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By
John Trotti
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John
Trotti
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The waste
business is people and trash; collection and processing;
diversion, disposal, accountancy, right? So where does
technology fit in?
For starters,
waste disposal has always attracted ingenuity, though
it seems probable that much of this had more to do with
practices for escaping from waste than doing anything
about it. However, since the 1930s, we’ve seen
a steady stream of advances in waste management focused
principally on protecting human health and safety, not
just of the public at large but—particularly in
the case of automation—of those who handle it.
So what’s next?
Well, for
sure, there are right here and now some truly exciting
activities such as satellite-based locating and tracking
systems; simultaneous voice and data communications;
automated sorting equipment able to distinguish between
various classes of metals, plastics, and glass; scales,
sniffers, and discrete identification devices designed
to manage the way we assess, clear, and direct the transfer
of material through its various stages of passage through
the system ... and, in the process, store, massage,
post, and deliver a detailed accounting of each and
every transaction to all parties involved in the effort.
Looming
on the horizon are even greater levels of communications
and information capabilities, giving rise to what will
someday approximate the level of positive control of
all waste activities, seen today in aviation... ready
and able to bring us into the world of just-in-time
that will be necessary if we are to convince those on
the supply side of the material equation that our recycling
efforts can fit into the real world of production. In
response we’ve overhauled our regulatory framework,
processes, facilities, training, and mindset to match
the evolving situation.
On an accelerating
basis, the materials we’re being asked to handle,
as well as the societal expectation of their disposition,
are undergoing change, adding challenge, complexity,
and sometimes risk to our operations. In nearly every
case, it has been the adoption of new technology that
has underlain our success. Yet the creation of new chemical
compounds on a never-ending basis and the exploding
growth in the use of materials whose potential for environmental
damage is a cause for concern are creating challenges
that still force us to adopt costly and, in many cases,
very labor-intensive, low-tech responses. Add to this
the realization that today you can count on the fingers
of one hand the number of recyclable materials that
enjoy truly developed markets, and you can see there
is much work to be done in the way of diversion practices.
Technology
and Waste
In the future we assume that technology will
present us with the increased possibilities for transforming
materials currently fit only for disposal into marketable
commodities. The key to this lies in our ability to
add enough value to a larger portion of the wastestream
to make these goods competitive with traditional materials
in the supply chain.
So, yes,
technology certainly has a role in dealing with trash,
but that’s not all there is to it. I’d like
you to consider technology as an important recruiting
tool for attracting those who will fill our shoes tomorrow.
While we know that waste management offers more opportunities
and challenges than many more seemingly attractive careers,
we face an uphill recruiting battle. So what can we
do to lure “the best and the brightest?”
Showing
that beneath the surface of a vibrant, vital, and challenging
business, technology plays a leading role is important,
and while we need to present our case in words, the
most convincing approach lies in deeds.
There are
many areas in waste management that can profit from
greater technological efforts, but (are you ready for
the editorial message?) none so visible as converting
organic residuals to useful commodities, be they feedstock
for new products or the production of energy.
Send
John an Email
MSW - March/April 2006
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