Industrial Biodegradable with Primary Focus on Waste

Biowaste Management

Tag Words: Biowaste, Organic , Foodwaste

Authors: Michael David, Tejas Joshi, Daniel Negin, Kai Yuan Tan with Julie M. Fagan, Ph.D.

Summary (KYT)

A huge proportion of biodegradable waste that ends up in consist of recyclable organic waste, or food waste. Food waste is produced by households, food manufaturers, and farms. Food waste are often not properly treated and recycled, unlike recyclable materials such as glass, aluminiums, and . Hence food waste often end up in landfill along with regular waste. This creates devastating impact on environment and health hazard as () and bacterias build up from food waste in landfill. Although food waste recycling programs are available at a few state, this service is not widely available at most areas. Hence we would like to kickstart this initiative in NJ by proposing to local waste hauler (WM) to try a similar food waste recycling program. This initiative should be first focused on households in New Brunswick before expanding the service to local businesses such as restaurants and dining halls. The Issue: Food Waste is Biodegradable

Introduction (KYT) Biodegradable waste (also called Biowaste) is defined as organic waste that is able to be broken down by natural process or by living organisms such as bacteria. [1] Biowaste typically includes sources originating from animal and plant that will decay overtime. It commonly includes food waste, waste, , and agricultural waste. [1] According to Greenstar, there are two main categories of biowaste, namely municipal sources and industrial sources. Study shows that two-thirds of total waste produced by households comprises of organic materials. [1] such as food, paper, cardboard, wood and even textiles are usually found in municipal biowaste. Industrial biowaste, on the other hand, typically includes agriculture waste, forestry, and pharmaceutical industry. [1] It is of no surprise that these are the industries that produce large volumes of biowaste during manufacturing process.

Sources of Waste (TJ) There are many sources of waste produced by the environment. Many believe this organic biodegradable waste comes from a wide variest of sources including cities and factories. Other sources include wastes from commerical and industrial sources including the sewage and leftovers from agricultural facilities. To manage waste properly you must understand the source of where is comes from because this is a key element in helping to eliminate . Wastes these days are mixed but the source and the products itself must be categorized. These sources help create biomass which is believed to be all the wasted plants materials, wood, , and wasted paper. Much of the woody debris and plant residue turns into a source of biowaste. People are surprised but cut down forests and abandoned agricultural sites have much biodegradable biowaste. is a huge source that feeds much and burning of wastes going on today. contain much of this organic waste which is a mixture of much unknown biomass. [9, 10]

There is an enormouse amount of waste increasing on a planet at a definately exponential waste. Many fear that soon the world will not have room to fill the earth up with landfills full of biowaste. The materials that make up this biowaste include flammable solids and liquids. Much of the waste is also releases fumes and gases and can be poisionous after long periods of time. Most would view the main four characterizations as municipal waste, agricultural residue, , excess products of post manufacturing production. Biowaste is increasing each and every day becasue the inability of residents to decrease their waste, industrial fraction of the world creates much waste from drilling and manufacturing, and world wide their is an increase in biowaste from the earth through the nations. So the catergories many have chosen to be correct defining the three largest forms of waste are organic elements, aqueous biowastes, and sludges. [11]

Food waste(KYT) A huge chunk of biodegradable waste consist of food waste produced from households, restaurants, food manufacturers and farms. A study in 2004 from University of Arizona reveals that 40-50% of food available for harvest was never consumed [2] This study of food loss was done by anthropologist Timothy W. Jones for 10 years in various farms and orchards by examining their practices. One of the sources of food waste is due to farmers’ habit of selectively harvesting crops with good quality, leaving low quality but edible food on the farms. Instead of turning low grade crops into and used as fertilizers, these crops are often left rotten in the field and eventually leads to huge quantity of food waste that creates serious environmental pollution [3]. Advances in harvesting machinery, ironically, also contributed to food loss due to machines’ inability to differentiate if the crops were ripe or immature, hence only part of the crops were harvested. [4] Jones further noted that were those food were properly handled, it could save tens of billions of dollars each year for US consumers and manufacturers [2] His research also focused on food waste produced by typical households. His study reveals that average households dispose a shocking amount of food worth $590 per year. [2] This statistics only include meat, vegetables, fruits and grain products. In a wider perspective, it is more apalling that food waste alone adds up to $43 billion in United States in 2004. [2]

