauled to improve navigation, functionality, and design, focusing on a new, powerful search platform to more effectively filter 3,000+ efficiency and decarbonization solutions. 
• DOE Lighting Prize American Made Challenge: The third and final phase of the challenge offers $10 million in prizes for up to four winners for producing and installing next-generation lighting products for commercial buildings. 

Through the Better Buildings Initiative, DOE partners with public and private sector organizations to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings more efficient, thereby saving energy and money while reducing emissions and strengthening the economy. To date, more than 900 Better Buildings partners have saved $18.5 billion in energy costs while sharing their innovative strategies. Learn about the more than 3,000 proven efficiency and decarbonization solutions on the  Better Buildings Solution Center website .  

Recovering Energy from Waste

Waste management is one of the fundamental issues that are raising concern among the policy makers within the Victorian State in Australia. According to Parkinson (2007, p. 85), the amount of waste materials produced by households and companies in Australia has been consistently on the rise over the past few decades due to the increasing population in this country.

In the past, the Victorian government did not see the relevance of enacting strict policies to help in the management of waste because it never considered it a major issue. However, the events that have taken place in the last thirty years or so have forced this government to redefine its focus towards waste management. It realized that this issue could no longer be ignored anymore.

Action had to be taken to protect the environment in order to achieve sustainability. Some of the approaches that were used before in managing wastes could no longer be used because they were unsustainable. For this reason, the government has enacted a number of legislation and policies to help define the approach that should be taken to manage wastes within this country. Recovering of energy from waste materials has been seen as the best alternative to managing waste other than disposing them to landfills.

The Victorian Organic Resource Recovery Strategy is one of the initiatives by the Victorian Government that focuses on how to recover energy from waste materials. In this essay, the researcher will focus on discussing how energy recovery from wastes is more beneficial than disposal in the landfills within the Victorian state.

Aim of the study

Waste management is a global issue that is causing concern in various parts of the world. Here in Australia, the government has been trying to find the best solution to this problem. The Victorian government has been keen on developing policies, which may be of help in waste management. In this essay, the researcher aims at identifying how wastes can be turned into energy as a way of addressing this problem.

Analysis of the Issues

According to smith.

(2010, p. 45), managing of wastes in the modern world is taking a new approach. In the past few years, some of the developed countries considered sending waste materials overseas to the developing nations for recycling. However, the issue of waste management in these developing countries is a concern, and this means that countries have to find a local solution to this local problem.

The Victorian government has taken the initiative of finding a local solution to this local problem. Over the past decade, government has been pushing a number of agendas on waste management that can be summarized in the diagram below.

Figure 1: Waste Management Initiatives

Source (Roberts 2014, p. 84)

As shown above, the government has been pushing for reduction in the production of waste materials as the best solution in managing this problem. It is the first step towards having an environment that is free from pollution. However, it is a fact that the society cannot avoid producing waste in totality.

In this case, the second policy of re-use becomes very useful. In this area, the government is creating awareness among the populace that it is environmentally beneficial to reuse some of the wastes as plastic bags instead of disposing them soon after they are used for the first time. This will help in minimizing wastes in the environment.

When the product can no longer be re-used anymore, the next step would be to recycle the material instead of letting it go into waste. Recycling increases the usefulness of these products before they can be disposed. It reduces the amount of domestic and industrial wastes. When recycling is no longer a viable option, then energy recovery comes in as an alternative to disposing the material.

It is important to note that the recovery involves tapping of energy from the material that has been considered completely non-useful. This will be the focus of this study. The last stage that the whole system is trying to avoid is the disposal into the landfill because of the obvious health hazards.

Policies Enacted By the Government to Promote Resource Recovery

The Environment Protection Act 1970 is seen by many as the basis of all other government policies on managing wastes in this country (Hinrichs 2014, p. 72). Under section 50 CA, the Victorian government provides policies on how various stakeholders can participate in waste management and resource recovery in order to reduce the burden of wastes on the environment.

