Top Strategies for Effective Community Waste Management

Top Strategies for Effective Community Waste Management

Effective community waste management is crucial for environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and public health.

As our society produces more waste, the need for comprehensive and innovative waste management strategies becomes increasingly apparent.

In this article, we explore top strategies communities can adopt to manage waste more effectively, incorporating insights from experts and focusing on the groundbreaking BurCell® System.

 

Implementing Comprehensive Recycling Programs

Recycling is a cornerstone of community waste management.

By diverting materials from landfills and reintroducing them into the production cycle, recycling reduces the need for raw materials, conserves energy, and minimizes pollution.

Establishing a comprehensive recycling program involves several critical steps.

1. Setting Up a Community Recycling Program

First, communities must conduct a waste audit to understand the types and volumes of waste they generate.

This data helps tailor the recycling program to local needs. Next, infrastructure such as recycling bins, collection trucks, and processing facilities must be established or enhanced.

2. Encouraging Community Participation

Community participation is vital for the success of recycling programs. Education campaigns can raise awareness about the benefits of recycling and provide clear instructions on recycling correctly.

Incentive programs, such as "pay-as-you-throw" systems where residents are charged based on the amount of non-recyclable waste they produce, can also motivate people to participate actively.

One notable example is San Francisco, which boasts one of the highest recycling rates in the world.

The city implemented mandatory recycling and composting laws, extensive public education campaigns, and robust infrastructure support, resulting in a diversion rate of over 80% from landfills.

 

Promoting Waste Reduction and Reuse

While recycling is important, reducing waste generation at the source and promoting reuse are even more effective strategies for community waste management.

These practices not only reduce the volume of waste that needs to be managed but also conserve resources and save money.

Communities can promote waste reduction through policies such as banning single-use plastics, encouraging the use of reusable bags, containers, and utensils, and supporting businesses that offer products with minimal packaging.

Public education campaigns can also emphasize the importance of buying in bulk, choosing products with less packaging, and repairing items instead of discarding them.

From cloth shopping bags to reusable water bottles and metal straws, many products can replace their single-use counterparts.

Community events, such as swap meets and repair cafes, can further encourage reuse by providing spaces where residents can exchange goods or learn to fix broken items.

Reducing waste at the source results in significant cost savings for waste collection and disposal.

It also lessens the environmental impact associated with the production, transportation, and disposal of waste materials.

 

Utilizing Advanced Waste Sorting Technologies

Advanced waste sorting technologies are revolutionizing community waste management by improving the efficiency and accuracy of waste separation, which is crucial for effective recycling and recovery of materials.

Technologies such as optical sorters, which use light to identify and separate different types of materials, and robotics, which employ artificial intelligence to sort waste with high precision, are becoming more prevalent.

These technologies enhance the purity of recyclable materials, making them more valuable and easier to process.

Automated systems can handle larger volumes of waste more quickly and accurately than manual sorting.

This reduces labor costs and increases the amount of recyclable material that can be recovered.

Additionally, these systems can adapt to changes in waste composition, ensuring long-term efficiency.

The city of Amsterdam has implemented a state-of-the-art automated sorting facility that processes mixed household waste.

The facility uses advanced technology to separate recyclables from non-recyclables, resulting in a significant increase in the city’s recycling rates.

 

Implementing Organic Waste Composting

Composting organic waste is a highly effective strategy for reducing landfill use and producing valuable soil amendments.

Organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, makes up a significant portion of municipal solid waste and can be composted to create nutrient-rich compost for gardens and farms.

Composting reduces methane emissions from landfills, a potent greenhouse gas. It also diverts organic waste from landfills, saving space and reducing disposal costs.

The resulting compost can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.

Setting up a composting program involves educating residents about what can and cannot be composted, providing collection bins, and establishing composting sites.

Some communities offer curbside composting services, while others encourage backyard composting or community composting hubs.

Compost enriches soil by adding organic matter, which improves soil structure, increases nutrient content, and enhances the soil’s ability to retain water.

This leads to healthier plants and can reduce the need for irrigation and chemical inputs.

New York City’s composting program collects food scraps and yard waste from residents, turning it into compost used in parks and gardens throughout the city.

The program has significantly reduced landfill waste and provided valuable compost for urban agriculture projects.

 

Encouraging Sustainable Waste Disposal Practices

Proper waste disposal is essential for protecting public health and the environment.

Sustainable disposal practices involve safely managing hazardous waste, partnering with local businesses, and educating the community.

Communities should provide clear guidelines for disposing hazardous waste, such as batteries, chemicals, and electronic waste.

Special collection events or drop-off locations can ensure these materials are handled safely.

Additionally, promoting eco-friendly disposal methods, such as anaerobic digestion for organic waste, can further reduce the environmental impact.

Public education campaigns can inform residents about the dangers of improper hazardous waste disposal and provide information on safe disposal options.

Schools, community centers, and local media can all play a role in disseminating this information.

Local businesses can contribute to sustainable waste disposal by implementing waste reduction practices, such as minimizing packaging and recycling.

Partnerships between businesses and municipalities can also create opportunities for shared waste management solutions, such as centralized recycling hubs or joint composting facilities.

Proper waste disposal protects public health by preventing the contamination of soil, water, and air.

It also conserves resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a healthier environment and more sustainable communities.

 

Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can enhance community waste management by combining the strengths of both sectors.

These partnerships can provide the expertise, resources, and innovation needed to tackle complex waste management challenges.

Collaboration between public entities and private companies can lead to more efficient and effective waste management solutions.

Public agencies often have regulatory authority and community trust, while private companies can offer advanced technologies and operational expertise.

One successful example is the partnership between the city of Houston and Waste Management, Inc. Together, they developed a single-stream recycling program that increased recycling rates and reduced contamination.

The partnership also included public education efforts to ensure community participation.

Private companies often have access to cutting-edge technologies and best practices that can enhance waste management operations.

By leveraging this expertise, public agencies can improve service delivery, reduce costs, and achieve better environmental outcomes.

