Sustainability is defined as the capability of the planet to continuously provide the needs of the current and future generations. This characteristic however is currently in peril because of the massive degradation the planet is currently engulfed in. Solid waste has desolated the lands making it hard for plants, animals, and even humans to thrive and flourish. Conventional energy generation and consumption has caused severe pollution to the environment. Mother Nature has constantly been under siege by pollutants for centuries. Human activities are hurting the balance of our Bio Green System Technology that is perfect for supporting life. Things cannot go on as they or we will be dragging the planet to a state of inhabitability. Now is the time for Refuse Derived Fuel.

Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) will empower sustainability by extracting fuel from municipal solid waste. This means that the waste will be converted into fuel or energy. This is groundbreaking because now there exist an added benefit for disposing waste, and that is getting energy. Energy is vital in today's lifestyles that revolve around technology and industries. Nations expend huge amounts of resources to have energy. This new technology makes the elimination of waste the solution to the energy generation dilemma. Two problems will effectively be solved by only one process.

Refuse Derived Fuel will also ease the problems regarding air pollution. Most of the pollutants plaguing the world today come from the extraction, production, and combustion of energy. With the RDF system energy can be created with very minimal pollution to the environment. We can now stop patronizing harmful forms of energy and switch to clean ones. In doing so we will be preventing the worsening of pollution and possibly help the planet recover and revert to its former self. With the planet's recovery it will finally be the end of global warming and climate change.

Material Recovery Facility- The Engineer of Natural Resource Recovery

In most growing cities, we find it amusing that the splendid growth in the economy could produce remarkable infrastructures and technologies that could make our daily lives a lot easier. As this advancements progress, the amount of waste that it generates turns out to be of tenfold. Increasing number of rubbish is being dumped in various municipal landfill sites, taking up time to be processed and recycled back into the system. Despite this approach, waste continues to augment and requires more space than necessary. Material recovery facilities are founded near landfill sites to convert waste to energy.

In a not so distant past, waste recovery is done through incineration, recycling and composting. This process aims to reduce the amount of waste that is being dumped into landfill sites. The former methods of proper waste management could no longer sustain the amount of waste that man produces; waste to energy recovery through MRF facilities is playing a huge role in conserving the environments resources while diminishing the causes of global warming.

As studies has showed that 87% of waste that could be found in landfill sites can be recovered and turned into clean energy. Material recovery facilities (MRF) are built to meet the mandated landfill disposal requirements wherein it separates recyclable materials such as paper, plastics, glass and yard waste before the conversion of waste to energy. These facilities use different methods to achieve energy conversion however; one technique stood out among its peers. The gasification process is considered as a corner stone for processing waste to energy.

This unique method takes the place of incineration however; it does not emit harmful green house gases into the atmosphere. A material recovery facility uses the gasification process to break down waste feedstock during the conversion of energy from waste method. Its key role is to endow an environmental sound conversion of waste to energy without exhausting our resources and adding up to the pollution that worsens the effects of global warming.

The recovery of energy from waste proves to be one of the best sources of cost efficient and sustainable energy today. The enhanced methods used in redeeming a sustainable energy source are considered as a diamond in the rough. There are more problems out there that are waiting to be solved however; contributing a significant aspect as such as this may lead from one positive effect after another.

Utilization of RDF through gasification system

Dumping waste on landfill is still one of the most typical method of disposal for municipal solid wastes in developing countries. Approximately 75% of collected municipal solid wastes in the Philippines is being disposed in landfills. Imminent exhaustion of available space for dumping wastes and opposition against developing new waste disposal ways are creating crisis in waste management control. An approach including the practice of waste minimization and recycling is needed to increase the service of existing waste disposal site. Waste mining or waste from extractive operations (i.e. waste from extraction and processing of mineral resources) provides opportunity to provide disposal space for new coming wastes and recycle of valuable materials. This will also help eliminating potential contaminant sources, cost reduction in post-closure monitoring. An effort to utilize solid wastes at dumpsite as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) was carried out. The produced RDF can be utilized in the gasification system. These wastes were initially examined for their physical composition and chemical characteristics. Plastic wastes were purified by separating them from other components through manual separation and trommel screen.

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) is a known to many as an alternative fuel produced from the combustibles in municipal solid wastes which are composed of waste plastic and other materials such as textiles,wood, soil, etc. Energy recovery as RDF is a preferred choice for utilizing plastic wastes when their potential recycling as raw material for product manufacturing is not possible because their physical properties have been damaged during long exposure to sunlight. For RDF utilization, gasification technology has been applied to the production of energy from solid wastes. This thermo-chemical process converts solid carbon based material into a combustible gaseous product containing CO2, CO, H2,CH4 and other trace gases. The producer gas can be used for heating, lighting and power generation.