Impact (DN & KYT) When bio waster is dumped, it pollutes the environment that it is dumped in. If it is dumped in a body of , it can affect that entire ecosystem and cause unnnatural things to happen. Biowaste dumping on land also causes environmental harm. The shameful thing about this practice is that the biowaste could be used for useful purposes. These biowastes have organic materials in them that could be developed into fuels. As everyone knows, there is a finite amount of fuel left in the world that is constantly being used up. Turning the biowaste into fuel could solve two problems: environmental pollution and fuel shortages. Scientists at the University of California, Riverside are doing groundbreaking research on biowaste. They are developing methods to convert wet waste such as grass and sewage sludge into electricity and synthetic diesel fuel [12]. Research is being done at other universities and facilities to combat the biowaste problem. With such research being done, and if policy changes are made as well, enormous strides can be made in limiting the space needed for landfills and waste disposal. Extra energy will also be available to be used for industrial purposes, cutting into the need for fossil fuel resources.

What kind of impact food waste has on the environment? Studies showed that food waste that primarily produced from contains up to 75% recyclable organic materials [13]. Food waste is often not treated properly unlike common recyclable materials such as glass, aluminiums and papers. Since food waste is not sorted, they will eventually end up in landfills along with non-recyclable waste. This in turn create a serious environmental pollution and health hazard for residential areas nearby. One study found that organic items such as food waste that were buried in landfill decompose without [13]. This in turn release a greenhouse gas called methane. Methane is known to be an important greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than . Other than releasing greenhouse gas that leads to global warming, food waste that ended up in landfills also poses environmental and health problem. Bacteria often grows on organic materials and underground water source could be contaminated once the waste is leaked underground. Other water sources such as rivers can also be polluted when organic waste is washed away from the landfill to the area. Bad odor also creates another problem for residents nearby.

Response: Prevention (MD) Waste biomass is produced as a result of farming - it is composed of the waste organic materials that are left over from crops, animals, and even food that we do not eat. While there are methods in reducing these wastes, realistically it is very difficult to cut back on their production. Most bio-processes will result in the formation of wastes - it is important to find methods of detoxifying and if possible, utilizing the energy in these wastes. Various groups and companies are currently testing the economic, technical, and environmental feasibility of converting waste biomass into usable energy. The Camp Lejeune Energy-from-Wood project build a biomass reactor that can generate one megawatt of energy from wood residues - the unused wood that results of lumbering [8]. This is an example of how a normally underutilized resource can be used to generate electricity. Wood is composed of approximately 50% carbon by weight and is therefore a good source of energy - the main issue is finding a way of efficiently releasing this energy as one needs to put energy into the system before more energy is released [7]. This is a concept project and one of many that various organizations are currently experimenting with to utilize biowastes that normally end up burned, in landfills, or polluting our waterways.

Response: Collection and Disposal of Biomass (MD) Biomass is composed of organic molecules and compounds; the energy is found in the carbon and hydrogen bonds of those molecules. In order to use this energy, it needs to be released from those bonds and then "re-captured" into another, usable form of energy. Unfortunately, there is no easy, efficient method of doing this energy conversion, and when the energy cost of transporting and processing biomass is considered, there is very little energy gained from the process overall. The main benefit to conversion of biomass is to unlock energy from waste organic material that would normally take up space in a landfill. Even though the energy gain may not be significant compared to the amount of energy stored in the , the energy gained is significant because we are able to process waste materials and gain energy we would not normally have been able to use. An example of this is the bagasse from sugar cane (fibrous matter waste product) that can be converted to energy. This materially would normally end up burned (adding to atmospheric CO2) or disposed of in a landfill [6].