To foster effective PPPs, communities should establish clear goals, define roles and responsibilities, and maintain open communication.

Regular performance evaluations and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances are also crucial for long-term success.

 

The Role of Community Education and Engagement

Community education and engagement are key components of successful waste management programs.

Educating residents about waste reduction, recycling, and proper disposal practices empowers them to make informed decisions and actively participate in waste management efforts.

Educated communities are more likely to adopt sustainable waste practices and support local waste management initiatives.

Education programs can also dispel myths and misinformation about waste management, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

Effective engagement strategies include public workshops, school programs, and community events.

Social media and local media outlets can also reach a wider audience and keep residents informed about waste management issues and initiatives.

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, can be powerful tools for engaging with the community.

Regular posts, interactive content, and online events can keep residents informed and involved.

Local events, such as clean-up days and recycling drives, provide hands-on participation and community building opportunities.

To measure the impact of education and engagement efforts, communities can track participation rates, recycling rates, and waste reduction outcomes.

Surveys and feedback from residents can also provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of these programs.

 

The BurCell® System: Revolutionizing Waste Recycling

The BurCell® System represents a significant advancement in community waste management by redefining how waste materials can be recycled and repurposed into valuable commodities.

This innovative system offers numerous benefits that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of waste recycling.

The BurCell® System processes municipal solid waste (MSW) to enhance the digestibility of its organic fraction.

This improvement facilitates more efficient decomposition and biogas production, making converting organic waste into renewable energy easier.

By using advanced sorting and processing technologies, the BurCell® System maximizes the purity and recovery of organic materials.

This results in higher-quality compost and other organic products, which can be used in agriculture and landscaping.

The system produces a homogenous organic fraction, crucial for consistent and efficient processing in anaerobic digesters.

This uniformity ensures a steady and predictable flow of materials, optimizing biogas production.

The enhanced digestibility and homogeneity of the organic fraction make it easier to feed into anaerobic digesters.

This reduces operational challenges and increases the efficiency of biogas production.

The BurCell® System creates a more sustained and predictable gas generation performance, which is essential for the stable operation of biogas plants.

This consistency improves the reliability and profitability of renewable energy production.

The system provides a higher yield of biogas over a shorter hydraulic residence time, meaning that more energy can be produced in less time.

This efficiency reduces costs and increases the overall viability of biogas projects.

In addition to organic materials, the BurCell® System enables the recovery of mixed plastics and other materials with high BTU yields for thermal conversion.

These materials can be used as alternative fuels, reducing reliance on virgin fossil fuels and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

The modular and straightforward design of the BurCell® System lowers daily operation costs compared to traditional processing centers.

This design allows for easier maintenance and scalability, making it an attractive option for communities of all sizes.

Communities that have implemented the BurCell® System have seen significant improvements in their waste management outcomes.

For example, a pilot project in a mid-sized city resulted in a 50% increase in organic waste recovery and a substantial reduction in landfill use.

These results highlight the potential for widespread adoption and transformative impacts on community waste management.

 

Conclusion

Effective community waste management requires a multifaceted approach that includes recycling, waste reduction, advanced sorting technologies, composting, sustainable disposal practices, public-private partnerships, and community education.

The BurCell® System offers a game-changing solution that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of waste recycling, providing numerous benefits for communities.

By adopting these strategies and embracing innovative technologies, communities can improve their waste management practices, protect the environment, and create a more sustainable future.

It’s time for communities to take action and implement these top strategies for effective waste management, ensuring a cleaner and healthier world for future generations.

Contact BurCell Technologies today to see how we can help you succeed with a cutting-edge waste disposal system.

Together, we can revolutionize waste management and create a lasting positive impact on our environment.

 

FAQs

What are the key strategies for effective community waste management?

Effective community waste management strategies include waste reduction through education and awareness programs, implementing robust recycling initiatives, and ensuring proper waste segregation at the source. These approaches help minimize waste generation and enhance the efficiency of waste processing.

How can community involvement improve waste management efforts?

Community involvement is crucial in waste management as it encourages responsible waste disposal practices and supports local recycling programs. Engaging residents through educational campaigns and volunteer clean-up drives fosters a collective responsibility towards a cleaner environment.

What role does technology play in improving community waste management?

Technology enhances waste management through smart waste collection systems, data-driven waste tracking, and the use of mobile apps for reporting waste-related issues. These innovations streamline operations and improve the overall efficiency of waste management services.

How can local governments support effective waste management in communities?

Local governments can support waste management by implementing policies that promote recycling, providing adequate infrastructure for waste collection and disposal, and offering incentives for waste reduction. They can also collaborate with community organizations to drive educational initiatives.

Why is waste segregation important in community waste management?

Waste segregation is vital because it prevents the mixing of recyclable and non-recyclable materials, making the recycling process more efficient and reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills. Proper segregation at the source is a fundamental step in sustainable waste management.


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BurCell Technologies to Present Game-Changing Waste-to-Biogas Solutions at Biogas Americas 2024

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, USA, BurCell Technologies, a pioneer in sustainable waste management and renewable energy solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in Biogas Americas 2024. This premier industry event, hosted by the American Biogas Council, will be held from May 13-16 in Savannah, Georgia, and is the largest conference of the biogas industry in the United States. Attendees are invited to meet the BurCell team at our booth to explore the transformative BurCell® System and its crucial role in advancing biogas technology.

BurCell Technologies specializes in a proprietary process that converts organic waste into valuable feedstocks for renewable natural gas and other biogas applications. The BurCell® System can divert up to 75% of the waste processed, significantly advancing sustainable waste handling. This technology supports environmental goals and drives economic benefits by reducing landfill use and creating renewable energy sources.

Ron Barmore, CEO of BurCell Technologies, stated, "As we continue to face global challenges in waste management, our innovative BurCell® System provides a viable solution by transforming organic waste into renewable biogas. Biogas Americas 2024 offers an excellent platform for us to showcase our technology and engage with industry leaders to discuss and develop future-oriented biogas solutions."