Lately, a lot of research shows the application in the gasification of plastic wastes together with Bio Green System Technology. Fluidized and fixed bed steam gasification is one proven possible way of converting wastes and RDF into fuel gases but the direct gasification with the use of vertical fixed bed gasification system and air as gasifying agent is commonly used in developing countries. The advantage of simple operation and low operating cost is one of the good points even though low efficiency and diluted gas with relatively low heating value are their major drawback. Simple mechanical separation using trommel screen was used to separate plastic wastes and transforming them into RDF by a screw compactor. Utilization of solid waste from dumpsite by using simple and low-cost technology applicable to developing countries is a must.

The Gift of RDF

The nation strives for greener and efficient sources of energy due to the depletion of our environment because of greenhouse gases. So, the need for projects like Waste-to-Energy that produce Refused Derive Fuel (RDF) will be the trend. Refused Derived Fuel or briefly RDF is a secondary fuel, with high calorific value or combustibility. Facilities that produce RDF undergoes extensive processing of MSW, the processing includes extracting non-combustible recyclables such as metal and glass. Removing non-combustible metals and glass from the waste stream improves the RDF by increasing heating value and reducing the amount of ash produced.

RDF is produced from MSW through a number of processes to meet requirements for particle size, moisture content and non-combustible content dictated by the thermal unit that will recieve RDF. MSW is processed through shredding, magnetic separation, air classification, and screening and then separation for both fuel preparation and materials recovery. The energy content of RDF depends on its initial properties and the pre-processing performed on the incoming MSW.

RDF has moved forward as an experimental technology, and is now becoming a valuable element in the waste industry. It allows us to reduce our dependency on oil and coal it also allow us to recover energy and recyclables waste and gradually eradicate dumpsite. In the coming years wate to energy companies will continue to refine RDF technologies for their facility operations. RDF can help us achieve our goal of having waste to be no longer be a wasted resource but a source from which to obtain green energy on an industrial scale. It is the gift of RDF.

Material Recycling Facility – an innovation on waste disposal.

The necessity to lessen dumping on open landfills is motivating waste management solutions. Improving the recycling rate is a vital part of this task and huge amounts of waste certainly can be removed from landfill by doing this. Material Recycling Facility (MRF) is a recent method of handling waste in the municipality; it encompasses a huge shed or quite a few industrial buildings. Different kinds of recyclable wastes is sorted, bulked up into load sizes suitable for transport, made ready for collection and transportation, sold, stored, and shipped to the buyers including some of the original manufacturers.

On the other hand, more waste disposal authorities these days also process the residual or mixed waste. There are two types of waste segregated in MRF one is the dry solid waste which have been pre-segregated by the householders it is called a "Clean" MRF. Second is when the waste breaks down and processed by the recycling facility. The mixed or residual waste or accepted mixed waste from commercial premises is now called a "Dirty" MRF. The Materials Recycling Facility is made up of a series of conveyor belts and a mix of manual and automatic procedures to separate the materials and remove the items that is not needed.

MRF operators report varying levels of recycling within their plants, however, the best are currently recycling approximately 75% of incoming waste and diverting it from landfill for reprocessing or recycling. The best results are being seen where local authorities have invested significantly in their Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Waste Regulations are set out to ensure that the recycling which is done efficiently in an environmentally sustainable manner. Of course, all those implementing the Waste Regulations do usually endeavor to ensure the cost value and best level of sustainability of their solutions. However, this is a secondary consideration to compliance with the targets.

Important facts about RDF

Refuse Derived Fuel is produced by shredding and dehydrating municipal solid waste (MSW) into particle pieces it consists largely of organic components of municipal waste such as plastics and biodegradable waste. RDF processing facilities are normally located near a source of MSW or landfills; it may also be located at a remote location. About 10-20% of the Municipal Solid Waste is removed from landfill during processing of RDF.

RDF can be used in a variety of ways to produce electricity. It can be used alongside traditional sources of fuel in coal power plants. It can also be fed into plasma arc gasification modules and pyrolysis plants. It can be burned for fuel by itself or co fired with other fuels. It can also be used in cement kiln industry as substitute to coal. Production and use of RDF is a very advantageous tool in an integrated waste management solution and can likewise perform as a tactical element for the reduction of fossil CO2 emissions and raise the renewable energies share.

Benefit from RDF by developing an economical and environmentally sound strategy combining environmental and energetic policies to find a way to overcome economic issues related to the disposal of landfill at a low costs. The use of RDF in coal power plants and cement works, due to the effective substitution of primary fossil fuels, shows a large number of ecological advantages when they are compared with the alternative combustion since it emit less CO2 in the environment.

