Page 12 - Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Energy From

Toxic Organic Waste For Heat and

Power Generation

Debabrata Barik
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, India

There are few things that are certain in life; one is death, second is change, and
the other is a waste. No one can stop these things taking place in life. But, with
improved management, it can be possible to reduce the waste. Everyone has
a right to clean air, water, food, and environment. This right can be fulfilled
by maintaining a clear and healthy ecosystem. Now, as a first question, what
is waste? Anything which is not needed by the owner, producer, or processor
is waste. Generally, waste is defined as at the end of the product life cycle and
is disposed of in landfills. Most businesses define waste as “anything that does
not create value.” In a common man’s eye, anything that is unwanted or not
useful is garbage or waste. However, scientifically speaking, there is no waste as
such in the world. Almost all the components of waste have some potential, if
it is converted or treated in a scientific manner. Hence, we can define waste as
organic or inorganic waste materials produced out of household, commercial
activities, and industries that have lost their value in the eyes of the first owner,
but which may be of great value to somebody else. Generation of waste is
unavoidable in every habitation howsoever big or small. Since the dawn of
civilization, humanity has gradually deviated from nature and today there has
been a drastic change in the lifestyle of human society. A direct reflection of
this change is noticed in the nature and the quantity of garbage that a civilized
community generates. The waste can be disposed properly or can be reused
to make money through proper management for the economic and environ-
mental growth of individual and society.
Many countries which are fast competing with global economies in
their drive for faster economic development have so far failed to effectively
manage the huge quantity of waste generated. There are 195 countries in
the world today and approximately 2.5 million cities including small towns.

Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation © 2019 Elsevier Ltd.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102528-4.00001-8 All rights reserved. 1