The Biogas Americas conference is essential for anyone involved in the biogas sector, providing opportunities to network, learn, and discover new tools and technologies. By participating, BurCell Technologies aims to contribute to the growth of the biogas market and demonstrate how its innovative solutions can meet the industry's needs.

Chris Peters, Senior Vice President of Business Development, and Jennifer Stewart, Director of Marketing and Communications, will be available to discuss how the BurCell® System can meet specific industry needs. They will share insights into how our technology enhances compliance with environmental regulations and increases operational efficiency in waste processing facilities.

About BurCell Technologies

Founded on the principles of sustainability and innovation, BurCell Technologies delivers cutting-edge solutions for processing municipal waste streams. Through its proprietary BurCell® System, the company transforms mixed municipal solid waste into high-quality, renewable feedstocks suitable for anaerobic digestion and biogas production. This system promotes environmental stewardship and improves community well-being by providing a cleaner and more efficient alternative to traditional waste disposal methods.

For more information about BurCell Technologies or to schedule a meeting with our team members during Biogas Americas 2024, please contact:


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Burcell Technologies is Redefining Waste Management by Showcasing Innovative New Solutions at Waste Expo 2024

Las Vegas, NV – BurCell Technologies, a leader in sustainable waste management and renewable energy solutions, is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming WasteExpo 2024, held from May 6-9 in Las Vegas. Attendees are invited to visit BurCell Technologies at booth #4466 to discover the transformative BurCell® System and its mission in redefining waste management.  

BurCell Technologies specializes in a proprietary process that significantly reduces landfill use by transforming organic waste into valuable feedstocks for renewable natural gas and other energy sources. The BurCell® System enables diverting up to 75% of the waste processed, showcasing a significant leap in sustainable waste handling.

Ron Barmore, CEO of BurCell Technologies, commented, "Our mission at BurCell Technologies is to revolutionize waste management by recovering and transforming the organic resources embedded in our solid waste into clean, renewable energy. WasteExpo 2024 provides the perfect platform to demonstrate our cutting-edge technologies and share our vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future."

Attendees of the event are invited to see how BurCell Technologies uses its innovative approach to support compliance with increasingly stringent environmental regulations and enhance waste processing facilities' operational efficiency. As global waste production continues to rise, adopting such technologies becomes crucial for sustainable development and resource management.

Chris Peters, SR VP - Business Development, Ron Barmore, CEO and Jennifer Stewart, Director of Marketing and Communications, will be present to discuss the innovative solutions BurCell Technologies has developed for recovering organic materials. Interested parties are encouraged to connect with BurCell Technologies through its Facebook and LinkedIn pages before the event or visit BurCell Technologies’ website for more information.

Join BurCell Technologies at WasteExpo 2024 to explore how they pave the way for sustainable waste management solutions and drive the industry forward.

About BurCell Technologies

Founded on the principles of sustainability and innovative technology, BurCell Technologies provides advanced solutions for the processing of municipal waste streams. Through its proprietary BurCell® System, the company transforms mixed municipal solid waste into high-quality, renewable feedstocks suitable for anaerobic digestion, gasification, and producing solid fuels and bioproducts. This system supports environmental stewardship and enhances community welfare by offering a cleaner, more efficient alternative to traditional landfill disposal.

 


Glass bottles in a bag

Innovation in Waste Management - Why Does it Matter?

What purpose does waste serve? Think about it. Waste is something that is not wanted or needed and holds no economic value, so we dispose of it. Did you know though, that companies have been doing the exact same thing only from a differing perspective? In actuality, companies have been getting rid of (really, eliminating) waste from their supply chains, manufacturing processes, and business models for decades. The difference is that now companies and consumers are beginning to adopt a similar definition of “waste” and both groups are looking for ways to not produce that waste in the first place.

What’s this common definition of waste? Well, essentially it means some action or result that doesn't contribute to bottom-line, and companies generally call this elimination exercise “lean”. On the other hand, consumers are eliminating waste but calling it the zero-waste. What’s interesting is that both groups are essentially perusing the same goal, just under different terms. Meaning that the term “waste” is now being applied to:

  • Excess packaging from their products
  • Scrape not ultimately sold off
  • Or unneeded labeling

Some brands are even going as far as to build partnerships with other companies to provide them with feedstocks that come from their partner’s “waste”. Effectively turning one company’s scrap into their partner’s raw material. -whereby both brands profit.

In a similar fashion, consumers are beginning to remove things from their lives that can’t be reused or sold back to someone else at a similar cost-effective price. Meaning that more consumers are buying products that are rented rather than sold outright. So, in every way, shape, and form brands and consumers are becoming far more aggressive and thoughtful, not just in how they design products, and how they use products, but how they design reuse into their products to maximize the value return of everything that is in their possession.

How Does Municipal Waste Fit into Zero-Waste?

Within the last 15 years, the ideology of “zero waste” has gained traction. American’s and city officials are doing their part to reduce waste and keep garbage out of landfills.

You might be wondering what will happen to municipal waste when lean and zero-waste principals influence the amount of garbage being produced. The answer it that the waste management industry is likely going to transform into a resource management industry. Meaning waste managers will be more focused on harvesting value from municipal waste and brokering partnerships with manufactures to resell the raw materials they process.

How The BurCell® System Contributes to Sustainability

At BurCell® Technologies, we strive to reclaim value from municipal waste. We do this with our BurCell® system, which processes municipal waste into feedstocks for compost, anerobic digestion processors, and recyclers.

We love what we do because we provide another alternative for waste disposal, which just so happens to also enable our partners to produce products at a higher margin or it gives them another profit center that we’d consider future-proof.

What Happens to Waste In The BurCell® System?

Waste is first brought to our facility or a BurCell® enabled site. Our tools then separate any large and bulky items that could interrupt the process or harm the system.

After the separation takes place, the materials are then moved onto a shredder. The shredding process is intended to increase the surface area of the material and the amount the system can process in one batch. Once the material is shredded, and the capacity is bulked up, it’s then ready to load into the BurCell® System.

