Garbage powerIn 1972, the first electric power generated in the U.S. fueled by municipal solid waste was produced at the Meramec Plant of the Union Electric Company, St. Louis, Missouri. The venture was a cooperative effort with the city of St. Louis, with financial support from the Environmental Protection Agency. The power plant coal-fired boiler was supplemented with a small percentage of shredded refuse. In the following month, the plant generated 200,000 kW-hr of electricity, and wastes were consumed at the reate of 12.5 tons/hour or 300 tons/day. The benefits of the project included the environmentally acceptable way to dispose of solid waste, reduced fossil fuel consumption, and cost savings to both the utility and the city.« |
