Transformative processes

Much of the waste industry is concerned with the transfer of material from one location to another. Finding ways to process and transfer materials as safely, quickly and efficiently as possible is the core of many haulers, material recovery facility operators and organics processors’ day-to-day operations.

If those materials are processed incorrectly or are contaminated, that presents huge problems for those on the receiving end.

Several of our articles in this month’s issue elaborate on some of those processes. In “Find the right fit,” Hartmut Bendfeldt, founder and president of Charlotte, North Carolina-based eFactor3, and Dana Darley, a complex systems manager for Archdale, North Carolina-based Vecoplan LLC, share their thoughts on shredding for a specific use: the waste-to-energy (WTE) market.

Companies processing material as WTE feedstock need to know the composition of the waste streams coming into a facility, as well as the specific needs of the WTE facility. If material will be incinerated, Bendfeldt says “operators don’t need to worry too much about what goes into their plant.” However, if the use is more specialized, the material must match the specifications the fuel consumer demands.

Landfill operators must consider similar factors when designing landfill gas (LFG) systems. In the article “LFG recovery: A road map to success,” Chris Lund, a senior vice president with Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, based in Vienna, Virginia, describes some of the factors that can affect decomposition and methane production, such as a waste stream’s moisture and organic content.

Lund explains some of the features a LFG collection system needs to include and variables that should drive operators’ choices in designing a system. The end use—whether electricity generation or renewable natural gas—is one of those factors that will drive some of those system design choices.

In some ways, transporting material is simpler than transforming it, but sometimes things go awry in the hauling aspect of the waste business, as well. Often, workforce challenges present a problem, but in the article “When a storm hits,” Mother Nature throws a giant wrench into operations in Florida. In this article, Keith Banasiak, chief operating officer and senior vice president of Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro USA, shares the company’s experience recovering from Hurricane Ian last fall.

Preparation for the storm resembled a war plan. The company worked to position extra trucks and supplies near areas that could have needed them following the storm. It also reached out to local utility companies and contacted its parts suppliers to ensure they were well-stocked.

Unfortunately, it seems likely natural disasters will continue disrupting operations with increasing regularity, so Waste Pro’s efforts can serve as an example of how to address these circumstances.