Waste Co-Processing

We read with great interest an article ran by Holcim Philippines, Inc. on The Philippine Daily Inquirer last Sunday. The article tackled the company's efforts in utilizing co-processing of waste in cement production in their plants in the Philippines.

About two years ago, while doing research on solid waste management, I read an article about a study being conducted by the Department of Science and Technology on the matter of using industrial waste as fuel for the kilns of the cement industry. The study is intended to serve as a guide for crafting policy on co-processing of wastes taking into consideration the strict provisions of the Clean Air Act. Our research was stopped as it was overtaken by events in the colorful world of provincial politics and I failed to monitor what eventually happened to the DOST initiative.

The announcement (through the PDI article) that four Holcim Philippines plants have already started co-processing is a delightful surprise. Co-processing not only cuts fossil fuel costs, it also provides an environmentally friendly alternative to waste disposal.

In more graphic terms, imagine a mountain of used car and truck tires. If no solution would be found on how to dispose of these tires, they would eventually be dumped onto landfills. (Of course, minus the few thousands burned during the insane New Year Celebrations we have hereabouts) One option is to incinerate these tires but this option is not available anymore in the era of the Clean Air Act. The solution was eventually found in co-processing.

What else can be used in co-processing? Liquid waste such as used oil, sludge, solvents and paint residues and solid waste such as contaminated rags, mould runners and packaging materials. All of these would have been dumped into our landfills if co-processing is not utilized.

This brings me back to my pet peeve. Can we use our unsegregated garbage in the co-processing scheme? The answer is an absolute no! Only specific wastes may be used in co-processing and since our garbage is practically not sorted, there is a big risk that severe pollutants may have been included in it and burning would only result in the release of these pollutants into the air.

Our thoughts on this?

Co-processing provides us a good alternative to waste disposal and it provides a solution to some of the problems that persist in waste management. Yes it relieves us of some of our worries but it is not the cure for all our troubles. Waste, as it is, is brought about by human insensitivity to the ways of nature. If we could only be more responsible for our actions, then we would not have had the problems in the first place.