Nee and Ong (2013, p. 119) say, “The Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy remains one of the best government-led initiatives in combating wastes.” This policy seeks to find a way of turning waste materials into resources that can be used to drive the economy. The government- through various departments- has been struggling with the impacts of waste materials on the society.

These wastes are a serious threat to public health, besides the negative consequences they have in the environment. This ambitious government policy focuses on turning the problem into a solution. According to Shrivastava (2003, p. 58), waste materials have the potential of producing energy that can be used to run engines, provide lighting, and many other benefits if the tapping is done appropriately.

According to Plitch (2008, p. 51), the Environment Protection (Industrial Waste) Act 1985 was enacted as an amendment to the 1970 laws on environment to bring more focus on waste management using local solutions. This Act specifically focused on the management of industrial wastes.

It promoted the idea of large industries using their wastes to harness energy instead of releasing it to the environment. According to Hinrichs (2014, p. 89), it is through this policy that many manufacturers of sugar realized that they can produce enough energy to run their engines by using energy recovered from their waste products.

This policy was enacted after a review conducted by the government agencies confirmed that industrial wastes were posing serious environmental threats and urgent measures were necessary to help address the problem. The Environment Protection Act 2002 was enacted to give Environmental Protection Authority the mandate to develop policies on waste management (Roberts 2014, p. 67).

This new law was enacted after it became apparent that the issue of waste management was dynamic in nature. Addressing it through Acts of parliament was not a viable process. The Victorian government, therefore, considered it necessary to hand over this responsibility to an authority that can be in the best position to develop policies at regular intervals in line with the dynamic forces in the environment.

This law allows the authority full mandate to define all the policies that should be followed by the industrial sector in order to ensure that wastes are recycled. It also allows this authority to create an enabling environment where private-public partnerships can be used to spur growth of energy production from waste materials. According to Hinrichs (2014, p. 137), the Victorian government has been using this authority to identify companies that have done exceptionally well in converting their wastes into energy that is useful to them and to the society.

The government always rewards these companies through material and non-material initiatives. The companies, which are able to produce more energy than they require for their local consumption can, sell the excess energy to the national grid through direct help from the government.

More recently, the Victorian government enacted Environment Protection Regulations 2009 to improve on the laws that existed on industrial waste resource management (Roberts 2014, p. 125). The Act is a deliberate effort by the government to convince the industrial sector to change their perception towards wastes. Under this Act, the scope of industrial wastes goes beyond the wastes produced within a given company.

It extends to wastes from consumers buying products from a given company. For instance, Coca Cola Company uses plastic bottles to sell their drinks. The plastic wastes (the used bottles) that are thrown by the consumers become a responsibility of this company. This means that the company will find a way of making its consumers use the material responsibly. The law encourages the need to find a communal solution to this problem.

Importance of Energy Recovery from Wastes

The global society is struggling with the problem of pollution as its effect begins to weigh heavily in some parts of the world. According to Hinrichs (2014, p. 43), major cities in China such as Shanghai and Beijing are so polluted that sometimes it forces the elderly and young individuals to stay indoors because of their vulnerability. People develop strange diseases because of the toxic substances within the environment they stay.

This clearly demonstrates some of the possible consequences of pollution that this society may face. On the other hand, the cost of fuel continues to rise. Australia is forced to import oil from other countries such as Saudi Arabia at very high costs. Converting of wastes into energy is the solution to these two problems. This explains why the government has enacted several laws to guide this process.

It will help the Victorian community eliminate all the health hazards from organic wastes and instead, tap energy that can be used to spur economic growth in the society. To the industrial sector, this initiative can eliminate the cost of buying energy to run their engines. To individual families, the initiative will help them generate their own power that can be used domestically or even commercially by selling excess power to the government.

The process can be done safely and in a manner, that minimizes air pollution as much as possible. The figure below shows a waste-to-energy plant and the process involved.

Figure 2: Waste-to-Energy Plant

Source (Roberts 2014, p. 64)

As shown in the above diagram, the energy from this plant- in the form of electric energy- is then supplied to the national grid.

