************************* Gasoline produced from biomass could be in fuel tanks by 2010 with new technology PhysOrg.com Aug. 19, 2008 ************************* Texas A&M University scientists have developed a process to make converting biomass to high-octane gasoline possible, at $1.70 and $2.00 per gallon. Biomass includes garbage, biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, green waste such as lawn clippings, food waste, and any type of livestock manure. Additionally, since it does not use crops... http://www.kurzweilai.net/email/newsRedirect.html?newsID=9248&m=44681
--
email posting
1 comment:
I have been documenting harm to human and animal health and surface and groundwater resources from landspreading sewage sludge "biosolids" for 12 years. http://www.sludgevictims.com
Now the US Environmental Protection Agency is aware of a new sludge "biosolids" risk: Infectious human and animal prions in both Class B and Class A sludge "bioslids".
Prion diseases include mad cow, scrapie, chronic wasting disease, and in humans, variant and sporadic creutzfeldt jakob disease. Animal sources of prions in sewers include abattoirs, butcher shops, meat processors, leachate from landfills used to dispose of infected carcasses and tissue, etc.
Human sources of prions in sewers include the 2 to 25% of the 5.2 million people in US diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease who actually have sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (sCJD). Class B sludge is spread on grazing lands, hay fields and dairy pastures. Class A sludge is spread on ballfields, playgrounds, parks, lawns and home flower and vegetable gardens. Prions have been found in human and animal blood, muscle, urine and feces.
EPA funded researchers found that prions survive wastewater treatment and partition to the sludge to be present in treated biosolids. Pathways of risk: Livestock, wildlife and children eat dirt (and sludge). Windborne pathogens are inhaled and swallowed. Family pets track these infectious wastes into homes on their fur and feet. Sludge and soil adhere to vegetables and crops. http://sludgevictims.com/pathgens/prions-composting.html
An infectious prion dose is only .001 gram. Prions bind to soil becoming 680 times more infectious. and survive in soil up to 3 years.
That is why many of us who have been calling for an end to the land application of toxic/pathogenic sewage sludge "biosolids", support clean, non-polluting thermal and other technologies such as the one described in this article, that convert sludge from a contaminated waste to a renewable resource. Europe is way ahead of the US in using biomass, biogas and other methods to generate fuel, heat, power, and electricity from wastewater sludge, thereby protecting farm land from degradation and reducing both greenhouse gases and their dependence on costly imported oil and gas.
Good work, Texas A&M.
Helane Shields, Alton, NH 03809
Post a Comment