Joe

As it happens, I'm ¼-way through developing a web site devoted to the 
problem of waste. It may be published in a couple of weeks or so. In the 
meantime, have a look at http://www.cypenv.org/worldenv/files/tridel.htm 
- this describes the most modern implementation of a technology first 
developed in France in the 1920s and is used in odd spots in various 
countries. In the USA, I know Baltimore does it although I believe their 
plant is fairly old and polluting. There are probably many others. In 
contrast, Toronto ships many tens of tonnes of their garbage daily to 
Wayne County, Michigan, where it is landfilled at enormous cost to their 
citizens and enormous quantities of emitted pollutants.

China is building some low-pollution waste-burning power stations near 
the big cities (Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai etc.). Anyway, is it a sop 
to the USA that China produces more waste, when it has >4x the 
population? Surely the criterion is the per capita production, where the 
USA (and Cyprus) have the doubtful honour of being world champions!

Brian

Joe Fjelstad wrote:
>  
> Environment 
> What a waste
> Sep 3rd 2008
>>From Economist.com 
> The rubbish mountains grow
> 
> OVER 2.1 billion tonnes of rubbish were dumped around the world last year.  
> Rich countries are the most wasteful, with each person chucking away 1.4kg of  
> solid trash every day, but this has leveled off in recent years as the rich 
> try  to create less of it and to recycle more. As poorer nations grow richer 
> they  will produce more waste. In 2004 China surpassed America as the largest 
> producer  of rubbish: by 2030 it will be churning out nearly 500m tonnes a  year.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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