Response: Treatment of Biomass (MD) There are three common methods of treating biomass that has been collected and purified to release its energy - thermal, chemical, and biochemical conversions. Thermal conversion is the most popular - it involves the combustion of biomass material and collecting the energy generated from the energy released. This method causes CO2 to be released into the atmosphere, but with additional (but expensive) carbon sequestering and storage technologies, this can be an efficient method of releasing energy from biomass. This method has been shown to be approximately 27% - 32% efficient - the same efficiency as a standard internal combustion engine found in a typical car. Currently, researchers are experimenting with chemical reagents that, when mixed with biomass, release energy stored in the waste matter. This method however is very specific to the type of biomass and cannot work well unless the biomass has been highly purified or if it is applied to a lot of biomass with highly consistent composition. The final method that shows the most promise is biochemical conversion. In this method, bacteria (and other ) are used to break-down biomass and release energy in the form of useful materials - such as rich and other compost-able materials. These naturally occurring organisms produce enzymes that break-down these compounds. This method holds much promise because of the amount of potential - genetic engineering of these bacteria may help scientists find better uses for biomass and increase the productivity of these processes [5].

Response: Treatment of Food Waste (KYT) Biowaste that contains high organic materials, such as food waste from restaurants and farms, can also be recycled into high grade soil or fertilizers. Several waste haulers in Washington State (Allied Waste Services and Seattle Public Utilities) are currently providing services to households in Washington State in food . Their food waste recycling programs are developed to prevent food waste ending up in landfills. They are very similar and both companies are providing specialized food waste buckets to subscribing households. Each month households are provided with 96 gallons of food waste buckets and food waste are collected at a minimal fee [14]. Prices varies among cities but generally the fees charged for food waste is cheaper compared to regular waste. Since fees for regular waste is higher and calculated based on weight, this provides incentives to households to sort the food waste out to lower the amount of waste in regular waste bucket. Operation wise, both companies focuses only on households and food waste were sent to a different company for composting. Food waste was treated for 30 days at high temperature in order to kill bacteria and remove odor. These treated food waste are eventually turned into fertilizers that are sold to farmers and gardeners. Although proper food is available in Washington State it is only limited to households and not widely adopted in other states and industries.

Service Project: Recycling Programs in NB (KYT)

We are determined to introduce food waste recycling programs in New Brunswick at household level because it reduces dependency and pollution of landfills but also help local residents reduce cost of waste disposal. I contacted a few companies we found in Washington State that are implementing food waste recycling program. Among them: Allied Waste Services and Seattle Public Utilities. I found that Allied Waste Services provide this service to residents in Washington State and only limited to households (service details can be found in appendices section). We found that it is feasible to use their service as a blueprint to implement similar food waste recycling program in New Brunswick. I also called up local waste haulers in New Brunswick and one of them- actually has food-recycling program only for business customers instead of households. Another waste hauler in Hamilton, New Jersey that provides food waste recycling program is Central Jersey Waste. Central Jersey Waste is providing food recycling services through a sister company called premier Food Waste Recycling. It is based in Hamilton, NJ and its clients include supermarkets (Shoprite, Stop N Shop, Acme Markets) fruits and vegetable stores and restaurants around New Jersey. However, they are not providing this service to local households since it is not financially sustainable for them to do so. Since none of the local waste haulers prodive food waste recycling program to local households, we proposed a Food Waste Recycling Program to Waste Management for New Brunswick community similar to those implemented in Washington State by Allied Services. We strongly believe that by implementing this program at household level could promote more awareness on food waste recycling among the public. Proposal Letter (MD & DN & TJ) We have contacted various organizations employed by Rutgers to collect food wastes and have generated a proposal letter to convince them to expand their food waste collection to residential areas surrounding the University. Since food waste collection will be done at the dining halls, it would not take too much extra effort to make an additional trip to the main on-campus housing sites and pick-up food waste. In addition, because of the communal nature of Rutgers housing, the trucks would be able to collect a single dumpster for a large number of student residents - rather than having to pick up containers from individual houses - saving on manpower and other pick-up related expenses.

