This graphic shows how waste-to-energy plants work. Courtesy/LAC

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

There are many innovative ways to reduce waste but for Los Alamos the tried-and-true measures – reduce, reuse, and recycle – still prove to be the most effective ways to keep material out of the landfills.

Environmental Services Division Manager Armando Gabaldon made this point during the Oct. 17 Los Alamos County Council meeting.

In response to Councilor David Reagor’s request, which was made during the May 23 meeting, Gabaldon said he researched and discussed the topic with the New Mexico Environment Department a method of solid waste disposal and electric generation known as waste-to-energy. The objective, he said, is to divert less waste to the landfill and generate energy from combustible solid waste.

Here’s how it works: Gabaldon said materials are collected and delivered to the tipping floor and then into a waste pit. A crane breaks down the waste and it is then transferred to an incinerator to be burned and the ashes are delivered to the landfill.

“The intense heat is created and recovered in a boiler system and the steam that is produced activates the turbine generator to generate electricity,” Gabaldon said. “Smoke is diverted through a filtration process. First, it is surface filtration then catalytic filtration. This process will produce – what they call a fly ash – that will be recovered and disposed in a permitted landfill.”

He explained depending on the facility size and the amount of waste, the process can produce 1 megawatt of electricity, which is enough to power 750 homes as once. However, it is important to keep in mind that demand fluctuates seasonally and throughout the day.

Plus, Gabaldon said, “a control burning process decreases volume of solid waste destined for landfills including general refuse, all contaminated recycling, construction debris and so much more. Energy is then received through the incineration process. Any carbon emissions produced versus any savings in fossil fuels used from hauling and methane produced in landfills are also factors into evaluating the impacts to the carbon footprint.”

There are other things to consider, he said, mainly the cost to construct, maintain and operate. This would play into the fee structure to fund upkeep and operations.

Gabaldon said there are 75 waste-to-energy plants in the U.S. A large-sized facility would be approximately a $250 million investment. He added that a medium sized facility would take in 250,000 tons of solid waste per year with an $169 million approximate investment. Finally, a small sized facility would take in 40,000 tons of solid waste per year with an $41 million approximate investment.

In Los Alamos, 10,000 tons of municipal solid waste is collected a year and “…waste from all programs (yard trimmings, solid waste, recycling) … we would estimate 18,000 tons altogether annually,” he said.

Broken down, that would be 49 tons a day. In short, Los Alamos doesn’t currently generate enough waste to make the program viable.

“The amount of waste that Los Alamos generates would be difficult to produce sufficient energy, recapture the capital, maintenance and capital costs,” Gabaldon said, adding more analysis would be needed.

Even with the new housing developments such as Mirador in White Rock and the new apartment complexes on DP Road, Gabaldon told the Los Alamos Daily Post the amount of garbage collected has not significantly increased.

“…the additional influx of waste material is not precisely quantified but has not grown in a significant manner that exceeds our current operational capacity,” he said.

Constructing a waste-to-energy plant would require an air quality review and permitting through the New Mexico Environment Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, if this was done at the Eco Station, Gabaldon said formal permission would be needed from the Department of Energy and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

As of right now, there are no waste-to-energy plants in New Mexico, he said.

While waste-to-energy plants are not viable for Los Alamos, Gabaldon identified to the Los Alamos Daily Post the methods currently utilized to keep waste out of the landfills.

These include:

• Promotion of reusable lunch items in coordination with Los Alamos Public Schools;
• Zero Waste and sustainability information booths at various public events;
• Information mailers that are sent with utility bills;
• Promotion of the recently opened re-use facility at the White Rock Convenience Center and
• Utilization of the Recycle Coach App.

Gabaldon added that residents can go to the Environmental Services Division website, www.losalamosnm.us/gogreen, to get more information on its services.