WASTE PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY

burner - Waste Plastic Revolutionary Solution that works!

2011-01-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY Agriculture Department
http://plasticulture.psu.edu/
williambang77@gmail.com
Revolutionary solution for the disposal of waste plastics. Check out this video. Yes a patented, 3 independent studies look at solutions to your waste plastic problems. Keep them out of landfills.

Click on > burner Click On

Waste Plastic Burner 2010

2010-02-02T08:17:00.001-08:00

World's Cleanest Plastics Burn? Probably.

2010-02-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

NOW A REALITY! Unique Patented Burner.

2009-12-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

GR Technologies Co.Ltd.,
#201 Samsung Anytel Bldg, 837-17 Yeoksam-dong,
Kangnam-Gu,
Seoul,Korea. Tel : 82-2-3452-9159 Fax:82-2-3452-2029
wasteplastictechnology@hotmail.com williambang77@gmail.com

GR-TECH Boiler Statistics 1

2009-12-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

Below are some specifications for the PENN STATE Agricultural Program.

Preheat fuel: 1.5 liters (0.4 gal.) kerosene or fuel oil for 10-15 minutes.
Fuel: For 20 seconds after preheat, burner dual-fuels with kerosene and plastic, then plastic thereafter indefinitely.
Pellet types: Burns polyethylene (#2, #4) or polypropylene (#5). Note: Polystyrene (#6) & ABS pellets require a 50% barrel length increase, currently not available.
Plastic fuel feed rate range: 9-15 kg/hr. (20 - 33 lb/hr.)
Current plastic fuel feed rate: 13 kg/hr. (29 lb/hr.)
Dioxin (PCDD/F) emissions: 0.119 ng-TEQ/sm3 @ 12% O2 as confirmed by Korea Testing Laboratory (Note: US EPA allows 5.0 ng-TEQ/sm3)
Boiler type: Circulating hot water
Rated capacity: 100,000 kcal/hr.(396,850 Btu/hr.) on 9 kg/hr.(19.8 lb/hr.) with 11,500 kcal/kg (20,686 Btu/lb) plastic fuel pellets
Thermal efficiency: 75%. At 150 oF water, thermal efficiency goes to 89%
Combustion chamber operating temperature: 900-1100 oC (1652-2012 oF)
Boiler cut-in temperature: 60 oC (140 oF)
Boiler cut-out temperature: 80 oC (176 oF)
Boiler heating cycle: 5 hrs. comprised of 2 hrs. burning & 3 hrs. circulating
Boiler heating rate: 1 ton water requires 45 minutes heating time (entire heating system will hold 3 tons water with 2 hours heating time)
Power needs: 4 kW@ 110 vac with 208 vac for vacuum fuel supply
Future boiler sized for Plastofuel: 2,000,000 kcal / hr. (7,937,000 Btu / hr.)

Avg flue gas temp.: 151 C
Avg flue gas flow rate: 5.1 m/sec

GR-Tech Burner Statistics 2

2009-12-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

Energy Recovery from Waste Plastics
Horticulture Research Farm Field Day Notes
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY - AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Program.
JWG 8/04

1. Plastic-derived fuel (PDF)

Cost to produce pellets: $0.08–0.11/lb.or $160-220/ton ($0.18-0.24/kg)

Cost to purchase pellets: $0.14-0.16/lb.or $280-320/ton ($0.30-0.35/kg)

Rule of thumb:
Plastic densification costs 2X cost to landfill.

2. The Boiler

Manufacturer: GR Technologies Company, Ltd., Seoul, Korea
Boiler type: Circulating hot water (not steam)
Dioxin (PCDD/F) emissions: 0.119 ng-TEQ/sm3 @ 12% O2 (US EPA allows 5.0 ng-TEQ/sm3) as confirmed by Korea Testing Laboratory
Projected unit cost: $17,000
Preheat: 1.5 liters/ 10 minutes with kerosene or diesel fuel for 15 minutes. Kerosene + plastic runs+ for 20 seconds together, then totally plastic thereafter.
Combustion chamber: Burns PE or PP; PS & ABS require 50% barrel length increase
Rated capacity: 100,000 kcal/hr.(396,850 Btu/hr.) on 9 kg/hr.(19.8 lb/hr.) with 11,500kcal/kg (20,686 Btu/lb) plastic fuel pellets
Plastic fuel feed rate range: 9-15kg/hr.
Current plastic fuel feed rate: 13 kg/hr. (28.6 lb/hr.)
Thermal efficiency: 75%; at 150oF water, thermal efficiency goes to 89%
Combustion chamber: 900-1100oC (1652-2012oF)
Boiler cut-in temperature: 60oC (140oF)
Boiler cut-out temperature: 80oC (176oF)
Boiler heating cycle: 5 hrs. comprised of 2 hrs. burning & 3 hrs. circulating
Boiler heating rate: 1 ton water requires 45 minutes heating time (entire heating system will hold 3 tons water with 2 hours heating time)
Power needs: 4 kW@ 110 vac with 208 vac for vacuum fuel supply
Future boiler: 2,000,000 kcal / hr. (7,937,000 Btu / hr.)
Korean contact: Mr. William Bang, GR Technologies Company, Ltd., 201, Samsung Anytel Building, 837-17 Yeoksam-dong, Kangnamgu, Seoul,135-937, Korea
[Ph: 82-2-3452-9159; Em:williambang77@gmail.com ]
U.S. Contact: Mr. James W.Garthe, Penn State Univ., Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, 246 Agricultural Engineering Building, University Park, PA 16802
[Ph: 814.865.7154; Em: jwg10@psu.edu]

Pacific Ocean Toilet! When will it stop?

2009-03-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Pacific Ocean. Plastic garbage so thick, so large an area. A dead zone, deadly, ominous, growing. Plastic makes up a huge percentage of the cess pool searing our precious oceans. This state size patch is located off Hawaii between North/South America and the beautiful tradewind Islands.

Out of site - Out of mind.

WASTE PLASTIC BURNER - WINS GOLD!

2008-12-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

BREAK THROUGH POWER - QUANTUM PHYSICS

2008-10-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

OF COURSE - This Blog is about Waste Plastic Technology!
The Blog is also about ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Here we begin to explore reuse of plastics for energy as well as point to theories and realities with respect to alternative thinking about energy itself. We will explore Quantum Physics in more depth down the road but will begin with an introduction -

What is Quantum Physics?

Quantum physics is a branch of science that deals with discrete, indivisible units of energy called quanta as described by the Quantum Theory. There are five main ideas represented in Quantum Theory:
Energy is not continuous, but comes in small but discrete units.
The elementary particles behave both like particles and like waves.
The movement of these particles is inherently random.
It is physically impossible to know both the position and the momentum of a particle at the same time. The more precisely one is known, the less precise the measurement of the other is.
The atomic world is nothing like the world we live in.