If a foodwaste pick-up program is put into place in New Brunswick, the next step would be to inform the residents of New Brunswick that the program is in place. This will increase the effectiveness of the program. It will also be important to notify people of the importance and the consequences of the program. Many people are not aware of the environmental problems that sitting biowaste can cause. By recycling it, the biowaste can be put to effective uses and avoid environmental damage. We have already contacted the city of New Brunswick about implementing a residential biowaste pick-up program. Once the program is implemented, I will work to educate residents of New Brunswick and other areas of New Jersey about the importance of bioowaste recycling. This will include rallying, making flyers, starting a facebook page, word- of-mouth, and contacting schools to potentially have a session to teach the students about biowaste recycling. Once people are educated about biowaste recycling, it will encourage them to partake in it.

As companies grow larger and become full of many resources they tend to abuse the environment. Our focus is the proper handling of biowaste and the management of these organic materials. Our groups as a whole with the help of the professor were able to think about the possibilities of how these cruises can break the laws. With millions of people touring on cruises and the massive amounts of food and biowaste generated on the open see many must wonder what happens to all this bio-waste. The service was the contact these companies and their corporate offices and find out the truth on what waste management programs they had and what happened to all the waste. I contacted Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Line. I was connected to a branch through the operator and spoke with someone who told me they had a extensive recycling program. I was able to get in touch with the head of the environmental department at the Miami Corporate office for NCL corporate. The information I received on their company was very helpful. I learned about them being a part of CLIA an organization which regulates their activities affecting the environment including bio-waste management. Other important information found was on their recycling program, they manage their solid wastes into three or four types of items - crushed glass, cubic glass, grades of plastic 1-2, and 3-7. Cooking oil is separated. Separation and compacting of metals also done including metals and aluminum. The program is limited to port of call where recycling is completed. Mixed oil wastes in water are sent to industrial treatment plants where oil is removed and blended into fuel for boilers. There are currently 25 members of CLIA and they are all being regulated according to guidelines created by EPA. NCL Corporate (305-436-4000). Royal Carribean(1800-256-6649) References:

1. Greenstar. (2010) Bio-waste. Retrieved from Greenstar website: http://www.greenstar.ie/htm/02_business_customers/bio_waste.htm 2. Food Navigator-USA. (2004) US Wastes Half its Food. Retrieved from Food Navigator-USA website: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/US-wastes-half-its-food 3. European Parliament. (2009) Wonky Fruit and Vegetables Make a Comeback! Retrieved from European Parliament website: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM- PRESS&reference=20090706STO57744 4. Kantor, L., Lipton, K., Manchester, A., Oliveira. V. (1997) Estimating and Addressing America’s Food Losses. Food Review, USDA, 2-12. 5. Biomass Energy Centre. (2010). Conversion Technologies: Thermal, Chemical, Biochemical. Retreived from: http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,15179&_dad=portal&_schema =PORTAL 6. USA Biomass Power Producers Alliance. (2009). Biomass: Can Renewable Power Grow on Trees? Retrieved from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=biomass-renewable- power-wood 7. Smith, J., Heath, L., and Jenkins, J. (2003). Forest Volume-to-Biomass Models and Estimates of Mass for Live and Standing Dead Trees of U.S. Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture: Forest Service. Available online: http://www.uvm.edu/~jcjenkin/smith%20et%20al.%202003.pdf 8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2007). Atmospheric Protection: Biomass Utilization. Available online: http://www.epa.gov/appcdwww/apb/biomass.htm 9. U.K. Environmental Agency. (2009). Sustainable Management of Biowastes. Biomass Management. Avaiable online: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Research/overarching_2010742.pdf 10. Net Industries. (2010). Sources of biomass. Advantages and disadvantages of bioenergy. Available Online: http://science.jrank.org/pages/867/Bioenergy.html 11. CUNY. Science. (2009). Nature and Sources of . Available Online: http://www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~tbandosz/EC19.DOC 12. Space Daily (2002). Turning Wet Bio-Waste Into Energy. Available Online: http://www.spacedaily.com/news/energy-tech-02j.html 13. Organic Diversion (2010) and Organics Recycling. Retrieved from Organic Diversion website: http://www.organicdiversion.com/html/background.html 14. Seattle Public Utilities (2010). Food & Yard Waste at Your House. Retrieved from Seattle Public utilities website: http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/util/Services/Yard/Yard_Waste_Collection/index.asp 15. Cruise Line International Association (2010). Regulations for the Cruise Lines Wedsite: http://www2.cruising.org/industry/environment.cfm

