|
Greenstar provides a range of treatment services including composting
and anaerobic
digestion to recycle biowastes.
Biowaste is a term used to describe organic waste that is putrescible - liable to decay or spoil.
This can include food waste, some agricultural wastes and
some sludges.
There are two main sources of biowaste – municipal
sources and industrial sources.
 |
Relative Strength of
Leachates and Other Biological Materials
Click on the diagram to enlarge it. |
Municipal biowaste
Approximately two-thirds of the waste produced by homes and
businesses comprises ‘organic’ or natural materials.
These materials will break down over time (‘biodegrade’)
by natural processes. This waste stream is termed Biodegradable
Municipal Waste (BMW). BMW comprises paper and cardboard, food
waste, textiles and wood. When landfilled, these materials degrade
and generate leachate and landfill gas. BMW requires recycling
or biotreatment in order to avoid these problems and to avoid
dependence on landfill as a disposal option.
Industrial biowaste
Industrial processes including wastewater treatment, food/drink
preparation, agriculture, forestry and pharma-chem industry
are examples of processes that may produce large volumes of
putrescible waste streams. These materials are often highly
putrescible and may be very liquid in form. Therefore biotreatment
is required to ensure that environmental protection can be assured.
The Landfill Directive 1996 requires that Ireland divert
certain types of biowaste from landfill in a phased manner
in order to meet designated targets.
Greenstar is developing alternative treatment routes for
biowaste streams in order to help meet this national commitment,
and as part of a corporate commitment to continuing environmental
improvement.
For more information, email us at industryrecycling.services@greenstar.ie.
|