While at a glance this may seem like just another phantom theory, it contains numerous clues as to the fundamental nature of the universe and is more important than even relativity in the grand scheme of things (if any one thing at that level could be said to be more important then anything else). Furthermore, it describes the nature of the universe as being much different then the world we see. As Niels Bohr said, "Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it. Niels Bohr, who worked in Copenhagen when he presented what is now known as the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum theory, the particle is what you measure it to be. When it looks like a particle, it is a particle. When it looks like a wave, it is a wave. Furthermore, it is meaningless to ascribe any properties or even existence to anything that has not been measured. Bohr is basically saying that nothing is real unless it is observed.
(courtesy of Think Quest)

A lot more to come – BREAK THROUGH POWER by Jeanne Manning & Joel Garbon expresses Quantum Physics (the Quantum-Leap) where new energy inventions can and are transforming our world. Magnets are not to be discounted. It is our world and alternatives all need to be part of today's discussion regarding how our planet will evolve within it's current transition of traditional energy values. Stay tuned. Petroleum is with us and plastics too. There are solutions to landfill plastics. There are solutions to use petroleum wisely. Read on.

Alternative Fuel From Waste Plastic In India

2008-10-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Is this the answer? All over the world alternative fuel derived from waste plastic is high on the agenda of scientists and environmentalists looking to take plastic and insure it does not take up land fills or being dumped in the ocean or worse. IS THIS THE ANSWER?

Fuel from plastic waste Courtesy Shyam Pandharipande

"The magic wand to convert the world's most daunting environmental problem of plastic waste into its most precious commodity, fossil fuels including diesel and petrol, is being wielded by a low profile woman scientist in India's western state of Maharashtra. Alka Zadgaonkar, who lives and works as an applied chemistry professor in the central Indian town of Nagpur, began to work her magic almost two years ago.A zero-pollution industrial process to convert non-biodegradable - and mostly non-recyclable - plastic waste into liquid hydrocarbons is quietly underway in the Butibori industrial estate, 25 km from Alka's home in Nagpur, the absolute central point of the country.The Zadgaonkars' Unique Waste Plastic Management & Research Company plant devours a whole range of plastic waste -- from discarded carry bags to mineral water bottles and broken buckets to PVC pipes, polyethylene eriophthalate (PET) bottles, even ABS (acrylonitrile butadine sterine) plastic material used in the making of computer monitors and TV sets, keyboards et al -- and converts it 100 percent into liquid hydrocarbon fuels (85 percent) and gases (15 percent). The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has recommended use of the Zadgaonkar liquid fuels in running agriculture pumps and boilers, as marine fuel and input feed for petro refineries, and the gaseous fuels as an in-house and industrial substitute for LPG. The world's first and so far the only continuous process industrial plant in Butibori has caught the eye of the scientific community and begun to beckon entrepreneurs to approach its close-fisted promoter with buy-up or tie-up offers. While this happens, the inventor continues to go about her modest Indian urban middle-class routine of cooking food for her family every morning and evening and teaching at the Raisoni Engineering College during the day."Invention of the process was the greatest reward of my life; why should I change my lifestyle?" asks Professor Alka Zadgaonkar, who is in her 40s, while serving her in-laws a meal.Husband Umesh offers the next bit of information - Alka is now concentrating on a method of producing solid fuel (similar to coal) from biodegradable solid waste in 24 hours flat. But the world might have to wait a while for the next revolution to happen. What's in the immediate offing at the plant is the upscaling of its production capacity from 10,000 to 25,000 litres of liquid hydrocarbons per day and addition of a unit to convert the 15 percent gaseous output into electricity.Though the small scale industrial unit has an installed capacity to consume only 25 metric tonnes (MT) of plastic waste - present consumption is 10 MT a day - that would still leave more than 50 MT of the non-biodegradable hazard to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to dispose of. Clearly, the proven industrial process if replicated on a macro scale holds great promise for the country and the world at large. India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimates municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in the country to increase from the present 130,000 MT per day to a whopping 821,000 MT by 2047. The estimated requirement of land for its disposal would be 169.9 sq km by then, as against 20.2 sq km in 1997.The proportion of non-biodegradable plastic waste in the MSW, which increased from 0.69 percent in 1971-73 to 7 percent in 2003, is growing exponentially.The scenario in the most industrially developed countries is even more frightening. In Los Angeles, 90 percent of the underground space allocated for landfills has already been occupied. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency, UK, has found as much as 65 percent increase in the generation of waste plastic litter globally from 1997 to 2005. Given the limits of plastic recycling (output degrades after each cycle) coupled with the fact that incineration is highly expensive and can be hazardous, emitting toxic gases if not done properly, and in view of the future energy crunch, Alka decided to try for herself what several polymer scientists in the world are already experimenting with - conversion of plastic to hydrocarbon fuels. Setting up an apparatus consisting of a cylindrical stainless steel vessel, a condensing system, a receiving flask and an outlet vent apart from a pressure gauge and a timer, Alka started experimenting with the idea way back in 1995 and saw the first signs of success only after four years of nerve-wracking perseverance. The method comprised regulated anaerobic heating of a mixture of plastic waste (90 percent) and coal (10 percent) in the presence of a catalyst. With word spreading across an incredulous scientific community, Alka began to receive invitations to attend seminars and give presentations. India's scientist President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, hearing about the encomiums showered on the inventor at a national seminar invited her to a conference in 2003. He then pushed the Department of Science of Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to verify Alka's claims. Top scientists of the IOC's R&D wing had her conversion process test-demonstrated repeatedly under different conditions before handing down a favourable certification. But what had already clinched the issue in favour of the Indian scientist was a positive search report and subsequent publication of her patent application by the Geneva based World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The prestigious John Willey Publications, UK, devoted one whole chapter to her invention in their latest World Polymer Series, which is considered as the highest mark of authenticity. The only scientist from India to attend the Global Plastic Environmental Conference (GPEC) - 2004 at Detroit, US, on a special invitation, Alka has been approached by the Japanese oil giant Izemitsu, the US Applied Science Inc. and Germany's Marlos Thormann Energy Solutions with tie-up offers. However, Alka and her husband are keen to keep commercial interests within India and retain control over the industrial application of her invention. Back home, industrial giant Reliance Industries has shown interest and sent two senior officers to Butibori. Discussions for a large scale plant with global engineering consultants Mott- Macdonald and Dalal Engineering Consultants are on as well.Zadgaonkar's Unique Waste Plastic Management & Research Company is running on a liberal loan from the state-run State Bank of India. "We receive an uninterrupted supply of raw material and sell the fuel in bulk to an agent who supplies it to small industrial units in the region," says Umesh Zadgaonkar. Citing statistics of crude oil consumption of 115 million MT per annum in India, 80 percent of which has to be imported at the rate of $60 per barrel and pointing out that one litre of crude oil yields only 600 ml of hydrocarbon fuel, Umesh says plastic waste converted into liquid hydrocarbons in his plant without emitting any pollutants would be a cheaper partial substitute. It would also take care of hazardous plastic waste. Coupled with the bio-diesel revolution, the plastic-waste-to-fuel process can prove to be a double-boon for humanity."

POWER AND FUEL FROM DIRTY PLASTICS

2008-10-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Power and Fuel From Plastic Wastes
In Pennsylvania, the department of environmental protection doesn’t regulate emissions from combustion units with a heat-input rating less than 2.5 million British thermal units an hour (MMBtu/hr) and, therefore, units sized less than 2.5 MMBtu/hr require no permits to begin burning, or gasifying, waste plastics. Eco-Clean Burners and Shea are finishing installation of an 800,000-Btu/hr plastic-burner unit at a greenhouse called Iannetti’s Garden Centre in Burgettstown, Pa. “Here at Iannetti’s is the first place we’ve installed one of these burners,” Shea says. “We haven’t actually run it yet. We’ve been installing it all summer and now we’re waiting for some cold weather to try it out and do some heating. By next spring we should be able to tabulate the numbers and see how effective it will actually be.”