From the discussion above, it is clear that we should recover energy from wastes rather than using the landfills. This initiative helps in addressing the problem of environmental pollution, besides creating additional energy to be used for domestic and industrial use. The Victorian govern has enacted laws to help govern this process.

List of References

Hinrichs, R 2014, Sustainable Energy Policies for Europe: Towards 100% Renewable Energy , CRC Press, Melbourne.

Lawrence, W 2004, Plitch Retail Wheeling: A Paradigm Shift for Waste-to-Energy and Other Renewable Energy Facilities, Natural Resources & Environment , vol. 9. no. 2, pp. 27-29.

Nee, A & Ong, S 2013, Re-engineering manufacturing for sustainability: Proceedings of the 20th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Springer, London.

Parkinson, A 2007, Maralinga: Australia’s nuclear waste cover-up , ABC Books, Sydney.

Roberts, B 2014, Australian Environmental Planning: Challenges and Future Prospects , ABC Books, Sidney.

Shrivastava, A 2003, Wealth from waste, McMillan, London.

Smith, J 2010, Renewables information: 2010, with 2009 data , OECD/IEA, Melbourne.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 22). Recovering Energy from Waste. https://ivypanda.com/essays/recovering-energy-from-waste/

"Recovering Energy from Waste." IvyPanda , 22 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/recovering-energy-from-waste/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Recovering Energy from Waste'. 22 November.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Recovering Energy from Waste." November 22, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/recovering-energy-from-waste/.

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What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

It almost time! Millions of Americans across the country Monday are preparing to witness the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse as it passes over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It's a sight to behold and people have now long been eagerly awaiting what will be their only chance until 2044 to witness totality, whereby the moon will completely block the sun's disc, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness.

That being said, many are curious on what makes the solar eclipse special and how is it different from a lunar eclipse.

The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object like a moon or a planet passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA .

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and bird and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to the "blood moon" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it is pertinent to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions because the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

Federal Boundary Agency Sued for Alleged Hazardous Waste Dumping

By Samantha Hawkins

The US International Boundaries and Water Commission unlawfully dumped hazardous waste into the Tijuana River and Pacific Ocean, environmental groups alleged in a federal lawsuit filed in California.

The federal agency, which applies the boundary and water treaties between US and Mexico, discharged fecal bacteria, contaminated sediment, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals like PCBs in violation of its Clean Water Act permit, San Diego Coastkeeper and Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation said in their lawsuit.

The groups also sued utilities company Veolia Water North America-West LLC, which jointly manages the San Diego wastewater treatment plant with IBWC.

The defendants have a ...

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Francis Collins: Why I’m going public with my prostate cancer diagnosis

I served medical research. now it’s serving me. and i don’t want to waste time..

Over my 40 years as a physician-scientist, I’ve had the privilege of advising many patients facing serious medical diagnoses. I’ve seen them go through the excruciating experience of waiting for the results of a critical blood test, biopsy or scan that could dramatically affect their future hopes and dreams.

But this time, I was the one lying in the PET scanner as it searched for possible evidence of spread of my aggressive prostate cancer . I spent those 30 minutes in quiet prayer. If that cancer had already spread to my lymph nodes, bones, lungs or brain, it could still be treated — but it would no longer be curable.

Why am I going public about this cancer that many men are uncomfortable talking about? Because I want to lift the veil and share lifesaving information, and I want all men to benefit from the medical research to which I’ve devoted my career and that is now guiding my care.

Five years before that fateful PET scan, my doctor had noted a slow rise in my PSA, the blood test for prostate-specific antigen. To contribute to knowledge and receive expert care, I enrolled in a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health, the agency I led from 2009 through late 2021.

At first, there wasn’t much to worry about — targeted biopsies identified a slow-growing grade of prostate cancer that doesn’t require treatment and can be tracked via regular checkups, referred to as “active surveillance.” This initial diagnosis was not particularly surprising. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States, and about 40 percent of men over age 65 — I’m 73 — have low-grade prostate cancer . Many of them never know it, and very few of them develop advanced disease.

