Bill Rabbia, executive director of the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA), says they do their best to make one last use of the trash that ends up in landfills by capturing the methane gas it emits to generate electricity. However, Rabbia says the system is imperfect. “As efficiently as you try to do that, there’s still some fugitive emissions,” Rabbia said. “There’s not a roof over your landfill.” Enter anaerobic digestion. These large, round machines in Utica have been used for years to capture methane gas in Oneida County’s sewage treatment plant. Now, they are processing food slurry – organic food waste mixed with water. More >>