He says the system is designed to gasify 30 to 33 pounds an hour of granulated waste plastic. Catalytic Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics While interest in combusting and gasifying plastic appears to be growing, there is another route to making practical use of all the waste plastics modern society produces. Through what it calls catalytic pyrolysis, Polymer Energy LLC, a division of Northern Technologies International Corp., has developed a system to convert waste plastics into liquid hydrocarbons, coke and gas, which can then be used as boiler fuel for power generation. “The technology uses lower temperatures than gasification—significantly lower—so it’s more energy efficient to produce,” says Kathy Radosevich, business development manager with Polymer Energy. Through “random depolymerization,” or selective breaking of carbon-to-carbon bonds, in addition to feeding in proprietary catalytic additives, the reactor melts and vaporizes waste plastic in one step at temperatures between 840 and 1,020 degrees F.

The company reports that, on average, 78 percent of every pound of plastic fed into the Polymer Energy system is converted to liquid hydrocarbons, coke and gas. The resultant coke can be further processed to produce additional fuel oil.

Polymer Energy’s catalytic pyrolysis system processes polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene with up to 5 percent other plastic materials, plus up to 25 percent additional nonplastic waste, such as paper, glass, sand and water—making it ideal for processing municipal wastes. Radosevich says the company has already sold nearly 20 of these systems in Europe, India and Thailand.

“The interest in the United States and Canada is huge but I expect that we won’t be marketing units in North America until next year some time,” she tells Biomass Magazine. Hitherto the markets for these units outside North America have been “more conducive” mainly because higher fuel prices in places such as Europe and India have increased the desire for such alternative-fuel production units. “In the United States I’m doing preliminary testing for EPA approval, although I don’t anticipate we’ll have any problems … The only item that would be of interest to EPA that I can think of would be any type of contaminants in the ash.”

According to Polymer Energy, the output oil contains no chlorine, sulphur, nitrogen or heavy metals. Any of that material would remain in the ash, which Radosevich says would differ on an individual usage basis depending on the average makeup of the plastic-waste feedstock. “What we would do is sample the input plastic and the [post-processed] ash, and cross-check that with local requirements the community has for permit approvals,” she says. Clearly there is growing interest in doing something different with waste plastic than dumping it in landfills or the oceans.

The global community must force itself to change its present path and become truly concerned about the environment in which its descendents will be raised, for what people do today affects everyone tomorrow. Ron Kotrba is a Biomass Magazine senior writer. Reach him at rkotrba@bbiinternational.com or (701) 738-4942.

PLASTICS - LOVE THEM AND NEED THEM?

2008-10-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Probably so. Plastics are indeed an integrated part of our civilization. A recent CNN report points to these points of reference. Plastics. Love them or hate them we need them. What to do with them - Use them again as an alternative fuel. Environmentalists & Politicians are not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to the potential utilizing waste plastic as a fuel source is safe, energy efficient, and there is enough material to offer up an alternative fuel source. Plastic can be burned with less emissions than Natural Gas. Proven independent tests point to the myth that plastic burning is harmful. Wrong.

READ ON.... Do we need a solution? YES. Is there one? YES.
CNN Report:
"One of the most useful, durable and ubiquitous materials known to man, it permeates every sphere of human life. It protects and stores our food; it transports o ur goods; we brush our teeth with it; we can find it in our refrigerators, cars, computers and mobile phones; we can thank it for our shower curtains, our plumbing and the flooring we walk on.
In short, it's everywhere, sustaining our way of life to the extent that we struggle to imagine life without it.
We now consume around 100 million tons of plastic annually, compared to five million tons in the 1950s when American housewives were just discovering the wonders of Tupperware. To put that into perspective, one ton of plastic represents around 20,000 two-liter bottles of water or 120,000 carrier bags, according to the British Web site Waste Online.
The estimates of how many plastic bags used annually vary wildly from 500 billion to anywhere up to 1 trillion. Even taking the more conservative estimate of 500 billion still roughly translates as 1 million every minute, according to Reusablebags.com. As for plastic bottles, Earth Policy Institute estimates that in 2004 the global consumption of bottled water alone was 154 billion liters.
According to Fast Company, in any given week in the United States, 1 billion bottles of water are being moved around the country, with Americans consuming 50 billion bottles each year. Of that, a whopping 38 billion of them are being sent to landfills, while on a daily basis 60 million just get chucked away."

AMERICA DISCOVERS NEW FUEL BURNER

2008-10-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Absolutely. Now! commercially available in USA. A Fuel Supply and Fuel Combustion System Now available in Pennsylvania

A novel high-temperature, plastic-fueled burner was invented in Seoul, Korea, in 1999by GR Technologies Company, Ltd. A subsidiary of GR Technologies called Eco-Clean Burners, LLC, was formed in spring 2008 in the Greater Allegheny region to market this combustion system across the United States.

Eco-Clean Burners will begin leasing units to select customers in autumn 2008. The first installation of an Eco-Clean unit is near completion at Iannetti’s Garden Center in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania.

The 800,000-Btu/hr unit is designed to heat two production greenhouses. The garden center has been a supporter of this plastic-derived fuel technology for several years and will serve as a demonstration
site.

Besides recovering energy via high-temperature combustion, providing an ample supply of plastic fuel for this venture has led to the creation of Atlas Certified Fuels, L3C. Atlas will supply plastic fuel for those customers who have leased combustion systems from Eco-Clean Burners. Atlas Certified Fuels ensures that all plastic fuels will meet rigid quality standards, thus guaranteeing the highest operating efficiency with minimal air emissions from the Eco-Clean hot-water heating systems.

Incidentally,Atlas Certified Fuels will create approximately fifteen new jobs as part of its social mission to employ disadvantaged individuals from

America does indeed discover a eco-friendly way to terminate landfill plastics to create a viable new alternative energy with GR-Tech Waste Plastic Burner.

BURN DIRTY PLASTIC SAFELY! IT'S TRUE!

2008-10-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

Alternative energy? Burn dirty waste plastic efficiently, safely, cost effective, and reduce heat and power costs. Reduces landfill and ocean dumping. IT'S TRUE. Here is the solution! IT'S TRUE. It is unique, patented, and commerically operating. Check it out. Plastic Waste is ALL our concern. Environmentalists paint an ugly picture of plastic destruction yet our civilization is plastic dependent. Use it wisely.

USING DIRTY PLASTIC AS A FUEL SOURCE!