Why am I going public about this cancer that many men are uncomfortable talking about? Because I want to lift the veil and share lifesaving information.

But in my case, things took a turn about a month ago when my PSA rose sharply to 22 — normal at my age is less than 5. An MRI scan showed that the tumor had significantly enlarged and might have even breached the capsule that surrounds the prostate, posing a significant risk that the cancer cells might have spread to other parts of the body.

New biopsies taken from the mass showed transformation into a much more aggressive cancer. When I heard the diagnosis was now a 9 on a cancer-grading scale that goes only to 10, I knew that everything had changed.

Thus, that PET scan, which was ordered to determine if the cancer had spread beyond the prostate, carried high significance. Would a cure still be possible, or would it be time to get my affairs in order? A few hours later, when my doctors showed me the scan results, I felt a rush of profound relief and gratitude. There was no detectable evidence of cancer outside of the primary tumor.

Later this month, I will undergo a radical prostatectomy — a procedure that will remove my entire prostate gland. This will be part of the same NIH research protocol — I want as much information as possible to be learned from my case, to help others in the future.

While there are no guarantees, my doctors believe I have a high likelihood of being cured by the surgery.

My situation is far better than my father’s when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer four decades ago. He was about the same age that I am now, but it wasn’t possible back then to assess how advanced the cancer might be. He was treated with a hormonal therapy that might not have been necessary and had a significant negative impact on his quality of life.

Because of research supported by NIH, along with highly effective collaborations with the private sector, prostate cancer can now be treated with individualized precision and improved outcomes.

As in my case, high-resolution MRI scans can now be used to delineate the precise location of a tumor. When combined with real-time ultrasound, this allows pinpoint targeting of the prostate biopsies. My surgeon will be assisted by a sophisticated robot named for Leonardo da Vinci that employs a less invasive surgical approach than previous techniques, requiring just a few small incisions.

Advances in clinical treatments have been informed by large-scale, rigorously designed trials that have assessed the risks and benefits and were possible because of the willingness of cancer patients to enroll in such trials.

I feel compelled to tell this story openly. I hope it helps someone. I don’t want to waste time.

If my cancer recurs, the DNA analysis that has been carried out on my tumor will guide the precise choice of therapies. As a researcher who had the privilege of leading the Human Genome Project , it is truly gratifying to see how these advances in genomics have transformed the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

I want all men to have the same opportunity that I did. Prostate cancer is still the No. 2 killer of men. I want the goals of the Cancer Moonshot to be met — to end cancer as we know it. Early detection really matters, and when combined with active surveillance can identify the risky cancers like mine, and leave the rest alone. The five-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer is 97 percent, according to the American Cancer Society , but it’s only 34 percent if the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body.

But lack of information and confusion about the best approach to prostate cancer screening have impeded progress. Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all men age 55 to 69 discuss PSA screening with their primary-care physician, but it recommends against starting PSA screening after age 70.

Other groups, like the American Urological Association , suggest that screening should start earlier, especially for men with a family history — like me — and for African American men, who have a higher risk of prostate cancer. But these recommendations are not consistently being followed.

Our health-care system is afflicted with health inequities. For example, the image-guided biopsies are not available everywhere and to everyone. Finally, many men are fearful of the surgical approach to prostate cancer because of the risk of incontinence and impotence, but advances in surgical techniques have made those outcomes considerably less troublesome than in the past. Similarly, the alternative therapeutic approaches of radiation and hormonal therapy have seen significant advances.

A little over a year ago, while I was praying for a dying friend, I had the experience of receiving a clear and unmistakable message. This has almost never happened to me. It was just this: “Don’t waste your time, you may not have much left.” Gulp.

Having now received a diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer and feeling grateful for all the ways I have benefited from research advances, I feel compelled to tell this story openly. I hope it helps someone. I don’t want to waste time.

Francis S. Collins served as director of the National Institutes of Health from 2009 to 2021 and as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH from 1993 to 2008. He is a physician-geneticist and leads a White House initiative to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States, while also continuing to pursue his research interests as a distinguished NIH investigator.

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