Organic Waste Recycling

Introduction 17

Figure 1.8 Solid waste treatment facility of Rayong municipality, Thailand.
(http://www.cogen3.net)

1.4 FEASIBILITY AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF

WASTE RECYCLING

The feasibility of a waste recycling scheme depends not only on technical and
economic aspects, but also on social, cultural, public health and institutional
considerations. Although waste recycling has been in practice successfully in many
countries (both developed and developing), as cited in examples in section 1.3, a
large number of people still lack understanding and neglect the benefits to be
gained from these waste recycling schemes. Waste recycling should not aim at only
producing food or energy. In considering the cost-effectiveness of a waste
recycling scheme, unquantifiable benefits to be gained from pollution control and
public health improvement should be taken into account. Because human excreta
and animal manure can contain several pathogenic microorganisms, the recycling
of these organic wastes has to be undertaken with great care; the public health
aspects of each waste recycling technology are discussed in the following chapters.

Biogas-fired cogenerator

Anaerobic digestion tank

Biogas storage tank