Once the system is full and ready to go, one of our team members adds water and heat, and draws a vacuum to begin the operating cycle. At this point, the BurCell® System will continue to rotate to break down organic waste at a quick pace.

Once the waste is broken down, the material is loaded onto another conveyer where the inorganic components, including metal, glass, and plastic, are separated from the organic biproducts for the anaerobic digestor or composter.

Are You A Good Fit to Use Our Tech?

Well it depends. Our partners are typically waste haulers or waste managers who are looking to innovate and while adding a new revenue stream to their business model. Some of them have tried recycling efforts in the past and not found it successful, but while working with our team they find that the transformation process is easy and doesn’t take a lot of time to setup. They also find that the BurCell® System’s outputs are easily resold to partners which we can help you find via our partner network. Lastly, they find that our pilots or proofs of concept (POC) are affordable and the capital needed to complete a POC is manageable.

So, while there are barriers to becoming a client and joining our partner program, we’ll have an account partner assigned to you to help ensure the journey together is smooth, productive and profitable for your business.

Next Steps? The BurCell® System

If you found this article or it’s ideas interesting, or would like to learn more about our partner program or how you can get involved, be sure to contact us via the contact form on our site or reach out to us on LinkedIn. We’ll be happy to answer your questions, visit your facility to help you plan for the inevitability of lean and zero-waste, and help you design a proof of concept to use the BurCell® System.

It’s time we put our waste to a greater use.

Again, to learn more about our system and how it works, or to schedule a demo, check out our latest blogs or contact our team today! Together we can make a difference.


Landfill by a river full of food waste and more

Organic Recycling: Turning Food Waste Into Energy

What if I told you it was possible that a portion of the world’s food waste could avoid ending up in landfills and instead be converted into energy to provide electricity to our homes? Nearly one-third of all food, both raw and prepared, is thrown away and turns into waste. However, most food waste can be converted into a valuable resource used to generate energy.

If we took just a small portion of the world’s waste and turned it into energy, we could free up large amounts of space in landfills while generating fuel for cars and energy for homes. Converting the waste also reduces the number of harmful gases being released into the atmosphere and makes the world a healthier place overall.

How Energy Has Become A Limited Resource

With the rapid population growth across the globe, limited amounts of fossil fuels have quickly begun to diminish, and it has become challenging to provide the amount of energy demanded by the world using only fossil fuels to create energy.

Energy is also a fundamental resource. Without energy, the world would be left without necessities like power in our homes which provides light, heating, and air conditioning, cooking resources, and hot water. Today, much of the world relies on fossil fuels for energy. However, several ways exist to convert organics into energy without fossil fuels. That’s what we’re here today to discuss.

How Waste Could Be Turned Into Energy

How much organic waste is there today? In fact, nearly 133 billion pounds of food each year go to waste in the United States alone, and this material could be reused if properly recycled through a process sometimes called a waste-to-energy system.

Waste-to-energy systems, enabled by the BurCell® System technology, leverage a process called anaerobic digestion, which is where microorganisms are used to break down and convert organic waste into a fuel such as biogas, biodiesel, or ethanol. The final product is then used for generating electricity or fuel for vehicles.

The great thing about using biogases, and other fuels that come from anaerobic digestion, is that it's largely carbon-neutral because the materials that created the fuels weren't pulled out of long-term carbon sequestration like what we see in the use of natural gas or coal. They were instead pulled out of the carbon cycle after just a few months or years because the raw materials came from plants or other food waste. So, while anaerobic digestion does produce methane, which is a greenhouse gas, the same carbon in the methane came from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere a only few months prior.

Introducing The BurCell® Unit

The BurCell® System is a vacuum aided thermal decomposition process that reuses food, paper, and many other types of organic waste products at scale.

It offers a disruptive industrial process for the separation, value extraction, and value enhancement of organic source material created through numerous industrial, commercial, and agricultural activities.

The BurCell® System and How it Works in the Anaerobic Digestion Process

First, waste is brought to our facility. Our tools then separate any large and bulky items that might interrupt the process or damage the system.

After the separation in our facility, the materials are diverted to a shredder. The shredding process helps increase the volume of the material and the amount we can process in a single batch. Once the material is shredded and the capacity is significantly increased, it is then ready for loading into the BurCell® system.

Note: The BurCell® System has the capacity to process nearly 10 tons of waste per cycle.

After loading, a team member adds water, heat, and draws a vacuum to start the operating cycle. During this stage, the BurCell® system will use a continuously rotating drum to break down the organic waste much faster than otherwise possible.

Once broken down, the waste material is loaded onto a conveyer where the inorganic components (like metal, glass, and plastic) and organic components are separated and the organic byproducts are readied for the anaerobic digestor.

How Anaerobic Digestion Works

Anaerobic digestion is the process of using microorganisms to break down biodegradable waste without oxygen. The types of organic waste which can be used in anaerobic digestion can be found throughout our economy, but some examples of high producers include; coffee shops, restaurants, and other places where food scraps or waste are present.

Here is the process:

Step 1: The food waste, biosolids, and manure are collected from various sources and gathered together for processing.

Step 2: The organic waste is then deposited into the organic waste handling system where it stores and pretreats the material prior to further processing by heating it to around 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour to kill any harmful pathogens.

Step 3: The organic waste then travels into the anaerobic digester - a system that allows anaerobic digestion to occur and captures the biogases as they’re made. This system will typically have an agitator and will work to evenly distribute microorganisms throughout the tank.

Step 4: The digestion process can take between 20-30 days to complete and once done the biogas (comprised of 60% methane) is burned to produce electricity.

Step 5: The organic waste is then processed further to convert the remaining material into several co-products that can either be solid (compost, soil, fertilizer) or liquid coproducts (fertilizer, flush waster, concentrated fertilizer).

