Taking out the trash—waste treatment technology sol...
GaiaRecycle™ Systems
California-based company, GaiaRecycle™, is well-established as a world leader within the organic waste recycling industry. The company has developed innovative technologies for transforming food scraps and other organic waste into high-quality soil amendments. Over 40 registered patents have been applied to the systems, which range in size, and are reported to reduce waste volume and weight by up to 90 percent. The systems speed up the organic decomposition process. Drying, sterilizing and grinding of materials can be completed within eight to eleven hours. The systems are used in both industrial and commercial applications, such as for large food manufacturers and producers, and livestock processing plants, across more than eight countries around the world.
“GaiaRecycle leverages proven technology, coupled with the latest clean technology and business innovations from Silicon Valley,” explains Young Song, CEO of GaiaRecycle, LLC. “Diversion of food scraps currently requires a lengthy process for developing local ecosystems to create a source-separated program, and an infrastructure for hauling and composting that requires many third-party dependencies. With GaiaRecycle systems, it provides a fast track for businesses to rapidly rollout an onsite organic recycling program, turn waste into valuable resources, and enhance corporate sustainability towards zero-waste without dependence on third-party operators.”
Green Mountain Technologies
Green Mountain Technologies has created a product line of composting systems, the newest and most advanced of which is the Earth Bin. This unique system is an extension of the Earth Tub, utilizing the same auger technology, with a much larger capacity and more automated controls, which are ideal features for use in large institutions, such as universities. Additionally, the unique, new system’s plug-flow technology significantly increases the amount of composting that can be done on a given footprint.
Vance Calvez, Manager of Sales & Customer Service at Green Mountain Technologies explains, “These systems help organizations reduce waste by allowing them to do on-site composting of their unused food scraps and unwanted landscape materials, such as leaves, cut grass or weeds. This substantially reduces their trash bill and helps reduce their carbon footprint. Plus, it keeps valuable nutrients in our soils, where they belong, and out of our landfills and waterways.”
The product has six installations so far and has been well received by customers. Calvez says, “The systems have been very successful. We have happy customers, and high-quality compost.”
GeoLogic GPS System
The GPS Landfill System, developed by GeoLogic, includes GCS:Density software, which measures compactor position as well as views compaction information. The leading-edge technology utilizes deflection information for calculating waste density. Plus, operators can view a map on the system-screen that measures surface deflection in real-time. The system also allows for information-sharing between compactors, in addition to progress-monitoring from the main office.
Considered to be one of the industry’s most accurate measurement tools, the device is best known for its ability to increase waste density. A customer of the company conducted an internal study, which indicated that the GeoLogic GPS Landfill System increased in-place waste density by seven to 14 percent. Lead Operator, Ed Worrell says,"On average, I would estimate we saw an increase of about 300 to 400 pounds per cubic yard since we began using the GeoLogic GPS.”
Molecular Waste Technologies Inc (MWT) Patented Microwave Technology
This patented process, by MWT, was created based on the use of microwaves, which have the unique ability to break down molecular bonds in hydrocarbon chains to basic carbon. Through the process, landfill components can be condensed into a light-oil, similar to diesel. The only items unable to be reduced through the process include glass and metals.
According to MWT, “The balance of the entire waste stream can be processed and reduced to carbon and oil.” The system has a modular design, which can be adapted to any size. “The technology was designed to accomplish two important goals. First, it had to be environmentally clean, with almost zero emissions; second, it had to reduce everything in the waste stream—Municipal Solid Waste, like tires and plastics—in short, all organics. The MWT Technology has accomplished both of these,” says MWT.
Celtic Cement Technology
This UK-based business has invented a way to repurpose materials that are generally discarded into landfills. Celtic Cement Technology has developed an innovative, environmentally-friendly process for converting landfill waste into cement replacements. The patented technology, which has been evolving over the last ten years, manufactures flexible, high-performance, sustainable cement substitute.
The company performs extensive testing and analysis to determine which industrial by-products can be used as cement alternatives, with the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and using minimal energy consumption. According to Celtic Cement, “In order to maximize the use of industrial by-products in cement and concrete, an understanding of all the characteristics of each raw material is required. It is essential that each material is tested in accordance with current standards to establish the short-, medium- and long-term effects in concrete structures.”
