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Department of Ecology News Release - March 19, 2008
08-058
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) announced today that six research projects and two demonstration projects will receive grant funding related to converting organic wastes to valuable resources. The results of these research and education projects will ultimately help meet the state’s carbon pollution reduction goals that address the impacts of climate change.
In 2004, Ecology’s solid waste and financial assistance program conducted an extensive public process to develop the Beyond Waste Plan. The plan envisions that in 30 years solid waste will not be generated and that all materials will be reclaimed in industrial and organic recovery systems.
In 2007, the Legislature provided Ecology the money to fund the Organic Waste to Resources program. Ecology has used about $730,000 for research and pilot projects to expand beneficial reuse options within Washington. These projects range in size and scope from developing a school curriculum for food waste recycling to researching proposals that evaluate everything from wood scrap and paper waste to ethanol.
The goals of these projects are:
Six research projects were funded through a competitive grant process:
Converting Rich Urban Waste to Ethanol
This kind of waste is “woody,” containing cellulose and lignin. Lignin is a
chemical compound found in wood and in the cell walls of other plants. Paper and
wood residue account for approximately 3.5 million tons of Washington’s urban
“woody” waste. Because much of this material is currently sent to landfills or
is recycled, the University of Washington (UW) proposed research to develop an
alternative. They will evaluate the potential for using woody urban waste to
produce bioethanol. Researchers will describe systems for using urban woody
waste to produce ethanol as well as the economic and environmental feasibility
of the process.
Recipients: Dr. Richard Gustafson, Dr. Renata Bura.
Amount: $119,137
Using Bio-refineries to Convert Softwood Bark to Transportation Fuels
Washington generates more than 14.2 million tons of woody biomass annually, of
which 5.2 million tons are mill residues and 1.9 million tons are logging
residues. This presents an opportunity to spur rural economic activity.
Washington State University (WSU) researchers will evaluate a process to use
this waste to produce crude bio-oils. Refineries could further convert these
materials into transportation fuels, chemicals and “biochar,” a potentially
valuable soil amendment to create higher soil health and fertility.
Recipient: Dr. Manuel Garcia-Perez
Amount: $119,905
Turning Waste Organic Material into a Soil Amendment to Help Store Carbon
WSU researchers will produce biochar (a residue potentially used as a soil
amendment) from low temperature pyrolysis of biomass materials. The biochar will
be tested for its potential to store carbon, evaluated for any growth effects on
plants in the greenhouse, and assessed for economic impacts. Research on biochar
has shown promise in long-lasting carbon storage and improved crop production.
This research will be the first rigorous study of biochar use in agricultural
soils in this state.
Recipients: Mr. Chad Kruger, Mr. David Granatstein, Dr. Hal Collins
Amount: $116,078
Organic Soil Amendments -- A True Path to Zero Waste?
Scientists from WSU and UW will team up with municipal wastewater treatment
agencies to apply their expertise in composting, land application and anaerobic
digestion to develop programs to divert organic materials from landfills. The
goals of the project are:1) to measure the benefits of land application of
composts in regards to soil carbon storage and increased water-holding capacity
and 2) to test effects on final product quality of soil amendments that have
been manufactured from biosolids, combined with materials diverted from
landfills. The intent of the project is to move toward zero waste by using the
large volumes of material that are potentially suitable for land application.
Recipients: Dr. Craig Cogger (WSU), Dr. Sally Brown (UW)
Amount: $110,266
Treating Solid Food Wastes to Generate Biohydrogen and Biodiesel
WSU will develop a two-step process to produce biodiesel from a biological
treatment of food waste. The first step of this process uses bacteria to ferment
glucose derived from the organic waste to produce hydrogen and volatile fatty
acids (VFA). One-third of the carbon is converted to carbon dioxide in the
first-step process, while two-thirds of the carbon is converted to volatile
fatty acids. In the second step, the remaining carbon in the form of VFA is used
to feed carbon to algae or yeast to produce biodiesel.
Recipients: Dr. Shulin Chen, Dr. Zhanyou Chi
Amount: $119,877
Converting Washington Biomass to Bioethanol to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Green waste, straws, and forest residues are the main organic material in
Washington that could support a future bio-economy. These organic residues
consist mainly of cellulose and other products that are basically sugars that
can be fermented into ethanol and many other chemicals. According to the biomass
inventory conducted by WSU in collaboration with the Department of Ecology, the
largest biomass types within the state including straws (1.6 million tons/year
of wheat, 134,640 tons/year of grass, 318,500 tons/year of barley), forest
residues (1.9 million tons/year from logging, 505,000 tons/year from forest
thinning), and 834,000 tons/year of wood residue. Converting this biomass
material could reduce CO2 emissions by decreasing the use of fossil fuels.
Potentially, the amount of organic residues identified above can be used to
produce 318 to 478 million gallons of ethanol.
Recipients: Dr. Shulin Chen, Dr. Zhimin Li
Amount: $119,877
Two educational demonstration/pilot projects received funding through a competitive grant process:
Wood-based Biomass Energy Training in Clallam
County Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (NWSEED), in
partnership with the Institute for Washington’s Future (IWF), will conduct
wood-based biomass energy training in Clallam County through workshops and
educational materials.
The workshops will be offered in Clallam County with an emphasis on bringing together leaders in the forestry, tribal, environmental, and business communities to develop a biomass project. An initial workshop will be conducted that will include resource assessment, technical processes, economic feasibility, financing opportunities, and implementation strategies.
Recipient: Ms. Jennifer Grove (NWSEED)
Amount: $15,000
Renton School District, Sierra Heights Elementary Food Waste Worm
Composter
Sierra Heights Elementary signed a pledge with King County Solid Waste to become
a green school. As part of its plan to reduce, reuse and recycle, the school
will reduce the amount of biomass entering the landfill from the school and the
local community through a worm composter project. With financial support from
its parent-teacher organization, King County Solid Waste, and Ecology, they are
developing a pilot program using red worms to turn food scraps from the school
lunchroom and into a soil component to enrich the soil around the school and to
create a garden to produce food for the local food bank.
Recipient: Mr. Brian Tepner, (Sierra Heights Elementary)
Amount: $7,400.
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Media Contact:
Jani Gilbert, Ecology communications, 509-329-3495,
jagi461@ecy.wa.gov.
Sandra Hines, University of Washington Media Relations, 206-543-2580,
shines@u.washington.edu
Denny Fleenor, Washington State University Media Relations, 206-972-8590,
dfleenor@wsu.edu
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
