[Terrapreta] sewage sludge charcoal

[Michael Bailes]

On 10/04/2008, Jim Joyner <jimstoy at dtccom.net> wrote:
>
> I know human waste has carbon in it, but would char made from this be
> the same as char made from woody material. I mean, is all char equal? It
> would seem that all TP had been made with char from wood, right?
>
> Obviously eliminating toxicity from waste is a good idea but might never
> happen. Given whatever level of toxicity, would it not be better to
> combined in char?


One of the problems with industrial scale pyrolysis machines is the
different type of char produced by the Industry using the machine. For
example if BEST Energies sold one of their million dollar machines to a
coucil for mixed green waste, to a chicken farm with chicken litter waste;
to a cow feed lot or paper making company with paper sludge as a by product.
All chars would need to be tested to see how they work incorporated into the
soil. Each may or may not have diffent properties and
advantages/disadvantages (?)
There are obvious advantages in pyrolising waste (less land-fill, less green
house gasses such as methane + energy savings). The problem then is working
out the different properties of each type of char so that it can be sold in
very large quantities and can be shown to have some value to farmers,
orchardists and horticulturists. Thus making the whole exercise profitable.
.
As I understand it original Amazonian TP was made from hardwood trees.
Obviously we do not want to be doing that, hence the interest in 21C 'waste'
as a source of char and sequestering of C

Where does sludge go that doesn't get put on fields?


Jim

 I guess it depends on the country; but here, is is mainly dumped at sea.
The same place NY puts its garbage.
m

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