The BurCell® System: Keeping Organic Waste Out of Landfills

The BurCell® System was created with the intent of keeping all organic waste out of landfills, preventing the release of harmful gasses into our environment, putting organic waste to greater use, and helping create an alternative source to fuel our lives.

Organic waste is a valuable resource oftentimes overlooked and can become a missed opportunity. So with the use of The BurCell® System, we’re changing the world for the better.

To learn more about our system and how it works, check out our latest blogs or contact our team today!


Large outdoor tanks

How Anaerobic Digestion and the BurCell® System Work Together

Anaerobic digestion. Despite its futuristic-sounding name, it’s an alternative waste conversion process with its basic science having been around for centuries. The first recorded usage dates back to England in 1895. Now, as businesses continue to seek ways of reducing their carbon footprints and contributing to the goal of clean energy, anaerobic digestion is continuing to advance into the spotlight as a potential solution to waste management.

What Is Anaerobic Digestion?

Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process where microorganisms, or bacteria, break down biodegradable organic matter like sewage sludge, food scraps, and manure. The digestion of the waste takes place in an airtight container without the presence of oxygen. The name anaerobic means “without air.” As the bacteria get to work, it produces a methane and carbon dioxide-rich gas called biogas. The physical byproduct of this bacteria buffet is a wet mixture called digestate that gets separated into solid and liquid. Although humans are responsible for creating this chemical reaction, it’s a process that happens naturally in the environment. Examples of natural occurrences of anaerobic digestion include swamps and in the stomach.

Both byproducts are something to get excited about. In its purest form, the biogas produced can be used for cooking, powering engines, and heating furnaces, as a chemical feedstock, or to generate electricity. When it’s treated and compressed, biogas can be upgraded to renewable natural gas, used as a renewable fuel source for vehicles. As for digestate, it can be used as an industrial co-product, as a nutrient-rich fertilizer, compost, animal bedding, and soil amendment.

Many believe it’s one of the many ways that we can reduce our carbon footprints, combat climate change, and find replacement energy sources to the dwindling resources we currently have.

How Does Anaerobic Digestion Work?

The process begins when waste, also referred to as feedstock, is loaded into an airtight container called an anaerobic digester. Once inside, the feedstock undergoes four different stages of being broken down through chemical reaction before reaching its final form as raw material that’s able to be used in many ways.

The first stage is called Hydrolysis. Here, complex matter like carbohydrates and proteins gets broken down into sugars and amino acids. Next up is the acidogenesis stage. Bacteria break down sugars and amino acids even further, reducing them into ethanol and fatty acids, as well as creating the byproducts like ammonia, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. When the feedstock reaches acetogenesis, the third stage, the ethanol, and fatty acids are converted into hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and acetic acid. And in the final stage of anaerobic digestion, called methanogenesis, the bacteria convert the leftover hydrogen and acetic acid into the methane and carbon dioxide-rich biogas.

The timeline for digestion depends on factors such as how much waste is loaded into the digester, if more than one kind of matter is present (this process is called co-digestion), and the temperature inside of the digester. With all these factors considered, complete digestion can take between 14 to 40 days. And after its total breakdown, the biogas is collected, treated, and sent off to be used as renewable energy.

What Are the Benefits of Using Anaerobic Digestion?

Using anaerobic digestion as an alternative waste management approach features a whole host of benefits to the environment as well as human health. It’s a much-needed solution in countries like the U.S. where, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 40.7 million tons of organic waste were produced in 2017. Another staggering fact is that only 2.6 million tons of the food waste generated that year was said to have been composted, or 6.3%.

One of the many benefits of employing anaerobic digestion is the reduction of the amount of waste we send to landfills. The EPA further states that 86-90% of food waste is highly biodegradable and can even help break down tougher materials like livestock waste. And by collecting the biogas and converting it for better use instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, we cut down on harmful greenhouse emissions. Other benefits include reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and replacing it with biomethane gas and protecting water sources from runoff and contaminants that may harm water supplies, animals, and plant life.

Despite anaerobic digestion being such an effective and highly regarded waste management alternative, it’s still a significantly underused resource. Currently, there are more than 2,000 sites in the U.S. that use anaerobic digestion, mainly found in agricultural, wastewater, and urban settings. It’s believed that there is room for up to 13,500 more sites for anaerobic digesters to be built in the U.S.

Where BurCell® Technologies Comes In

The world’s population continues to rise, and so does the number of countries that are searching for better recycling and waste management options. BurCell® Technologies is here to provide a solution. We are dedicated to the goal of clean energy and a better world and we have found a cost-efficient, environmentally friendly way of ensuring less trash goes to waste. Our state of the art BurCell® System uses a vacuum aided thermal decomposition process that breaks down food, paper, and other organic wastes, creating a highly digestible feedstock that has demonstrated an increase of some 30% more biogas from those organic feedstocks when used for anaerobic digestion.

Utilizing our proprietary BurCell® System, designed material recovery facility provides clean, energy-rich feedstocks that can become a source of reliable renewable energy from anaerobic digestion while recovering valuable non-organic materials that can be reused. Our projects will recover and reuse as much as 75% of the materials we process, a much-needed improvement on current waste management methods.

For more information about The BurCell® System and how it works, contact our team today!


Hand holding an earth toy

How the BurCell® System Makes the World a Better Place

What happens to a product once it is used? Many times, it’s tossed in the trash and carried away. In the U.S., we operate on a linear model where resources are extracted, manufactured, consumed and thrown out after use. A linear model is unsustainable. As piles of garbage continue to increase across the world, and significant amounts of plastic are dumped into the ocean, it is more important now than ever to consider an alternative and the BurCell® System is just what we need.

An Alternative For Waste Management- A Circular Economy

New waste management models have gained some traction in other parts of the world. One model, in particular, is gaining traction and emphasizes sustainable development. This model is known as a circular economy.

With the linear model that is primarily used in the U.S., we make, use, and dispose of a product ultimately creating excessive pollution. With a circular economy, however, a product is made, used, reused, remade, recycled and then goes through the entire process all over again.

