Recently introduced White book on obtaining energy from waste in Serbiaaims to provide a clear and reliable insight into all aspects of waste incineration and answers to many questions that this technology entails, as well as to give detailed information about incineration to anyone who is deeply interested in this technology.
Waste incineration, or burning, is a process of its thermal treatment in which waste is burned at high temperatures. Although waste prevention should be the first step in management, and reuse and recycling the next option, even recycling cannot always be implemented. That is why a large part ends up in nature or in landfills. However, a small number of landfills meet technical and legal standards, while many illegal landfills are without any measures to protect the environment and human health.
As the amount of waste used in products, as well as energy consumption, is increasing at the same time, obtaining energy from waste is a good option. As stated in the document, many types of waste have a high energy potential. For example, the heat value of municipal waste is similar to that of lignite, while plastic and waste oil have an energy value close to coal and fuel oil.
“Waste management in the Republic of Serbia is defined by regulations that have been transferred from the European Union to domestic legislation, and which are based on the hierarchy of waste management, basic principles and various treatment options that have proven to be successful in practice. The hierarchy of waste management clearly defines that the first and most important goal must be the prevention of waste generation, after which it is necessary, if it is not possible to prevent the generation of waste, to provide conditions for its reuse, recycling, energy utilization and processing. Only at the end, when all the previous steps have been carried out, what remains should be postponed, i.e. deposited in a safe and harmless manner for the environment and human health,” it is stated in The white book.
In Serbia, the current approach to waste management is at a very low level, with consequences for the environment and human health. In a separate chapter of this document, a detailed review and analysis of the legal regulations that apply to obtaining energy from waste, both the legal framework at the European Union level and the laws in force in Serbia, is offered.
A detailed description of technologies for obtaining energy from waste, which is presented in The white bookstrives to acquaint those interested in Serbia with technology that is relatively new in these areas and to provide answers to many questions that arise with the appearance of new solutions, primarily from the aspect of environmental protection, emissions into the air, water and soil, as well as the impact on human health. To obtain energy from waste, different combustion technologies are used: combustion on a grate, fluidized bed furnaces or rotary kilns.
The temperature of 850°C and more in the combustion chamber of the waste incineration plant disinfects the waste, destroying bacteria, viruses and pathogens. This process is crucial to maintaining public health, especially during epidemics. In addition, the mass of waste is reduced by 75 percent, and the volume by 90 percent, thus reducing the amount of waste going to landfills, extending their life.
During the process of obtaining energy from waste, the amount of released gases with a greenhouse effect is far less compared to the most modern sanitary landfills. The energy obtained in this way can be used to produce electricity, process steam for industrial consumers, hot water and energy needed for district heating or district cooling.
In order to create the possibility for the waste management system in Serbia to become sustainable and in accordance with the principles that govern in developed countries, it is necessary to comply with everything stated in The white book.
You can view the entire publication here.
Energy portal
Source: energetskiportal.rs
