Sydney Markets declared its own war on waste 12 years ago which has saved it $20 million in landfill costs. The savings come from diverting 6,000 tonnes of inedible produce away from landfill, and by recycling all the packaging.
"(Queensland) is considering landfill bans, and aggressively pursuing waste to energy projects," he said.
After the morning trade is over, rotten and inedible produce is brought to the Green Point, the back end of the Sydney Markets, at Flemington in Sydney's west. Along with waste food from supermarkets and restaurants it is taken to Veolia's $50 million Earthpower waste-to-energy plant.
The organic mush is stored in a 12 metre-high tank which works like a stomach, with microbial digestion. The methane created is piped off to co-generation engines, producing energy for the grid.
"What's remarkable is it can take minutes, where as in landfill it would take up to 30 years to degrade into methane," David Clarke, Earthpower's chief executive said. The left over sludge is dried and pelletised to become organic fertiliser.
"We're exporting about 8,000-9,000 megawatts per year, and that can power 1,500-3,200 houses."
source: abc.net.au
