Did you know that plastic residue can be used in the energy recycling process?
Publicado em 16 de April de 2020
Energy recycling is a technology that transforms residue into electrical energy and/or thermal energy, being a process widely used in several countries. In Japan, 62% of the residue generated becomes energy. In Switzerland, by contrast, energy recycling accounts for 59%. Finally, in France, 37% of the residue is used to generate energy. According to Ratier (2018), if the residue with good energy potential is correctly separated, the discarded material from a city like São Paulo could generate enough energy to supply 400 thousand houses.
After sorting the waste, in which the elements that can be mechanically recycled and transformed into new products are removed, the residue is sent to energetic recycling. Then, the residues are burned in an incinerator, whose temperature reaches 1.100ºC and the hot gases are aspirated by a recovery boiler, where the steam is produced, which subsequently activates the energy generator. At the end of the burning, 10% of the residue used remains in a solid state in the form of ash and need to be discarded. If the material is toxic, it is disposed of in landfills that avoid contamination of the environment. If it is non-toxic, the residue is used as a substitute for the soil in compacting the soil of the streets and roads that will be paved.
Plastic is essential in the energy recycling process and a kilogram of plastic has the calorific value equivalent to that of a liter of diesel oil. The remainder of the entire burning, around 8% of the volume burned, is reused in the manufacture of construction material, such as tiles and bricks. More than 30 countries employ large-scale energy recycling. The European Union has 420 power plants. In the United States 2.3 million homes are supplied with energy from 98 energy recycling power plants.
SOURCES:
RATIER, Rodrigo. Dá pra transformar lixo em energia? Disponível em: https://super.abril.com.br/mundo-estranho/da-para-transformar-lixo-em-energia/