Organic Waste Streams as Feedstocks and Biofuels

Dear Colleagues,

Two main challenges for our society are the depletion of fossil resources and increasing waste generation. In order to reduce the dependence on oil but also mitigate climate change in the transport and chemical sectors, alternative production chains are necessary. Waste generation is the second major challenge for our society. Nearly 50% of the average composition of global waste, 3 M tons per day, is organic material. This accounts for the main source of greenhouse gases (GHG), and it includes household, food manufacturing and pre-factory wastes, the rest being paper, plastic, glass, metal, and others. These waste streams contain various compounds, most of which have untapped energetic or economic value. Current waste management practices in decreasing order of added value for organic waste include: animal feed, composting, incineration, and landfill. Although a number of facilities direct their waste toward land spreading, these facilities only represent between 26% and 46% of the organic waste and most of it is still disposed of in landfills. Organic waste streams are a sustainable alternative to fossil-based resources as they do not compete directly with food crops. ‘Waste’ covers any organic material apart from the primary material for which the plants were originally grown, but it also applies to any biomass-derived by-product for which supply greatly exceeds demand. Nearly all waste streams currently have some value, for instance agricultural waste is used as a soil improver in the fields, but the future looks toward obtaining a higher value from them.

Dr. Tingting Zhu
Guest Editor

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• organic waste treatment
• wastewater treatment for recovery
• energy recovery
• resource recovery
• added value products