Tagged with 'clean'

For the past few decades, scientists have experimented with using all kinds of waste, from animal to human, to produce methane gas via anaerobic digestion.

As arguably the largest supplier of organic waste, some large-scale farmers have been an instrumental part of the process, working hand-in-hand with researchers as the go-to source for methane-producing waste. Pioneering farms have been using the technology since the 1980s to harness energy to power their operations.

But, the process isn’t just for farmers anymore. Wastewater treatment facilities are getting in on the action. As they explore ways to extract more energy from waste and reduce their operating costs, innovative plants are finding ways to turn more types of waste, including solid food waste, into energy.

In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire.

The blaze caught the attention of the national media, and Time magazine described the Cuyahoga as a river that “oozes,” rather than flows. There were no fish or other animals in the water, and the concentration of oil and other toxins was so thick that they could actually burn.

The river had become, in effect, a giant grease trap.

And the ’69 fire was not event the first time the river had caught fire, and it by Cuyahoga standards, it was relatively mild. Dating back to the 1860s, the river had caught on fire at least 13 times. In 1952, the largest such fire caused more than $1 million of damage to boats, docks and a riverfront building. But the 1969 fire had a major impact on efforts to clean up the nation's waterways.