In Los Angeles, city engineers and policy makers are taking an innovative approach to treating waste and protecting water. In the past, the city relied exclusively on trucking waste to Kern County for treatment. Groundbreaking technology has moved Los Angeles away from traditional methods of waste storage and treatment. New methods are lowering green house gas emissions and reducing the risk of water contamination. How can the city affordably avoid the pitfalls of trucking waste long distances for treatment? The solution is surprising.
In Los Angeles, city engineers and policy makers are taking an innovative approach to treating waste and protecting water. In the past, the city relied exclusively on trucking waste to Kern County for treatment. Groundbreaking technology has moved Los Angeles away from traditional methods of waste storage and treatment. New methods are lowering green house gas emissions and reducing the risk of water contamination. How can the city affordably avoid the pitfalls of trucking waste long distances for treatment? The solution is surprising.
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Currently, the city of Los Angeles is contracted with Terralog Technologies (TT). Terralog is using the power stored deep underground to process waste generated at the surface. To do this, TT is injecting waste directly into the deep subsurface of the earth.
Mike Bruno, president of Terralog Technologies, describes the process as functioning like a high- tech septic system. Sound like you need a PhD to really decipher this? Put simply, as a drill bores deeper into the earth, the surrounding area becomes progressively hotter. That heat has energy, and Terralog is using the energy to process waste. Tapping into this energy, called geothermal, negates use of surface technology which is heavily dependent on water and fossil fuels.
Article continues at ENN Affiliate Sierra Club
Process Diagram image via Terralog Technologies
