Plasma zapping to turn trash into usable fuel and a glasslike byproduct is not really a new idea. The basic premise is that burning trash at extremely high temperatures (around 8000 degrees centigrade) produces plasma, which breaks the trash down into it's molecular components. This "plasma gasification" produces a byproduct called "syngas", which is mostly hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This can be converted into fuel. The other byproduct is something that looks like molten black glass, which can be ground up and used to make asphalt.
Sounds, wonderful, doesn't it? All our garbage, going into a space age converter, that is energy negative, and produces usable byproducts. You know the old adage, "If it seems to good to be true, it probably is?" This time, it seems that the disadvantages to this technology may outweigh the advantages.
First, even the companies touting this technology admit that although the process eliminates all VOC's, the resultant sludge (the black glass) could be full of toxic heavy metals, such as mercury. Proponents say that the process actually seals in any toxic materials very effectively, but what happens after it is ground up for use? .
Japan tested out the technology and had trouble controlling the dioxin emissions when chlorine was present in the trash. Supposedly, today's technology works at more extreme temperatures, which will eliminate this problem. There is also the possibility that as the syngas cools, it may form/reform toxic emissions.
The cost of a converter is around $250 million. Such a converter can handle 2000 tons of trash per day. A plant has been in development in St. Lucie, FL for two years, with no product to date. The Europeans have been studying this technology for years, and no plants have been built.
Three ex-trash executives have started a company, U.S. Energy, and have made plans to build a plant on Long Island which will have 6 such converters.
