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- 2017 (2) (remove)
The construction and operation of a sanitary landfill (SLF) in the Philippines presents concerns on the regulation of the activities of the informal sector in the area. In anticipation of these directives, an association of informal waste reclaimers group called Uswag Calajunan Livelihood Association, Inc. (UCLA) was formed in May 2009. One option identified was the waste-to-energy activity through the production of fuel briquettes. With the availability of raw materials in the area, what was lacking then was an appropriate technology that would cater to their needs. This study, therefore, presented the case of UCLA on how socio-economic and technical aspects was integrated for the development and improvement of a briquetting technology needed in the production of quality briquettes as part of their income generating activities. A non-experimental posttest only design was utilized for the collection of descriptive information. Descriptions and discussions were also made on the enhancement of the briquetting machine from the first hand-press molder developed until the finalized design was attained.
Results revealed that the improved briquetting technology withstood the wear and tear of operation showing a significant (P<0.01) increase on the production rate (220 pcs/hr; 4 kg/hr) and bulk density (444.83 kg/m3) of briquettes produced. The quality of cylindrical briquettes produced in terms of bulk density, heating value (15.13 MJ/kg), moisture (6.2%), N and S closely met or has met the requirements of DIN 51731. Based on the operating expenses, the briquettes may be marked-up to Php0.25/pc (USD0.006) or Php15.00/kg (USD0.34) for profit generation. The potential daily earnings of Php130.00 (USD2.95) to Php288.56 (USD6.56) generated in producing briquettes are higher when compared to the majority of waste reclaimers’ daily income of Php124.00 (USD2.82). The high positive response (93%) on the usability of briquettes and the willingness of the respondents (81%) to buy them when sold in the market indicates its promising potential as fuel in the nearby communities. Results of briquette production citing the case of UCLA could be considered as potential source of income given the social, technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the experiment. This method of utilizing wastes in an urban setting of a developing country with similar socio-economic and physical set-ups may also be recommended for testing or replication.
In the early 2000s the pre-Columbian, anthropologically produced black soil in the Amazon basin, „Terra Preta de Índio“, received greater scientific attention. Compared to the surrounding poor soils, this very fertile anthrosol contains significantly higher levels of microorganisms and nutrients. The reason for this was determined to be the likewise high levels of charred biomass. This stable carbon, now called biochar, has since been intensively examined as an option to improve soil and to store carbon.
Although the creation of Terra Preta was most likely based on a purposeful utilization of organic residues from households and gardens, biochar plays no role in the current recycling of bio-waste. However, the implementation of biochar could lead to many improvements. Results from agricultural research suggest that not only the yield capacity of soils can be increased but also the process performance of composting and biogas plants.
The latter is especially relevant since currently about 40% of all collected bio-waste in Germany is recycled in an energy-material cascade consisting of anaerobic digestion and composting. The use of biochar in this cascade could then sequentially increase biogas yields, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve compost quality.
To realize the aforementioned advantages, the concept of biochar has to be integrated into the existing bio-waste cascade as practically as possible. This was done by the development of a theoretical scenario that allowed the analysis of energy and material flows to evaluate biochar’s recycling performance. Furthermore, the legal and economic framework were examined to assess the feasibility of the extended cascade and to suggest possible adjustments to the frameworks.