Waste as a resource

11.1 Waste and the circular economy

The test model concept has a number of interrelated elements: it is spatially-explicit it models materials (“resources”) it models conversions (“processes”) – both natural and synthetic it includes business models, economics and behaviour

1.1 The Ecological Sequestration Trust (TEST) circular economy model

Overall ambition: identify nature, quantity, location and destination of wastes

combining spatial and technological models identifies local opportunities.

needs knowledge of potential local “user” industries material types, demands, locations, technology needs

identify piloting opportunities locations stakeholders/partners business and funding models

1.1 Application to Dorset

1. Understanding of current and recent historical data on all wastes sub-streams

2. Understand compositional data for the sub-streams

3. Geophysical understanding of DorsetManaged or preserved land, degree of urbanisationBrief overall description of the terrain.

4. Socio-economic understanding of Dorset Population density, economic sectors (input-output data if applicable), Uptake routes for recovered materials and energy, e.g. markets Opportunities for industrial ecology / symbiosis initiatives.

1.1 General approach (part 1)

Digestate granulate

6. ResultsThe analysis includes a narrowing down of the technical opportunities appropriate to the local resource.

Indication of the options that can address Dorset’s sustainability objectives relating to greenhouse gas, cost, recovery rates, secondary impacts or substitution effects, resource efficiency, and, finally, energy, material and food security.

1.1 General approach (part 2)

5. Available InfrastructureCurrent waste management installations

(performance and capacity)Current recycling and material re-processing

facilities and their locationPotential demand for improved recovered materials

Plus collect similar high-relevance data for neighbouring areas

CO2 CH4

1.1 Case study: Increasing value of biogenic waste

The region does not send much biogenic waste to landfill (although there is no breakdown of MSW which will include food waste and water waste mayinclude sludge):

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AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING WASTES

CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT AND COATING OF METALS WASTE

CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTES

CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTES

FURNITURE, PAPER AND CARDBOARD MANUFACTURING WASTES

HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH CARE WASTE

MINE AND QUARRY WASTES

MUNICIPAL WASTES

SHAPING AND PHYSICAL TREATMENT OF METALS AND PLASTICS

THERMAL PROCESSES WASTE

WASTE ABND WATER TREATMENT WASTES

This includesGreen waste : current estimate 0.1m tonnes per annum (tpa)Biogenic fraction of MSW and C&I waste

0.5m tpa of C&I in region, estimate 12% biogenic0.4m tpa of MSW, estimate 30% biogenic

Agricultural waste : current estimate 0.1m tpaWastewater treatment solids : current estimate 0.1m tpaTotal circa 400,000 tpaNote that the organic fraction of waste in the region is estimated at around 180ktpa but this excludes agricultural.

A separate analysis gives a figure of 600,000 tpa as a capacity requirement for non-inert waste.Current destinations7 facilities : 4 x Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and 3 x compostingTotal capacity of about 150,000 tpa (approx 115 kpta composting)Value generation estimate:

composting: £60,000 paAD: £4,000,000 pa

Unknown : value generation per tonne processed = 0Total current value-added = £4.06m [estimate]

1.1 Biogenic waste – current situation

Examples of opportunities arisingfrom more sophisticated approach:Intercept waste at source and optimize end use by type

segregation of all bakery waste and use for animal feed: value > £100/t hydrolysis of green waste and conversion to industrial biotech and chemical feedstock: value added ~ £200/t gasification of sludge, waste wood etc and conversion through fermentation (e.g. Lanzatec process) : value added ~ £200/t Maximise the benefit of AD through integrated nutrient cycling and grid integration

Potential future value-added > £40m pa

Tenfold increase through integrated analysis and new technology!

Upcycling of biogenic waste – systemic opportunities

Resource recovery/upcycling should be designed in a holistic way, so that the product, processes and chain are optimised for a circular economy system, rather than the current approach to bolting-on recycling processes.

We are working on fundamental techniques for supply chain design and applying them to diverse applications, including fluorescent lamps in Korea.

The diagrams alongside show our redesign of a fluorescent lamp recycling network; the optimised network has a 60% reduction in transport energy and emissions.

Benefit of spatial approach : Korean example

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Case study: green waste conversion – integrated bio refinery

The flexible, modular biorefinery

Variety of raw materials

preprocessing

CO2

sink

IBchemical

thermal

Biochar to land

Variety of products

Modular and flexible; can adapt to changing feedstocks over timePilot in Aberystwyth (Beacon project) .....

Example would be MSW → RDF → pyrolysis oil → upgraded pyrolysis oilCould be utilised in Dorset

11.1 Furniture Refurbishment

90,156 tonnes of furniture, paper, cardboard and manufacturing waste per year

Sofas, fridges, cookers, microwaves, dining tables, washing machines

Bulked up in Dorset and sent to other authorities to be treated / turned into new products

Re-use networks offer affordable furniture – successful schemes set up by Hampshire County Council and others

Community social enterprise companies such as TRACO – The Recycled Assets Company

11.1 Furniture Refurbishment

Potential market:

Council tax records indicate 2000 properties occupied by students in Bournemouth

Large numbers of homes of multiple occupancy (HMOs), notably Boscombe East and Winton in Bournemouth

Bournemouth estimated increase in unemployment from 2007-2010

Poor households seek accommodation in lower priced areas such Blandford Forum and parts of Bournemouth

26% households cannot afford houses in current market without subsidies – esp. Bournemouth, lone parents

Adding value to waste products is an idea with great currency

However it is hindered by:-Lack of data-Lack of clear business models-Need to synchronise system/infrastructure and markets

TEST has been set up based on a recognition of these issues

-Spatially-, temporally- and technologically-rich data sets will be included in the platform-Geolocalisation and data fusion will keep the system up to date-Economic and activity models can be used to explore different business models-Benefits can be quantified

1.1 Summary