Appropriate Technology in Resource Conservation & Recovery

Gunnerson, Charles G.; Kalbermatten, John M.; ,

Appropriate Technology in Resource Conservation & Recovery

by Charles G. Gunnerson, (F.ASCE), Environmental Engrg. Advisor; Environmental Research Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colo.,
John M. Kalbermatten,

American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY
978-0-87262-035-3 (ISBN-13) | 0-87262-035-2 (ISBN-10), 1980, Soft Cover, Pg. 213

Conference information: A Session of the Research Council on Environmental Impact Analysis | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | October 22-26, 1979

Out of Print: Not available at ASCE Bookstore.

Document Type: Book - Proceedings

Abstract:

Six contributions to proceedings of an October 1979 ASCE workshop deal with both developing and industrial countries. A review of debris accumulation in urban areas reveals archaeological, historical, and recent consequences of waste production and management. Also reviewed is the economic basis and a worked example of a multipurpose resource recovery project which provides for human and animal waste bioconversion to fish, fertilizer, and methane. Data is synthesized to show that energy savings from materials recycling are much greater than those from materials conversion to energy and it is argued that active public participation in resource recovery systems provides for systems that are economically and institutionally superior to those of conventional U.S. engineering and bureaucratic approaches. Production and epidemiological data on Asian bioconversion systems is summarized and it is emphasized that system optimization for resource recovery is site specific and much different from that for waste treatment. In another study, it was found that technology selection at 30 European refuse-fired energy systems was based on environmental and land use considerations, reliability, and community pride, and not minimum cost, energy production or economies of scale. The final paper summarizes conceptual designs from current U.S. Department of Energy research and development of large scale digestion, fermentation, acid hydrolysis, combustion, pyrolysis, catalytic or cryogenic liquefaction, molten bath, fluidized bed, or catalytic gasification systems for conversion of municipal and industrial wastes and agricultural and forest residues to energy.

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