2008-10-15T03:22:00.000-07:00

Many may not realize that throwing away 'PLASTIC' is throwing away a ready fuel source. Plastic is primarily petroleum and burns with high efficiency. WASTE PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY has patented a unique burner that recovers fuel from dirty waste plastics. The Greenhouse Industry in Korean is commercially utilizing the unit and one farmer alone has suggested he is saving $6 Thousand a month in fuel costs. Korea has no natural resources but plenty of plastic. Accordingly the revolutionary burner is finding high interest as an alternative fuel generator. USA has been quick to see the potential and PENN STATE University has been an active research partner with respect to the creation of PLASTOFUEL an easy handling fuel nugget made from various dirty plastics. All be it a hot technology and useful in it's purpose, Countries like Canada have been caught up in the burning of wood waste as a fuel source. A poor substitute (low efficiency BTU) for alternative energy and indeed some say dangerous to the environment by removing naturally bio-degradable vegetation from the forests. Over time this removal of waste woods will harm the forest value scientists are saying. The jury is out accordingly. Waste Plastic is a menace worldwide, including Canada, and the GR Technologies Burner will find acceptance where alternative resources are scarce and particularily where landfill issues are paramount. The reduction of plastics from landfills may be the most likely motivator to adopt a clean burning plastic burner that in turn offers up both usable, cheap heat and power.

THE PLASTIC KILLING FIELDS

2008-01-03T03:53:00.000-08:00

The plastic killing fields
Where do you think dirty waste plastics go?
Continents of garbage in the oceans are killing marine life and releasing poisons that enter the human food chain, Amanda Woodsreports. MSN 2007 year end article to note SO WE SHOULD CARE? When?
In one of the few places on Earth where people can rarely be found, the human race has well and truly made its mark. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lies a floating garbage patch twice the size of Britain. A place where the water is filled with six times as much plastic as plankton. This plastic-plankton soup is entering the food chain and heading for your dinner table.
For hundreds of years, sailors and fisherman have known to avoid the area between the Equator and 50 degrees north latitude about halfway between California and Hawaii. As one of the ocean's deserts, the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre lacks the wind that sailors need to survive, as well as the nutrients to support large fish or the men who hunt them.
But 10 years ago, Captain Charles Moore took a short cut through the airless doldrums in his catamaran, Alguita, and caught sight of something that changed his life. As he looked out at what should have been a clear blue ocean, Moore saw a sea of plastic. As far as he could see, day after day, were bottles, wrappers and fragments of plastic in every colour.
Historically, the ocean's circular currents have led to accumulation of flotsam and jetsam in the subtropical high, where the waste has biodegraded with the help of marine micro-organisms. But since humans developed a material designed for durability, which can survive exposure to any bacteria, the gyre has been filling with a substance it can't get rid of. Rather than biodegrading, plastic photodegrades, breaking down in the sunlight into smaller and smaller pieces. But no matter how small it gets, it's still plastic, and causes havoc when it enters the stomachs of marine life.
Ian Kiernan, the Australian who founded Clean Up the World, started his environmental campaign 20 years ago after he became appalled by the amount of rubbish he saw on an around-the-world solo yacht race. He'll never forget the first time he saw the gyre.
"It was just filled with things like furniture, fridges, plastic containers, cigarette lighters, plastic bottles, light globes, televisions and fishing nets," Kiernan says.
"It's all so durable it floats. It's just a major problem."
He picks up an ashtray filled with worn-down coloured pieces of plastic. "This is the contents of a fleshy-footed shearwater's stomach," he says. "They go to the ocean to fish but there ain't no fish - there's plastic. They then regurgitate it down the necks of their fledglings and it kills them. After the birds decompose, the plastic gets washed back into the ocean where it can kill again. It's a form of ghost fishing, where it goes on and on."

OUT OF SITE. CRUISE SHIP TRASH DUMPING!

2007-07-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Cruising into trouble
The number of people who go on a cruise each year more than trebled – from 1.4 to 4.5 million – between 1980 and 1993. The largest cruise ship built so far, the Carnival Destiny, carries 3,400 passengers and 1,040 crew, and is taller than the Statue of Liberty and longer than three football fields.
Cruise ships, on average generate about 4,400 kg of waste a day, compared to the 60 kg a day produced by cargo ships and 10 kg a day by fishing vessels.
About a third of the waste from cruise ships visiting the Caribbean is deliberately dumped, because many ships do not have incineration units (or they are faulty) or because ports do not have adequate facilities for unloading it.
Indeed, even when the waste is properly received by ports, this is often only the beginning of the problem: many countries, particularly small islands, do not have enough disposal sites to deal with it. So says the UNEP. Well. One can expect Cruise Ships to challenge the comments however perhaps there is no contest on this. Fact is TRASH is dumped in the Ocean by somebody! Let's find the way to reuse this product as a fuel source. Waste Plastic Technology has the solution.

WHAT TO DO WITH WASTE PLASTICS!

2007-01-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

Plastic waste now represents 11.1% of all municipal solid waste generated each year in the US (2001 US EPA Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste). This amounts to over 50 billion pounds of which only 5.5% was recovered in 2001, while the overall recovery rate for MSW for the year was over 29%. This number does not include the majority of post-industrial plastic waste, which is accounted for separately. Most of it goes to landfill, as its economic use is hindered by two integrated factors. First, plastic waste is comprised of a large number of different resins, and each type has had to be handled separately or sorted until now.

What to do with these waste plastics? Well GR - Technologies solution converting plastics to alternative energy is commercially operative in Korea. Reduce the landfills, stop the some 46,000 pieces of plastic for every square mile of ocean floating aimlessly and effectingly finding it's way into the food chain. The burner can cleanly, efficiently, and economically convert this massive environmental challenge into an alternative energy supplimenting current choices.

The biggest threat is not war or dwindling supplies of fresh water, petroleum, or food. It is the gigantic wave of marine litter created by so-called modern man. And the future does not look good.We dump 7 million tons of litter into the oceans every year. A majority of this litter is thrown overboard from ships. Plastics represent 75 percent of the litter. It is also the worst type of litter.

SPREAD THE WORD - NOT THE PLASTIC!

2006-12-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

WASTE PLASTIC AS
AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY?

ABSOLUTELY.

- SPREAD THE WORD- NOT THE PLASTIC!

PENN STATE Agricultural August Fair - See you there!

2006-07-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

Many visitors to Penn State's Ag Progress Days rely on its research tours to get a convenient overview of the university's latest scientific innovations -- and riding always beats walking at the 1,500-acre Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center. So planners are making it easier than ever to take the free bus tours during this year's event, set for Aug. 15-17 at Rock Springs.
ENERGY FROM AGRICULTURE FEATURED AT AG PROGRESS DAYS AUG. 15-17
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and a number of private businesses will team up to offer a glimpse at the future of green energy in the Keystone State at Ag Progress Days, Aug. 15-17.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvania's largest outdoor agricultural exposition, will return for its annual three-day run, Aug. 15-17. Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the event is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Pa. Route 45.

PLASTIC IS FINE - DISPOSAL SOLUTION EXISTS!

2006-07-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Today, every vital sector of the economy starting from agriculture to packaging, automobile, building construction, communication or info tech have been virtually revolutionized by the applications of plastics. Use of this non-biodegradable (according to recent studies, plastics can stay as long as 4500 years on earth) product is growing rapidly and the problem is that what to do with plastic-waste. If a ban is put on the use of plastics on emotional grounds, the real cost would be much higher, the inconvenience much more, the chances of damage or contamination much greater, the risks to the family health and safety would increase and, above all the environmental burden would be manifold. Hence the question is not ‘Plastics vs No Plastics’ but it is more concerned with the judicious use and re-use of plastic-waste.