Appendices:

Allied Waste Services (KYT) Allied Waste Services is owned by a company called Republic Services Company. Allied Waste is based in Washington State and has been providing waste pickup service for its residents since 1927. Other than waste disposal, it also provides recycling services to tens of thousands of Washington residents. Allied Waste can be separated into collection companies, landfill operations and recycling center. Collection companies are based in Seattle, Bellevue, Lynnwood, Kent and Goldendale, Washington. Landfill Operations are based in Roosevelt, Washington and recycling center is based in Seattle Washington. One of the crucial services that Allied Waste provide to the residents of Washington State is the Food Waste Recycling Program. This program is provided under the company’s residential yard debris + food service. Food waste is collected once per week (days depend on area), same day as garbage collection. Acceptable food waste include but not limited to fruits, vegetables, coffee grinds, tea bags, meat, cheese, bones and fish. One food waste bucket is provided to each household for free. Food are collected in food waste bucket and before collection must be transfered to standard 96-gallon Yard Debris Cart. Cart must be placed within 5’ of the curb by 7am, with lid opening towards the street. The limit of yard debris + food waste is 192 gallons per week and additional 96 gallon cart is charged with $2.35 each. Standard 96 gallon can for garbage disposal including food waste recycling cost $27.43 per month. Food waste recycling service is available at $6.31 without garbage disposal service. The food waste is later sold to another company called Cedar Groove Composting. This company treats the food waste for 30 days and in high temperature and high pressure to kill bacterias found in food waste. It then turns food waste into fertilizers which is then sold to farmers and garderners.

Cruise Lines International Association (TJ) This is the association committed to protecting the environment. This particular organization has over 25 international and American cruise lines. They regulate the cruises and make sure that the guidelines create by the CLIA is enforced. These cruise lines become members after environmental guidelines have been met. Oil pollution and biowaste pollution are some of the many violations some cruises think they can get away with but this organization is increasing their efforts day by day to make sure there is an extensive waste management program. NCL, Royal Caribbean, Disney and Carnival are the four biggest cruise lines in North America and they are all members of CLIA. CLIA itself is focused on creating vessels that have a smaller impact on the environment. They have created proper waste management and sorting programs. The port of call is where much waste such as food, plastic, and metals are taken care of. Improving a procedure for handling this bio-waste and collection are also a key goal for this association. Officially has 25 International Members.(15) (Written by Tejas Joshi)

Cedar Grove Composting (DN) Cedar Grove Composting is a composting company based in Washington state. It takes grass, leaves, foodwaste, and other biowaste and converts it into fertilizer. Cedar Grove Composting makes its fertilizer with biowaste that it obtains from other companies that would otherwise throw it away as garbage. The compost is sold to farms, households, and other customers. Research is conducted to determine the ideal fertilizer composition to promote plant growth where it is used. Cedar Grove Composting performs it services in the states of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Alaska.

Central Jersey Waste (KYT) Central Jersey Waste is offering food recycling services to residents in Hamilton, New Jersey through its sister company, Premier Food Waste Recycling. It serves more than 200 supermarkets, fruit and vegetable stores, restaurants, and hotels around New Jersey. This service is provided only to businesses and not households. The limit of food waste per customer is 1 ton or 2000 pounds each week. Collected food scraps were collected and then transported to different composting facilities (Converted Organics at Woodbridge, NJ and Peninsular Composting at Delaware) and turned into high grade top soil used as fertilizer. Its clients include Food Town, Shop-Rite, Stop N Shop, and Acme Market. Central Jersey Waste charges a fee to each customer that subscribes to this program but the cost of this service is lower than regular waste disposal service, hence providing incentive for business to recycle food waste. Rates varies depending on areas and scale of businesses. The company has no plans to expand this service to households in the future.

