Waste-to-Energy Technologies and Sustainable Waste Management

Waste-to-Energy Technologies and Sustainable Waste Management

Pritiranjan Behra1, Abhijit Mangaraj2, Sanam sarita Tripathy3

1 M.Tech student, Department of Civil Engineering, Gift Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Gift Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Gift Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

ABSTRACT

Waste-to-energy technologies have emerged as a crucial solution to the growing issues of waste disposal and energy demand. The increasing population, urbanization, and industrialization worldwide have led to an increase in garbage production, necessitating innovative and ecologically friendly solutions. Traditional waste management methods, such as landfill collection, transportation, and disposal, have been proven to be inefficient due to land scarcity, soil and water pollution, and greenhouse gas production. Waste-to-energy technologies aim to transform waste materials into energy, such as heat or electricity, using principles of resource recovery and environmental stewardship. These technologies can reduce the negative environmental impacts of garbage while contributing to clean energy production. The technical landscape of waste-to-energy includes various processes, such as incineration, anaerobic digestion, thermochemical and biological gasification, and the extraction of value from waste materials. Incorporating waste-to-energy technology into sustainable waste management plans aligns with the circular economy concept, which emphasizes resource efficiency and waste reduction. These technologies can help reduce dependency on limited natural resources and mitigate the environmental impact of trash disposal. Additionally, waste-to-energy initiatives can contribute to energy diversification and security by creating renewable energy from trash, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and carbon footprint.

Keyword: - Carbon footprints, Urbanization, Waste to energy.