WASTE PLASTIC A VIABLE ALTERATIVE ENERGY

2006-07-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Plasticulture 2006
Thursday, November 2 through Sunday, November 5
San Antonio, Texas
The Congress will be held in conjuction with The Irrigation Association's 27th International Irrigation Show.
Photo - Is this the world's legacy? A land of plastic waste? Change it!

Great Britain Leading in Plastic Reduction?

2006-07-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Great Britain leading in Plastic Reduction? Perhaps and perhaps not however they have identified the enemy. View this report..

Each year about 550,000 tonnes of non-natural wastes are generated on farms in England, of which it is estimated that about 85,000 tonnes is waste plastic. Over 90% of holdings produce plastic waste, with packaging waste estimated to be about 21,000 tonnes each year and non-packaging plastic waste estimated at about 65,000 tonnes per year. This latter figure is bolstered by the high levels of contamination (soil and other debris) associated with silage wrap and horticultural films, as the following table highlights.

Non-Packaging Plastics
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland

UK Total (tonnes per year)
Silage film plastic
12,425
5,016
5,029
2,530
25,000

Silage film plastic + contamination
24.851
10,032
10,058
5,060
50,000

Greenhouse and tunnel film
468
10
12
11
500

Mulch film + crop cover
3,738
30
657
76
4,500

Mulch film, crop cover + contamination
18,689
148
3,238
380
22,500

Cores for silage wrap
703
339
327
138
1,506

Other horticultural plastics
5,617
114
143
127
6,000

Bale twine and net wrap
7,934
821
1,683
662
11,100

Tree guards
6,694
532
4,492
182
11,900

Total Non-Packaging Plastics
37,579
6,860
12,341
3,726
60,506

Total Non-Packaging Plastics (Inc. contamination)
64,956
11,994
19,997
6,559
103,506

Plastic Packaging (again in tonnes)

Agrochemical packaging
1,720
30
276
374
2,400

Fertiliser bags
8,748
984
1,654
815
12,200

Seed bags
840
15
134
12
1,000

Animal feed bags
6,419
1,283
2,019
1,680
11,400

Animal health packaging
444
105
124
76
750

Oil containers
501
47
84
38
669

Miscellaneous packaging
2,063
331
1,166
240
3,800

Total plastic packaging
20,734
2,794
5,457
3,235
32,219

TOTAL PLASTIC WASTE 135,725
Source of information: Environment Agency's Agricultural Waste Survey 2003
The Government has introduced new regulations to apply waste management controls to agricultural waste for the first time that will affect about 137,000 farms in England and Wales from 15 May 2006. Prior to this, much of the non-natural waste arising on farms was either buried or burned in an uncontrolled manner.

Farmers and growers have identified plastic waste as a priority waste stream for which least-cost disposal and recovery options are needed. Plastic wastes arising on farms can be bulky and dirty, making management difficult. Waste facilities in rural areas are often lacking and consequently transport of wastes off-farm can be costly.

The Challenge of recovering Agricultural Waste Plastic

Agricultural plastic packaging represents approximately 1.5% of the overall volume of plastic packaging in the waste stream in England. Furthermore, there are over 120,000 farm holdings producing approximately 21,000 tonnes of plastic packaging and 65,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic. Of this non-packaging plastic, over 40% is contaminant. The average quantity of plastic generated per holding (without contaminant) is approximately 0.5 tonnes per annum.
As a comparison, the average recycling bank for plastic bottles collects 0.2 tonnes of plastic per week, with associated collection costs of £150 per tonne. This puts in context the challenge of developing an economic and environmentally sustainable method of collecting agricultural plastic.

The Agricultural Waste Plastics Collection and Recovery Programme is a positive move to help tackle these issues, with the provision of good practice guidance and key contacts for both farmers and collection companies alike.

'Impossible' for Canada to reach Kyoto targets!

2006-04-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

'Impossible' for Canada to reach Kyoto targets:
Ambrose Last Updated Fri, 07 Apr 2006 18:17:49 EDT
CBC News
Canada has no chance of meeting its targets under the Kyoto accord and must set more realistic goals for cutting greenhouse gases, the federal environment minister says.
INDEPTH: Kyoto
"My departmental officials and the department officials from natural resources have indicated that it is impossible, impossible for Canada to reach its Kyoto targets," Rona Ambrose said Friday.
"And let me be clear. I have been engaging with our international counterparts over the past month, and we are not the only country that is finding itself in this situation."
The international agreement requires Canada to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012 . But since 1990, emissions have gone up, with the latest figures showing an increase of almost 30 per cent.
Ambrose said the government might consider setting new targets.
"We have to work with all of our industry sectors that are obviously the causes of emissions and pollution on ways to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases and they're willing, they're very willing to work with the government. So that's our next step."
Countries that fail to meet their emissions targets by the end of the first commitment period (2012) must make up the difference plus a penalty of 30 per cent in the second commitment period.

Waste Plastic Technology solutions from GR-Technologies, Korea, can ideally be a part of reducing Global concerns with respect to global warming. The unrecycled dirty plastic from Agriculture and Industrial sources are reusable being converted to clean, economical Heat & Power. Independent Tests show amazing results. Not only safe emissions, but a contributor to the electricity grid, and a method of reducing world landfills. Even with plastics that recycle, such items as plastic water bottles are a menace. Less than 11% are actually recovered.

GREENHOUSE HEATING AND POWER UPDATE

2006-04-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

Update on Waste Plastics
by Penn State Ag Engineer Jim Garthe
appears in Vegetable and Small Fruit Gazette (Mar. ’06).

Garthe reports on efforts to get a Korean company, GR Technologies, to build a factory in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to manufacture plastic-fueled burners to heat greenhouses and other agricultural structures. “In the foreseeable future,” Garthe writes, “businesses will evolve to accept and densify your waste plastics into fuel. With the GR Technologies burner, you will then be able to cleanly burn these wastes to heat greenhouses or other structures. "

http://garden.cas.psu.edu/vegcrops/newsletterlist.html other sites to peruse http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/furnace.htm
and http://www.americanplasticscouncil.com/s_apc/index.asp and http://www.plasticulture.org/index.shtml Opportunities for GR-Technologies Plastic Burner Technology and the Agricultural use and disposal of plastics.

Mark Your Calendars
Plasticulture 2006
Thursday, November 2 through Sunday, November 5
San Antonio, Texas
The Congress will be held in conjuction with
The Irrigation Association's 27th International Irrigation Show.

ALTERNATIVE POWER "NOW"

2006-03-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO REDUCE OCEAN DAMAGE

2006-02-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Oceans may soon be more corrosive than when the dinosaurs died

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Monday, February 20, 2006Source: Stanford University
Increased carbon dioxide emissions are rapidly making the world's oceans more acidic and, if unabated, could cause a mass extinction of marine life similar to one that occurred 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs disappeared. Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology will present this research at the AGU/ASLO Ocean Sciences meeting in Honolulu, HI on Monday, Feb 20.

Caldeira's computer models have predicted that the oceans will become far more acidic within the next century. Now, he has compared this data with ocean chemistry evidence from the fossil record, and has found some startling similarities. The new finding offers a glimpse of what the future might hold for ocean life if society does not drastically curb carbon dioxide emissions.
"The geologic record tells us the chemical effects of ocean acidification would last tens of thousands of years," Caldeira said. "But biological recovery could take millions of years. Ocean acidification has the potential to cause extinction of many marine species."