In a circular economy, products are no longer just thrown away. Everything is reused and serves a new purpose. Ultimately, waste would disappear, and we would have more resources.

How a Circular Economy Works

The circular economy is based on three goals:

  • Eliminate waste and pollution
  • Keep products and materials in use
  • Restore natural systems

This concept is achievable for everyone, including small business owners, large corporations, individuals, and other organizations.

Now, we know what you are thinking. Could waste really be eliminated?

Once this cycle is adapted and being used consistently it will be possible to have zero waste. This sustainable model was designed so that products and materials remain in use by prolonging their lifespan as long as possible. Products in this system are created for durability. Durable products can be reused by others and there is less demand to create new products.

In this new model of a circular economy, materials are separated into two categories: Biological materials and technical materials.

Technical materials on the other hand cannot safely re-enter the environment. These materials include metals, plastics, and synthetic chemicals. With the current linear model, these items get tossed away, serving no purpose, or even worse, they end up polluting the earth. These materials however can be separated and reused in a circular economy. That way their value can be captured and recaptured. Eventually, there will be little to no demand for new plastics, metals, and other technical materials.

Resale sites are a prime example of the success of reusing technical products. You can visit resale sites such as eBay and find used products that can be redistributed to new users.

There are several benefits to a circular economy but most importantly, it protects and improves the environment. In a circular economy, there is no demand for earth's non-renewable resources, and it enhances the renewable ones. With this model, biological materials return back to the earth to support regeneration or using renewable energy rather than relying on fossil fuels.

The goal behind all of this is products are designed for durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling products so that durable materials continue to circulate through the economy.

Creating a Better Economy With The BurCell® System

Not only does a circular economy improve the environment, but it also improves the economy, too. As new circular activities are created, we would experience economic growth and there would be lower costs of production for new products. As products are recreated, we would save money on materials, resulting in lower total costs. According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, fast-moving consumer goods have a material cost-saving potential of up to $700 billion worldwide.

A circular economy will also create new jobs. As we eliminate the demand for new product manufacturing, we bring on new jobs that are labor-intensive in recycling activities and new jobs in re-manufacturing. We can also expect to see more entrepreneurship as businesses begin selling reusable, recycled products.

The BurCell® System: Enabling a Circular Economy

As the model of a circular economy gains traction, BurCell® Technologies has created a system to put municipal waste to greater use. The BurCell® system gives the ability to reuse, recycle and remanufacture waste.

How is all of this possible? Our System offers the benefit of macro separation. When waste is first brought to our facility, our tools separate large and bulky items, such as metal or large plastics, from the waste that would damage the system.

Once the waste is separated, it is put through a shredder that increases the volume of the waste so that it can be loaded into our BurCell® system. The 50 cubic yard vessel that can process up to 10 tons of waste per cycle.

An operator from our team then adds water and heat and uses a vacuum that starts the operating cycle. The BurCell® system is constantly rotating to breakdown the waste.

Once the system has processed the waste, the vessel is unloaded onto a conveyor where the waste is compiled together to create an organic product that can easily be separated from the non-organic material.

The organic waste is then filtered out and you’re left with anaerobic digestion. Once the non- organic products are separated, it is transferred to a recycling center.

By the end of a cycle, organic waste can be used as feedstock for gasification or as the primary ingredient for compost.

Bi-Products of The BurCell® System

The BurCell® System creates bi-products that can be resold:

  • Organic waste
  • Metal, plastic and glass
  • Inorganic waste

By the end of the process, the waste that was first brought to our facility is now turned into byproducts available for recycled items that can also be resold.

Together, we can make the shift towards a circular economy to make the world a better place. To learn more about our system and how it works, or to schedule a demo, check out our latest blogs, or contact our team today!


Full dumpster in a field

Are We in a Trash Crisis?

The short answer is yes. We are in a trash crisis. The world is drowning in its waste production. It’s a phenomenon that many in the world are either highly aware of or choose to turn a blind eye to. And little has been done to fight this ever-growing problem. The British Broadcasting Corporation reports that every year, the world produces 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste, which is enough to fill more than 800,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and the numbers don’t stop there. The World Bank warns that, if serious action isn’t taken at the current rate, global waste will increase by up to 70 percent by 2050.

In this crisis, which is also referred to as the global waste crisis, America plays a significant role. How do we do our part to ensure less waste ends up at the landfill, impairing our environment? The answer requires an examination of our habits.

What’s Our Waste Problem?

The U.S., along with China, Brazil, Japan, and Germany, is on the shortlist of serial waste generators — countries that produce the highest amounts of solid waste. And we’re the top contributors, producing 3 times the global average in trash containing plastic, waste, and food. Yet, we recycle the least, only reusing approximately 35 percent of the solid waste we produce.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that in 2017, our nation produced 267.8 million tons of municipal solid waste, or 4.51 pounds a day per person. Of that waste, only 67.2 million tons of it got recycled, 27 million tons composted, and 139.6 million tons ended up in a landfill. It’s believed that because we don’t see the landfills piling up with waste, we don’t think that there’s an issue. This speaks to why so little movement gets made toward plans to tackle our landfills, where the waste mountains grow taller every day.

Our crisis with trash lies not just in how much waste we produce, but also how we go about disposing of our waste. Previously, the U.S., like other countries, relied on China for the disposal of its municipal waste. But after China banned importing waste in 2018, it left countries looking for alternatives for managing their waste. In some cases, this leads to openly burning the waste, which has harsh, adverse effects on our environment.

But within the tons of trash we dump into landfills, we also lose countless resources. When introduced to processes like anaerobic digestion, these materials result in a co-product used for cooking, generate energy, power engines, or used in nutrient-rich fertilizer, compost, and animal bedding.

Recent events are contributing to the trash crisis as well. The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an uptick in needs for single-use products and extra packaging to prevent further spread of the highly infectious virus. And because of stay at home orders, people produce more residential waste from to-go containers and packaging from online purchases. States like Virginia, Idaho and Michigan have halted the intake of materials at landfills and donation sites to avoid the virus and give workers the chance to work through the steady rising heaps of waste. These developments add to the world’s already staggering waste production number and are sure to affect the environment in a way we haven’t yet begun to experience.

