The Lancaster Solid Waste Management Authority has combusted the trash of thousands, (more than half a million) of people in Lancaster County with one goal in mind- to turn it into electricity.
For 30 years, the CEO of LSWMA, Bob Zorbaugh says this process has powered more than 800,000 homes by combusting 10.7 million tons of trash.
"We're combusting waste, at over 1800 degrees, we're heating water in boiler tubes into steam and then steam goes into a turbine and producing electricity," said Zorbaugh."
This process has also aided in increasing recycling in the county.
"We've recovered over 230,000 tons of ferrous metal from the trash," said Zorbaugh.
He says this process will help in making use of waste that would otherwise be left in landfills.
Zorbaugh adds this helps the environment by avoiding the burning of fossil fuels.
One ton of municipal solid waste combusted avoids one ton of CO2e emissions. The facility has worked to have 10.7 million tons of CO2e emissions avoided.
Combusting the waste decreases its volume by 90%, allowing areas such as farmland to exist freely and not a landfill.