When carbon dioxide from the burning of coal, oil, and gas dissolves in the ocean, some of it becomes carbonic acid. Over time, accumulation of this carbonic acid makes ocean water more acidic. When carbonic acid input is modest, sediments from the ocean floor can buffer the increases in acidity. But at the current rate of input--nearly 50 times the natural background from volcanoes and other sources--this buffering mechanism is overwhelmed. Previous estimates suggest that in less than 100 years, the pH of the oceans could drop by as much as half a unit from its natural value of 8.2 to about 7.7. (On the pH scale, lower numbers are more acidic and higher numbers are more basic.)

This drop in ocean pH would be especially damaging to marine animals such as corals that use calcium carbonate to make their shells. Under normal conditions the ocean is supersaturated with this mineral, making it easy for such creatures to grow. However, a more acidic ocean would more easily dissolve calcium carbonate, putting these species at particular risk.

The last time the oceans endured such a drastic change in chemistry was 65 million years ago, at about the same time the dinosaurs went extinct. Though researchers do not yet know exactly what caused this ancient acidification, it was directly related to the cataclysm that wiped out the giant beasts. The pattern of extinction in the ocean is consistent with ocean acidification--the fossil record reveals a precipitous drop in the number of species with calcium carbonate shells that live in the upper ocean--especially corals and plankton. During the same period, species with shells made from resistant silicate minerals were more likely to survive.

The world's oceans came close to an acidic catastrophe one other time about 55 million years ago, when the temperature of the Earth spiked and large amounts of methane and/or carbon dioxide flooded the atmosphere. There is no evidence, however, that this caused a mass extinction event.

"Ultimately, if we are not careful, our energy system could make the oceans corrosive to coral reefs and many other marine organisms," Caldeira cautions. "These results should help motivate the search for new energy sources, such as wind and solar, that can fuel economic growth without releasing dangerous carbon dioxide into the environment."

DID YOU KNOW - In parts of the Pacific Ocean improperly disposed elements of plastic in the form of molecular particles exceed plankton by some 6 X's ? Did you know improperly disposed elements of plastic in molecular particles are NOW in our food chain from ocean food sources in the North Atlantic? Technology is now available to counter this growing challenge.

CANADA AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE FEB/06

2006-02-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

February 16.18, 2006
Together with the
Pacific Agriculture Show
at TRADEX
Abbotsford Airport (Exit 83 South of Hwy#1)
LOWER MAINLAND HORTICULTURAL
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
48th Annual
Horticulture
Growers.
Short
Course

F R I D A Y M O R N I N G , F E B R U A R Y 17, 2 0 0 6 Evergro Room

Recycling Agricultural Waste
Plastic
Chair: David Woodske, BCMAL, Abbotsford
9:00-9:10
Introduction
David Woodske, BCMAL, Abbotsford

F R I D A Y A F T E R N O O N, F E B R U A R Y 17, 2 0 0 6

Ways to Reduce Waste Plastic
Chair: David Woodske, BCMAL, Abbotsford

1:50 PM
Plastic Pellet Greenhouse Heating System
William Bang, GR-Technologies, Seoul, Korea
Discusses a Korean boiler system designed to
burn waste plastic pellets (Plastofuel). The boiler is
presently being researched at Penn State University.
A focus of the research is on the type and
level of emissions.

Program
For further information
phone: 604-556-3001 or 604-857-0318
or fax: 604-556-3030
or: http://www.agricultureshow.net/

Western Canada Agricultural Stakeholders will have an opportunity to discuss with Mr. William Bang Inventor & Founder of the revolutionary Waste Plastic Burner. Look forward to meeting you.

AIR EMISSIONS SUMMARY for PLASTIC BURNER

2006-02-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Air Emissions Overview
for
GR Technologies Company, Ltd. 100,000 kcal / hr. Plastic-Derived Fuel Burner
Summary by
James W. Garthe, PE
The Pennsylvania State University
246 Agricultural Engineering Building
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 USA
September 26, 2005

"Stack testing conforming to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards were conducted by an independent U.S. testing company in May 2005, comparing the LDPE (#4) Korean pellets with granulated HDPE (#2) discarded barrels. Three main groups of pollutants were analyzed:
• gases (sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide)
• particulate matter
• dioxins/furans
Test results proved that this is an extremely clean burning system in all three groups. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reviewed the results, noting that combustion units with a heat input rating of 2.5 million Btu / hr. or less are exempt from the plan approval and operating permit requirements. This means the burner and associated boiler can be marketed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now and without restraint.
However, sites will still have to comply with the DEP opacity regulation, Section 123.41. According to the DEP standard, opacity, or visible air contaminants, cannot be equal or greater than 20 percent for a period or periods aggregating more than 3 minutes in any 1 hour, or greater than 60 percent at any time. For this extremely clean burning system, the opacity regulation testing will most likely not be an issue, hopefully merely a formality."

For those wishing to have the complete TEST REPORT and the KOREAN Indpendent test done earlier eMail leaving your name, company, institution, phone number where to be reached.
wasteplastictechnology@hotmail.com

GREEN HOUSE WASTE PLASTICS - NOW FUEL!

2005-10-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

WASTE PLASTICS CONVERTING TO ENERGY!

2005-10-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

PLASTIC WASTE BURNER - ON SHOW!

2005-10-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

SOLUTION TO DIRTY WASTE PLASTIC DISPOSAL

2005-10-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

* BREAKING NEWS! - TEST RESULTS OVERVIEW

2005-09-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

First statements with respect to recent full test assessment of emissions and particulates of the GR-Technologies unique patented burner using the PENN STATE PLASTOFUEL generated from AGRI-Plastic waste.

"Air Emissions Overview
for
GR Technologies Company, Ltd. 100,000 kcal / hr. Plastic-Derived Fuel Burner
Summary by
James W. Garthe, PE
The Pennsylvania State University
246 Agricultural Engineering Building
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 USA
September 26, 2005

Stack testing conforming to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards were conducted by an independent U.S. testing company in May 2005, comparing the LDPE (#4) Korean pellets with granulated HDPE (#2) discarded barrels. Three main groups of pollutants were analyzed:
• gases (sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide)
• particulate matter
• dioxins/furans
Test results proved that this is an extremely clean burning system in all three groups. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reviewed the results, noting that combustion units with a heat input rating of 2.5 million Btu / hr. or less are exempt from the plan approval and operating permit requirements. This means the burner and associated boiler can be marketed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now However, sites will still have to comply with the DEP opacity regulation, Section 123.41. According to the DEP standard, opacity, or visible air contaminants, cannot be equal or greater than 20 percent for a period or periods aggregating more than 3 minutes in any 1 hour, or greater than 60 percent at any time. For this extremely clean burning system, the opacity regulation testing will most likely not be an issue, hopefully merely a formality. It is expected that FULL test results will be available soon and that both the burner and the pelletized fuel from dirty waste AGRI-waste plastics will be positive. As noted the burner is NOW commerically acceptable and will soon find wide distribution for alternative energy needs in American GreenHouse applications.

KOREA - Energy Conservation EXPO 2005 NOW ON!