RDF vs. Coal Fuel

RDF from MSW can be utilized in other processes than incineration and combustion. Gasification and pyrolysis processes are generally promoted as "greener" alternatives to incineration or energy-from-waste. Via gasification, the energy content of the waste is transformed into a syngas which can be re-used as chemical feedstock or to produce power. On the other hand, in generating electricity thru coal, the coal usually pulverized and then burned in furnace heat converts boiler water to steam which is then used to spin turbines which turn generators and create electricity. Combustion of coal, like any other compound containing carbon, produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) along with varying amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) depending on where it was mined. Sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen to form sulfur trioxide (SO3), which then reacts with water to form Sulfuric Acid. Sulfuric Acid is returned to the Earth as a form of acid rain. Emissions from coal-fired power plants represent the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, a primary cause of global warming. Since the carbon content of coal is much higher than oil, burning coal is a more serious threat to global temperatures. It also emits twice as much carbon dioxide when compared with natural gas to produce the same level of heat, which increased the levels of harmful greenhouse gases emitted into the earth's atmosphere.

With the use of RDF it helps us to reduce our dependence in using oil and coal, provides energy and certain recyclables from MSW and minimizes waste from the landfills. In the years coming more companies will continue to refine RDF technologies for operations. RDF will help us reach the goal of having MSW no longer be a wasted resource but a source from which to extract raw materials and energy on our industry.

Industrial effects of RDF

RDF co-incineration in industrial processes has advantage such as saving non-renewable resources by substituting fossil fuels in high-demand energy processes. RDF also used in industrial that offers more flexibility than incineration. It leaves more opportunity for future recycling programmes, it does not need to be fed with a constant amount of waste and it does not require investment in capital intensive dedicated incineration facilities.

The Waste substances undergo a series of varying processing stages. Recyclable product contents such as metal are removed from the mix, as are heavy fractions and not shredded items. Following the drying and sizing-out process the remaining lighter material for thermal processing makes up approximately 40% of the material deposited at the beginning of the process. In this way valuable fuels can be generated from waste previously dumped into landfill sites in an unprocessed form. As the biogenic share is 50% (wood, paper, organic substances), CO2 emissions are reduced by this amount in combustion; a financial advantage when it comes to the awarding of CO2 certificates.

This also makes the use of alternative fuels attractive as regards co-combustion, particularly in high energy consumption sectors such as the paper and cement industries.

RDF as a helpful resource to our environment

Household waste is mostly burned by people by an ordinary incineration, and thus it is not used effectively. In using incineration way it produced a large amount of CO2 which is very harmful in our environment and affects the global warming. RDF is short for Refuse Derived Fuel which means solid fuel produced from the burnable waste discharged by households. RDF is effectively utilized as a fuel for boilers in papermaking companies and other industries, beginning with RDF power generation.

RDF has 2 ways in reduction CO2 in our environment, one is reduction of CO2 generated by conventional simple incineration treatment and second one is reduction of CO2 generated by use of fossil fuels by boilers, etc.

In using RDF, it makes a major impact in helping our environment in the way of reducing production of CO2. It is also used as alternative fuel for diesel in production of energy. And it minimizes the wastes volume in our landfill areas.

RDF: the nature friendly fuel

One solution in helping our mother earth in lessening the production of global warming is through the use of RDF or what we call as Refuse Derived Fuel. RDF is a value added material with a higher calorific value and a homogeneous particle size. It extracts fuel from MSW or Material Solid Waste it means that the waste will be converted into Fuel or Green Energy. In this technology it reduces wastes from our landfill areas and also provides energy without harming our environment.

Energy is one major source we all need. It produces electricity without using fuels or any coals. By using RDF we ease the pollution problem because the energy created in here releases a very minimal pollution to the environment. RDF can also use in cement kilns or power plants and it's generally made up from plastics and biodegradable organic wastes, this process is usually located near MSW.

RDF can also provide a funding source where unused carbon credits are sold on the open market thru a carbon exchange. Good thing about using RDF is we produced money out of waste without devastating our environment.

A Glimpse to Material Recycling Facility

MRF or Material Recycling Facility is a new waste technology, and comprises a large shed or several industrial buildings in a complex, where waste with several types of recyclable wastes ('co-mingled' - as sorted by the householder) is sorted further, bulked up into load sizes suitable for transport, made ready for collection and transportation, sold, stored, and shipped to the buyers including some of the original manufacturers.

When a MRF deals with only the bags (dry solid waste) which have been pre-segregated by the householders it is called a "Clean" MRF, but when the facility also breaks and process the mixed or "residual" waste bags or accepts mixed waste from commercial premises the MRF is called a "Dirty" MRF.

The Materials Recovery Facility is made up of a series of conveyor belts and a mix of manual and automatic procedures to separate the materials and remove the items that we don't need. MRF operators report varying levels of recycling within their plants, however, the best are currently recycling approximately 75% of incoming waste and diverting it from Landfill for reprocessing or recycling.

Recycling not only helps the environment but is a cost effective way of turning waste into cash.