Seattle Public Utilities (DN) Seattle Public Utilities picks up unwanted food and other biowaste from households in the Seattle area. Seattle Public Utilities collects the biowaste once every two months from households. The containers that the households store the biowaste in are provided by Seattle Public Utilities. A fee is charged based on the size of the container that is collected. A 96 gallon container costs $15.70, a 32 gallon container costs $12.20, and a 13 gallon container costs $8.20 to collect. This cheap method for Seattle residents to dispose of biowaste allows them to reduce their sanitation bill by having a smaller amount of regular garbage. Seattle Public Utilities takes the biowaste and delivers it to Cedar Grove Composting for further treatment. Much of the compost is ultimately used as fertilizer.

Waste Management of New Jersey (MD) Waste Management has just started to offer food recycling program recently and this service is provided to local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets. However, households are not provided with this service. Rutgers University currently employs Waste Management as a company to haul off food. This company is the best basis for our proposal, because they already will have food recycling trucks in the vicinity of Rutgers University New Brunswick and the highly populated student residential areas. Waste Management is fee based, like Central Jersey Waste, but negotiation would be possible since the trucks would be in the area. Rutgers University already has a dumpster infrastructure that was designed to lower the cost of waste pick-ups - food wastes can be collected in a similar fashion. We made an additional appointment to follow-up on their operations and get additional information regarding the specifics of the program. Proposal (MD) Letter to Waste Management 04/14/2010

Waste Management Company 208 Patterson Avenue Trenton, NJ 08610 (800) 633-9096

Dear Sir or Madam,

Every year, billions of dollars in food waste is disposed of in the United States, with the average cost of that food being $570 per household per year. While wasted and spoiled food waste is of no value to the majority of residents, your company is in the perfect position to reclaim some of that lost revenue through a lucrative biowaste recycling program in the City of New Brunswick, NJ proposed in this letter. Please take a moment to review our proposal, which we believe to be not only profitable to your company financially, but can be used to generate positive press and help the environment at the same time.

We are aware that Waste Management currently has a food waste disposal service for restaurants and businesses that is profitable. Essentially, we are suggesting that you expand this service to Rutgers University and the surrounding residential areas. Rutgers University spends tens of thousands of dollars yearly to dispose of food wastes from its dining halls alone. This waste is not properly processed and there are unnecesarily high costs of disposing this waste. Since your company has experience in the proper collection, disposal, and treatment of such food wastes, it would clearly be in both your interest and the interest of the University to utilize your services. In addition, since the dining halls are strategically placed near highly populated student residential areas already serviced by Waste Management, it would take minimal cost and effort to create a route that services students as well. Also, because of the communal nature of on- campus Rutgers housing - there are already designated areas for trash - which saves on the man- power needed to service individual houses - you would be essentially servicing each residential group. This would allow wastes to be picked up from dumpsters that are used by the University residents - distributing the costs across a large number of people and making the individual cost low (less than $1 per month, by the estimates below).

While many cities have begun to adopt food waste recycling programs, it is obvious that the main hindrance is the cost associated with the pick-up - typically $5-$15 across the nation per month. While this does not seem like a huge number, it is a deterrent to residents to adopt food waste pickup. Since your company is one of the largest in the nation, I'm sure that you could consider creating a discount plan when coupled with regular waste pick-up. A program that offers discounted pick-up would be beneficial to you because the majority of waste from households consists of food wastes - close to 60%. Since you have established residential routes in New Brunswick to pick-up regular wastes, if enough residents adopted food wastes, there would be a reduced toll on regular waste pick-up. You could essentially charge the same price for regular pick-up and make an additional profit off food pickup. The saved gas costs, overhead, and manpower from regular pick-up would be enough to reduce or eliminate the cost of food pickup. As you are aware, composting companies buy such food wastes regularly and an additional profit may be generated to cover unforeseen costs and provide overhead for the program.

We believe that there is a profitable and mutually beneficial agreement to be reached with the implementation of food waste pickup. Many districts have already begun to collect food wastes at relatively low costs in regular residential areas. New Brunswick offers an opportunity to try the program in New Jersey at a lower than expected cost - since Rutgers University student residents already have the infrastructure for easy and low-cost waste pickup, it would not be difficult to arrange food pick-ups at the designated spots at low costs. This arrangement would be mutually beneficial to not only all the parties involved, but the environment as well.

Sincerely,

(Written by Michael David)