2005-09-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

KOREA - ENERGY CONSERVATION EXPO 2005:ENCONEX 2005
Korean Energy Show NOW ON! 09-27 to 09 -30 2005
GR-Technologies Waste Plastic Burner is highlited at this important EXPO.
The burner is commercially available now in Korea and is receiving much attention from the Agricultural Community. The Energy Conservation EXPO highlites the latest in new technologies all designed to help the environment worldwide.
See details of the SHOW at http://www.kemco.or.kr/energyexpo.

If you are in Korea or visiting in Korea it is a worthwhile effort to take in the Energy Expo.

2005-09-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Fuel Pellets from Waste Plastic

OHIO STATE FARM REVIEW Sept 20-22/05

2005-09-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

WASTE PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY will be there! GR-Technologies unique burner will be at the OHIO STATE FARM REVIEW Sept. 20 thru Sept. 22, 2005. Last minute arrangements have been made to have one of the burners at the Review giving attendee's the opportunity of seeing the unit in action. GR-Technologies will be using the PENN STATE UNIVERSITY Agricultural Sciences developed 'Plastofuel' Pellets and GR-Technologies will likely also use the original Korean pellets. Both types of fuel pellets are derived from dirty waste Agricultural and Farm plastics. This advanced technology can both reduce plastic waste as well as offer up alternative energy in heat and power to greenhouses and other applications as neccesary. Recent tests have shown the viability of this technology and the commerical and environmental value as well.

Information on the OHIO STATE FARM REVIEW can be located at
www.ohioagriculture.gov
http://www.fsr.osu.edu/

Both sites have great information on Agricultural Science and further details about the Fair and inclusions.

The Myth On Burning Plastics

2005-09-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

The article is of course a few years old and much has happened since to further put aside the "Myth" on burning plastics, the emissions, and toxin releases. GR-Technologies has further reduced such "Myth" with the unique patented burner that turns burning plastics (industrial and agricultural) into safe alternative energy. Primarily designed for the Agricultural business and the Green House Industry specifically the advent of the PENN STATE Plastofuel pellets and the Korean pellets from Agri-Waste Plastic proves that this form of disposal be seriously considered in reducing use of fossil fuel, filling of solid waste dumps or exporting to under developed countrys. The American Scientist article further expresses a serious look at the benefits attached to this form of Alternative Energy production.

July-August 1998 Issue of American Scientist
Is Combustion of Plastics Environmentally Desirable?
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – What should be done with the plastics in our garbage? This question mirrors in miniature the complex choices facing policy-makers about what to do with solid wastes in general. Plastic waste does not degrade in landfills, and under the best conditions, only about 50 percent of plastics are actually recycled.
The popular belief is that burning plastic produces too much in the way of toxic emissions to represent a worthwhile alternative. But in the July-August issue of American Scientist magazine, environmental researchers Bruce Piasecki, David Rainey and Kevin Fletcher say recent improvements in air-pollution control technology have made the burning of plastic waste very attractive as a clean, reliable, cost-effective source of energy.
Titled "Is Combustion of Plastics Desirable?," their article examines recent studies in the U.S. and Europe that answer leading environmental concerns about burning plastic waste to produce electricity, steam or heat.
Piasecki is director of the Program in Environmental Management and Policy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and author of a forthcoming textbook, Environmental Management and Business Strategy from John Wiley and Sons. Rainey is director of the Program in Environmental Management and Policy for RPI in Hartford, Conn. He is an editor for Corporate Environmental Strategy, published by Elsevier Science. Fletcher is a managing editor of Corporate Environmental Strategy and served as a coeditor of Piasecki's new textbook.
In 1993, plastics of various sorts accounted for approximately 9 percent (by weight) of all garbage, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that this number will rise to more than 10 percent by the year 2000. Right now, many people see recycling plastics as the best option. But the American Scientist authors say empirical evidence shows that average municipal recycling rates are only about 18 percent across America.
"People do not always participate in recycling programs, and market forces have not yet made plastics recycling attractive enough for the practice to become more widespread than it is," the authors note. "The same trends are seen in Europe, Asia and the nations of the former Soviet Union. Some rare exceptions have been observed in towns in Germany and Japan."
Municipal solid waste has an energy content that is recoverable, making it suitable and valuable for combustion. In fact, the authors say in their article, when garbage is burned in a waste-to-energy facility, there is rarely any need to add supplemental fuels to maintain combustion. Of all types of garbage, plastics release the most energy per unit of weight when burned.
"Compared with burning most carbon-based fuels, such as oil or coal, waste is a clean power source," according to the American Scientist authors. "A modern waste-to-energy facility generates less sulfur and nitrogen oxides – both precursors to acid rain – than do most existing coal- and oil-fired power plants. Even when compared with natural gas, energy from waste looks good, emitting fewer nitrogen oxides and only slightly more sulfur oxides."
Burning plastics is not emission free, and the two main areas of legitimate concern have been the release of chlorine and heavy metals into the environment. But studies in the U.S. and Europe indicate that recently developed air-pollution controls can make the combustion of plastics much less toxic than is popularly believed. That was the conclusion of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment after reviewing several studies, along with information from tests performed at waste-to-energy facilities in Westchester County, New York, and Marion County, Oregon.
"In spite of these significant findings," write Piasecki, Rainey and Fletcher, "the presumption that burning plastic releases toxic levels of dioxins and chlorines continues to inform many policy debates. One sees this popular misrepresentation of the issues in a host of public-interest campaigns to stop incineration as a policy option, as well as more focused, yet unscientific efforts to rid the world of chlorine."
They say the public should continue to ask pressing questions about the appropriateness and safety of waste-disposal options for plastics. Waste-to-energy and landfill operators should be held to a high standard. Noting that productive relations between citizens and industry can, and do, positively affect the performance of waste-management facilities, the American Scientist authors maintain that the need for sustained public scrutiny and review is clear. Just as performance standards have been aggressively improved in the combustion industry, plastics manufacturers and others are continuing to respond to public concerns by increasing their use of nontoxic additives.
"In the final analysis," the authors say, "communities and consumers will often need to make decisions in this age of environmentalism based on evidence that may seem incomplete – or even contradictory. But the evidence regarding plastics combustion in modern waste-to-energy plants is clear. Waste-to-energy should remain an acceptable, even desirable, option for managing plastic wastes."
American Scientist is an illustrated bimonthly magazine of science and technology published by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.

What the Press is saying!

2005-08-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

www.centredaily.com

Posted on Fri, Aug. 19, 2005

R E L A T E D C O N T E N T
Jason Malmont/ for the CDT
Matt Lawrence, a grad student for Penn State Agricultural and Biology Engineering, talks to Mike Todd, of Montgomery Pa., about the new heater that runs on used plastic and burns cleaner then natural gas on Wednesday afternoon at the Ag Progress Days.
Plastic waste a burning problem By Anne Danahy adanahy@centredaily.com

ROCK SPRINGS -- Plastics.
That was the word uttered to the Dustin Hoffman character in the 1967 film "The Graduate" by a party guest who promised there was "a great future in plastics."
Farmers have found plastics, too -- for plant pots, greenhouses and mulches. But "plasticulture" has produced a problem of its own: what to do with all the plastic once farmers are finished with it.
James Garthe, an agricultural engineer in Penn State's department of agricultural and biological engineering, said the answer has been to throw the nonrecyclable items in the garbage.
So he and a team at Penn State are working with a South Korean company, GR Technologies, on the development of a plastic burner they hope will provide a better answer.