The Consequences

The consequences of our waste come full circle and affect our overall health. The trash we improperly dispose of has a way of finding its way back into our bodies. As garbage decomposes, it releases toxins and harmful chemicals, impairing public health, and threatening the environment. These pollutants seep into the ground, affecting the plants, the fauna who eat them, and our groundwater. Those same toxins — often methane and carbon dioxide — are expelled into the air as toxic greenhouse gases when the waste is burned at landfills. It ends up in our drinking water and in the ocean water, killing and infecting the wildlife. Exposure to the toxins can lead to respiratory issues related to breathing in methane gases. Other complications include diarrhea, increased allergies, and cancer.

Environmental and health threats aren’t the only consequences of improper waste management. It has social and financial implications as well. Public waste systems struggle with being able to keep up with the staggering number of pounds of trash amassed daily. Historically, America spends more on trash collection than its disposal of it. Cities allocate between 20 and 50 percent of their budgets to dealing with waste and its management. Because of the steady increase in garbage, cities will likely have to allocate more money to manage the waste, taking those funds away from other departments and projects in need.

What’s the Solution to the Trash Crisis?

There are no quick fixes to the trash crisis. Reducing our waste output is a long process, but we can take small yet powerful steps to increase our recycling percentage and reduce the amount of waste that makes it was to the landfill annually. Measures include no longer purchasing or using plastic water bottles, reducing food waste, repurposing items and donating items instead of throwing them away.

Some experts say that making people pay for the solid waste they dispose of can reduce the amount of careless waste disposal. Similar to water and electric bills, residents pay for what they use. Such a program can encourage mindfulness about what we throw away and increase recycling habits in households.

Another solution to the trash crisis is with the services of BurCell® Technologies. We are dedicated to clean energy and a better world, and have a found a cost-efficient, environmentally friendly way of ensuring less trash goes to waste. Our state-of-the-art BurCell® System, a Synergy BurCell-designed material recovery facility, provides clean, energy-rich feedstocks that can be used in anaerobic digestion to produce reliable renewable energy. Our projects recover and reuse as much as 75 percent of the materials we process and prove to be a much-needed solution in the global trash crisis.

For more information about the BurCell® system and how it works, contact our team today!


Connections around a city skyline

How AI, 5G, and BurCell® Will Revolutionize Waste Management

As those of us who’ve been in the waste management industry know, technology hasn’t been a big component in our daily operations to date. It wasn’t too long ago that we began to even go digital, while many other industries jumped that gap almost 30 years ago. So, what makes 2020 any different? Well, to put it simply, technology is making us more profitable, and it’s costing us far less to implement than it ever has before. Additionally, to that, technology represents both a threat and an opportunity for our business. The threat, because it’s so pervasive now that a startup can begin to take market share quicker than ever before and for far less cost. An opportunity, because if we’re open-minded even a little bit, we can seize that same opportunity that the tech-savvy guys have and leverage it to rapidly grow our own businesses.

So what tech is available to us now and in the near future? Let’s go over the tech that will revolutionize the waste management industry.

5G and Waste Management

You’ve probably heard of 5G in passing or in a commercial somewhere but if you’re scratching your head as to what it is and why it matters, that’s absolutely ok. Phone companies haven’t done a very good job at all explaining anything beyond “it’s coming” and that’s not helpful.

5G, in essence, is the next iteration of mobile communication.

For example, back in 2005, if you had a Nokia brick or Samsung flip phone, that was 2G.

If you had an iPhone in 2010, that level of connectivity was 3G.

Soon after, the marketers took over and the names got very confusing, but what many of us have now is called ITE, and it manages the data between our phone and the cell towers using a very different standard than 3G in order to get higher data rates.

5G is the next standard we’ll all move to and it again is a fundamental shift in how data is encoded into radio waves and then sends this info between our phone and the cell towers. It’ll be a radical shift however because this effectively ends our limitations on computing ability and data transmission rates, we’ll be able to place computers in almost anything. Garbage trucks, trash cans, recycling equipment, literally anything can have a high-speed connection back to a supercomputer somewhere that they can do all the hard work.

This enables us because we’re about to be in a position where we can use these sensors embedded into everything (more commonly called the IoT -or- internet of things) and have them transmit to the supercomputer to calculate in real-time things like:

  • The most cost-effective pick-up routs for waste haulers
  • Information on what items are being put into the trucks and build us a manifest
  • What items are being processed on our conveyers in real-time enough to allow for automated sorting to take place
  • Or many other things we haven’t even thought of yet, and that’s very much the point here

5G means the doors are open to cheap or affordable sensor deployment and real-time heavy data manipulation. And for our purposes, there will be a day within the next decade where a smart college kid builds the tech that forces a revolution in our industry. Be ready for that day.

Artificial Technology (AI) and Waste Management

When 5G is deployed, the computing power behind the pending revolution isn’t going to be on the garbage truck, or on the conveyer belt (commonly called the end-point) it’ll be in a supercomputer housed in a massive facility of other supercomputers (dubbed a data center, or “the cloud”). The software these computers run additionally can have the ability to learn from the information we feed it and make suggestions or decisions based on that information. This is in essence what artificial intelligence (AI) is, and if you’ve ever been talking about a product you want to buy near an Alexa device only to get presented with ads for that product on Facebook for the next three weeks, you’ve seen AI in action.

So, imagine that capability, but far smarter, now mapping out pickup routes for drivers that save waste hauling companies thousands in fuel costs, or that tell conveyor belts in real-time to move a recyclable item down a different line. All this is going to be operationally feasible within the next three years and cost-effective within the next 5. So exploring how you can benefit from these technologies over the next 6-12 months is a smart move.

