Energy from Waste provides a practical, forward-looking municipal waste disposal solution to manage non-recyclable waste, delivering both environmental and economic benefits. Emerald is a prime example, as it converts non-hazardous waste into renewable energy in the form of steam and electricity. This article will address other key benefits energy from waste provides to municipalities and the environment.
Reducing Landfill Pressure and Methane Emissions
EfW significantly reduces waste sent to landfills, helping municipalities manage shrinking disposal capacities and avoid costly long-term liabilities. Modern landfills in Ontario will reach capacity within nine to thirteen years. EfW processes shrink waste volume by over 85-90%, leaving bottom ash. Bottom ash acts as a landfill cover to help suppress smells and compact waste. Additionally, diverting organic waste decreases environmental impact as it would otherwise decompose into methane in a landfill. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is responsible for 25% of climate change.
Generating Clean, Local Energy Through Municipal Waste Disposal
EfW turns residual waste into renewable energy, offering municipalities stable, locally generated power. Emerald produces 10 MW of electricity per year, which powers the facility and approximately 6,000 local homes per year. The facility also provides a nearby paper mill steam to power its boilers, eliminating the need for fossil fuel boilers.
Advanced Pollution Control and Resource Recovery to Decrease Environmental Impact
The Emerald Energy from Waste plant uses advanced emission control technology, such as evaporating cooling towers, venturi reactors, baghouse filters, and selective catalytic reduction systems. This process captures particulates, acid gases, heavy metals, mercury, and dioxins before they enter the atmosphere. This ensures compliance with Ontario’s stringent environmental standards while preventing local air pollution. Emerald also recovers and recycles metals in this process to divert them from the landfill. The facility is also developing a system to convert bottom ash into construction aggregates, aligning with resource recovery goals.
Economic Stability and Cost Savings for Municipalities
EfW helps municipal waste disposal systems lower long-term costs by avoiding landfill tipping fees, post-closure care, and leachate management. For example, the County of Simcoe secured a 20-year long-term contract with Emerald that provides disposal capacity beyond its landfill lifespan and shorter hauling distances. Since 2013, the County has been exporting approximately 25,000 tonnes of waste to extend the life of its current landfills. However, with the help of Energy from Waste, they can cut transportation emissions while securing cost-effective waste management services. Energy from Waste facilities also recover value from waste and create local economic activity through jobs and procurement.
Supporting a Circular Economy and Low-Carbon Innovation
Emerald Energy from Waste plays a strategic role within Ontario’s circular economy goals by creating value from residual waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Emerald’s redevelopment project includes scaling up the facility to process up to 2,500 tonnes of waste per day to generate up to 100 MW of energy per year. The expansion also includes developing district heating solutions and on-site green hydrogen production using recovered electricity and steam. This advances clean fuel generation and decarbonization goals as hydrogen only produces water when used.
Integrating energy from waste practices as part of the waste management hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle) helps manage inevitable residual waste while also supporting climate targets. Project Drawdown estimates energy from waste technologies can avoid billions of tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2050 by offsetting fossil fuel power and reducing methane generation from landfill sites.
EfW is not intended to replace recycling; rather, it complements waste reduction strategies by responsibly managing what remains. Emerald’s long-standing operations in Ontario demonstrate how municipalities can leverage EfW to reduce emissions, secure resilient waste and energy streams, and promote a circular, low-carbon economic model. Learn more about Emerald’s services through our close partner U-Pak Disposals, who provide and organizes all services for energy from waste.