"We are taking plastics that cannot be recycled, and we are converting them to fuel," Garthe said before dumping another bucket of plastic pellets into the prototype burner Thursday.
The burner, on display at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, drew attention from passers-by who stopped to watch the flame that shoots out one side.
Plastic waste is converted into pellets and fed like coal into the burner, which reaches 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The burner could heat water, which in turn could heat a greenhouse.
Garthe said a team at Penn State had developed Plastofuel -- plastic nuggets -- to burn with coal in a coal-fired burner. A study on the project was released and not long after, in late 2002, Garthe heard from William Bang, CEO of GR Technologies.

That company has developed a burner, which Bang hopes to manufacture in Pennsylvania and find a market for in the United States, which uses 67 million tons of plastics a year in agriculture alone. The plan is to modify the burner so it can burn Plastofuel.

Before the project can be sold, it will need to get governmental approval. A $32,000 test completed by an independent company in May and paid for by the American Plastics Council found good results for air emissions.
Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.

PS- Word on the testing is all "THUMBS UP!" Release pending.

Agricultural Show Great Success!

2005-08-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

The just concluded Agricultural Show proved highly successful for both PENN STATE University and GR-Technologies with respect to the Plastofuel pellets researched and designed by PENN STATE and the patented burner developed by GR-Tech. Some 50,000 plus people apparently took in the show with the "Show And Tell" being one of the main attractions.

The Governor of the State and the Secretary for Agriculture were briefed at the show on the advancements made in the area of waste plastic disposal via safe efficient burning. The most important part is the energy recovery turning the burn into heat and power. The reception to the process was well received by the party's and meaningful discussions were all round.

The American Plastic Council will soon release the executive summary of the recently concluded comprehensive tests done on the emissions and particulate expulsion from the burner. Behind the scenes it is believed that the BUZZ suggests there has been nothing now, or before to match the numbers with respect to the exceptional burn by this burner.

There is growing excitement on the number of useages the burner offers other than the primary target being the Agricultural Industry. Variations have been discussed to serve a numerous of other large producers of dirty waste plastics throughout various manufacturing and industrial operations. Even Cottage applications were discussed along the lines of the Wood Pellet Stoves.

Many show goers were highly intrigued at the fact there is more to waste plastic than curbside blue boxes. The interest in the fact a reduction of dirty plastic waste is now possible was high.

The post show analysis will show the next steps both PENN STATE and GR-Technologies will take moving both the science and the applications to the marketplace.

Ag PROGRESS DAYS - Rock Springs PA - SHOW

2005-08-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

WASTE PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY up front and center. GR-Technologies and PENN STATE UNIVERSITY team up with demonstrations of both the PLASTOFUEL pellets made from dirty Agricultural Waste Plastics and GR-Technologies unique patented plastic burner.

Ag PROGRESS DAYS is an annual event where Agricultural Science is show-cased.
This year the event is being held in ROCK SPRINGS , PA USA
August 16-18, 2005 inclusive.

Demonstrations yard, numerous booths and the visitation of one of the worlds best Horse Trainers for the equestrian interests.

PENN STATE and GR Technologies are pleased to be showing this unique combination of products poised to change the disposal of AGRI-waste plastics and convert it into Alternative Energy. A boon to ecological concerns and an inexpensive way for GreenHouses to view how they can supply heat and power to their operations from waste plastics they currrently bury, export, and in worst cases simply store until a solution is present. It would seem the solution has arrived in the way of PLASTOFUEL researched and developed by PENN STATE and of course the ability to burn the pellets in a manner safe for the environment. These technologies should draw a lot of interest at the Ag PROGRESS DAYS this year.

Go to http://apd.cas.psu.edu for details of the show, the venue, the booth and demonstration site and how to get there.

2005-06-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Unveiling The Burner

2005-06-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

The heart of the Burner

2005-06-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Waste Plastic Pellets Ready To Burn

2005-06-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Successful Installation

2005-06-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

Clean Burn

Waste Plastic Becomes Clean Burning Fuel

2005-06-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Waste Plastic. That is dirty waste plastic like Industrial and Agricultural plastics are clogging up landfills, being dumped in the oceans, and, exported from developed country's to underdeveloped country's. The consequences are as yet unmeasured however imaginable.

Scientific reports are now saying that in the North Atlantic micro plastics are confirmed as now being in the food chain from microbes, through to fish we eat. Scientific reports also alert that in areas of the Pacific Ocean micro plastic particles now exceed plankton by 6X.

The Koreans have found a way to pelletize dirty Agricultural waste plastics (like wood pellets) and there now is a burner capable of using them. In the USA Penn State University is also working on a "Plastofuel". Their pellet is much larger and they are working to convert the patented Korean burner so it can use the Americanized verison. Looks good as Penn State has announced they have a new research grant to go forward with emission testing, burn rates and other scientific data. They also say the burner can be fitted with a shredder and hopper thereby taking dirty silage and other agricultural waste plastics and burning it right on the Agricultural site. In particular Green Houses have benefited from this project.

It should also be noted that according to the RIO Accord developed countries MUST stop exporting their toxins and waste products to underdeveloped countries by 2006. India for one. Yes. Countries like the USA, Canada, Taiwan and many more do export a good deal of their waste to India. India landfills it or in the case of plastic are developing road surfaces with it. This does not dispose of the toxins but simply spreads it around. So the race is on to find alternative solutions. This exercise offers a way to keep plastics out of the landfill, solves the export waste problem and offers up alternative energy to boot.

Facts are that plastic burns with equal energy as that of petroleum and natural gas. It also can be done some 40 to 50% less so say the guru's. Lots of information at www.plasticulture.org
and the American Plastic Council. Dr. James Garthe at Penn State has a number of sites where he expands on the value of creating fuel pellets out of dirty plastic. Sounds like a plan. We obviously endorse it.

Independent EmissionTests On Plastic Fuel

2005-06-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY under the direction of Dr. James Garthe in the Agricultural Sciences Department earlier this year obtained research funding from the Plastic Council of America for the purposes of continued development of his PLASTOFUEL. This fuel is made up of various types of plastics composition derived from the dirty waste plastics found in Agricultural Industries. The Koreans already have a plastic fuel pellet that is of smaller design and PENN STATE has been conducting burning tests. The Independent Test Reports from Korea show the emissions are extremely low and that is without scrubbers.

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY and Dr. James Garthe have in the first part of June been conducting tests with the USA Emissions Standards people on the PENN STATE version. The pellet is larger and the patented burner from GR-Technologies was modified to receive the fuel. Tests show on visual inspection that there is an excellent fuel burn.

PENN STATE and GR-Technologies are awaiting the written report and expect it will pave the way to commerically roll out the pelletized fuel as an alternative energy source, especially for Green Houses. This will move forward the marketing of burners in North America as well.
It will act to reduce ocean dumping, landfill burial, and export of dirty waste plastics.

Those interested should be checking there summer show calendar where specific Agricultural shows will have the technologies demonstrated.