BurCell® Technologies

Our own tech fits into the revolution because it serves as one of the ways to profit from the advances in technology. When facilities better and more quickly sort their municipal waste, they’re better able to recycle that waste into resellable components, a BurCell® Unit takes the organic portions of that (sorted or unsorted) municipal waste and converts it into various feedstocks and composts which can then be resold.

When AI connects facilities and enables options for receipt of that waste based on the highest bidder feature, we’ll all look for ways to turn waste processing into a raw material production operation rather than simply putting it in a hole.

What Comes First?

The point here isn’t to predict the future, but to begin to think about how technology will continue to connect us and help us make faster and better decisions for our businesses.

This revolution has happened in literally every other industry, and it’ll happen to ours too. If we become more of a supply chain in the future than a service industry it shouldn’t come as a horrible shock.

So what comes first?

The first thing will be that facilities begin to adopt tech like the BurCell® System as a means to differentiate themselves, drive additional revenue, and offer an alternative to waste management. Then as the 5G and AI systems begin to come into the picture, those facilities who are BurCell® partners or BurCell® enabled will be in a position to capture new business and grow far faster than facilities who are reactionary or flat out ignore advances in technology.

It’s a brave new world for us all and BurCell® Technologies especially.

If you’re curious about who we are, what we do, and how you can use a BurCell® machine to resell municipal waste as a raw material rather than put it in a hole, let’s set up a time to talk and go over how we can partner to get your facility ready for the tech revolution and the new opportunities for profitability.


trash in the wilderness

Plastics and the Pandemic: How COVID-19 is Contributing to the Plastic Waste Problem

In the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, single-use plastics are our savior. They serve many purposes, from surgical masks and body bags to clam-shell containers and trash bags. But though these single-use plastics play a significant role in our health and safety, they’re steadily contributing to an ever-present epidemic: the world’s plastic problem. Below, we explore how our worsening pandemic situation contributes to our mountain of plastic and medical waste.

The Current State of Affairs

Some believe that COVID-19 is the beginning of our plastic problem, when, in fact, it’s only a recent contributor. The world has been drowning in plastic since the 1990s. It’s estimated that we’ve produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s, sifted out to be approximately 300 million tons of plastic waste every year. The problem is, 60 percent of that plastic ends up in a landfill.

Throughout the decades plastic waste production began to skyrocket, thanks to companies boosting single-use plastic production due to their cheapness. This changed how we use and dispose of plastic. Now, half of all plastic produced is designed to be used only once and thrown away (think water bottles, grocery bags, and shampoo bottles). A catalyst to our trash problem began in 2018 when China banned the import of 24 different kinds of waste materials, forcing many countries, including America, to rethink how we disposed of waste.

Yet despite our efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, much of our plastic never disappears. Most of it breaks down into smaller pieces, which are called microplastics. And these bits of plastic find their way back into the world; in the air, devoured by ocean life, and ultimately back onto our plates as food.

The Pandemic’s Assistance

In some ways, the pandemic has single-handedly been responsible for nature’s healing process. Emissions and greenhouse gases are fewer, water is less polluted and flowing clearer, and air quality is improving due to the stay-at-home orders. Because of the mandates and general fear of not being able to properly social distance, the number of cars on the road has reduced, and large factories have slowed down their production.

On the opposite end, the stay-at-home orders are partly responsible for increasing the world’s single-use plastic consumption. Thailand’s Environment Institute backs up this claim, citing the spike in-home deliveries of food as a big reason.

You see, to keep up with revenue despite mandated closures, restaurants began offering to-go options. And though the shift to take out only is convenient for many and provides some semblance of normalcy during the pandemic, it is also creating plastic waste through individually wrapped cutlery, clam-shell containers, cups, and plastic bags. Before the pandemic, many cities and states had begun to band single-use bags in favor of reusable and paper bags. Now, those initiatives have waned, as it’s believed the virus can cling to reusable bags and cups.

But perhaps the most significant contributor to the single-use plastic waste problem is the Personal Protective Equipment primarily worn by frontline health workers and the disposable masks and latex gloves worn by the public.

Enforced to only wear once and discard for our safety, the world takes this request literally; disposing of plastic wherever they can, resulting in masks and gloves piling up in front of hospitals, washing up on beaches, making their way into sewers, and getting left abandoned in the streets. According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), if even 1 percent of the masks we wear are improperly disposed of and dispersed in nature, this would result in 10 million masks per month ending up in the environment.

The way we dispose of our plastic and medical waste isn’t working, and in our efforts to rise out of the pandemic, we’re descending further into a waste epidemic.

In our efforts to rise out of the pandemic, we’re descending further into a plastic waste epidemic. Although there isn’t enough data to put a finite number on the plastic waste generated by the virus, early numbers give a snapshot of what we already fear. The South China Morning Post reported that at the height of Wuhan, China’s battle with the virus, they produced 240 tons of medical waste a day. For the U.S., it’s predicted that because of COVID-19, we could create a whole year’s worth of medical waste in two months.

The pandemic has affected our waste management efforts and, our recycling efforts are beginning to crash. With the virus raging on, even standard recycling protocol for items like water bottles and cardboard boxes have stalled, instead of sending them straight to the dump. Many recycling facilities no longer have the staff or the funds to continue, and the increase in the world’s waste production leaves them overwhelmed.

As the world continues to search for a vaccine and ways to adjust to a new normal, the government must devise a plan to guarantee waste management systems are supported. Single-use plastic proves to be an excellent short-term assistant to our needs during the COVID crisis, but if we’re not careful, it can have long-term, detrimental effects on our environment and the public’s health.

BurCell® Technologies: A Solution to the World’s Waste

The solution to waste management isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s one that requires many pieces to solve the problem. We at BurCell® Technologies believe that our proprietary BurCell® System is a solution to fighting the waste epidemic by offering a better waste management option. We put municipal waste to greater use, able to reuse as much as 75 percent of the material we process to create a highly digestible feedstock that can be used for biogas, nutrient-rich soil, and more.

Contact our team for more information about the BurCell® System and our company!