Waste to energy and recycling in Hempstead, Long Island
Faced with the limiting of landfill disposal by New York state law, a Long Island township opted for both waste-to-energy (WTE) and curbside recycling. Since then, the township and its WTE facility achieved results through state-of-the-art technology, creative agreements, and some compromise. The $360-million, 2,505-tpd WTE facility opened for commercial use in October 1989. Soon after, the town`s waste disposal fees dropped to a reported $79 per ton. The facility has since processed more than 5 million tons of solid waste with an energy value of about 5,200 Btus per pound, slightly above the 4,500- to 5,000-Btu average for a pound of generic MSW. The bond is being paid off through tipping fees and the sale of electricity to the Long Island Lighting Co. (LILCO). The facility is projected to save the town more than $500 million in disposal costs over the next 20 years. And, by using trash to generate electricity, the facility will save the equivalent of 53 million gallons of imported oil.
- OSTI ID:
- 128820
- Journal Information:
- Waste Age, Journal Name: Waste Age Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 26; ISSN WAGEAE; ISSN 0043-1001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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