A municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling facility, situated in a heavily populated area in New York, collects residential trash from the surrounding area and brings it to the Facility, where it is compacted and transferred by truck for ultimate disposal.
When the Facility received odor complaints from area residents, it was eager to resolve the problem in order to retain good neighbor relations. The manager of the Facility is familiar with biological treatment and recognizes that bio-oxidation, combined with careful control of odor generation, is the best technology to eliminate the odors. The Facility considered incineration and carbon as being expensive and not sufficiently effective. It also did not want to add chemicals to mask the odors.
sgblue, inc. was contacted by the Facility manager to custom-design a biological unit specific to its needs. Two CAP™ Clean Air Plant model CAP-5000 units, each with a nominal capacity to process 500 lbs of pollution per day, were set up at the Facility. Additional smaller units were set up in the offices to treat odors and control indoor air quality. The CAP-5000s were mounted inside the facility, 8 feet above the floor level in order to be out of the way of workers and trucks. Situated approximately 100 feet apart, the CAPs' radius of influence overlapped.
A reduction in odors was immediately apparent. "Upon entering the facility the following morning to check the odors," said the Manager, "I found that, not only was the facility de-odorized, but also the bales of MWS were de-odorized." Odor complaints from the surrounding community have been reduced by more than 90%. An added benefit in the facility is that the CAPs also bio-oxidize the exhaust fumes from the trucks.
In the offices, the owner periodically performs a swipe test in order to observe particulate buildup. Since installation of the CAP-90 in the office, a significant decrease in particle buildup has been observed, as well as a dramatic reduction in odors.
Confirming that bio-oxidation is a feasible technology for the MSW facility, sgblue, inc. is now custom designing a CAP™ Clean Water Plant system to clean surface water at the site as well as water that is released when compacting the material, which is another major source of odor.
CAPs and CWPs are designed and distributed by sgblue, inc.., an environmental biotechnology company located in Arden, North Carolina. For more information and technical assistance, write, fax, or phone sgblue, inc. 229 Airport Road, Suite 7-101 Arden, NC 28704 p: 877-219-7111; E-mail: awsi@ cleanairplant.com. Website: cleanairplant.com.
