This might be a problematic development in the plans.
Sacramento garbage-to-energy plant could burn toxic trash
By Chris Bowman - cbowman@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sacramento city proponents of a garbage-to-energy power plant said they will look beyond curbside trash to more lucrative – and hazardous – hospital and industry wastes.
"Our desired outcome is to have a new revenue stream for the city, and if that means having a medical waste or hazardous waste feedstock, then we certainly are going to have those discussions," Marty Hanneman, assistant city manager, said Tuesday.
The interest in toxic trash also is driven by a city requirement that the expensive waste converter not cost taxpayers more than they pay to bury their trash in a landfill.
Hanneman said he doesn't believe that can happen without taking the higher-value hazardous wastes, effectively subsidizing the high-tech disposal of municipal trash.
"They are going to have to look at electronic waste, tires and medical wastes so that they can charge a higher fee to put it into the system," Hanneman said of the developer, U.S. Science & Technology of Sacramento.
