When Waste Becomes a Driving Force
- yes or no Redaktion
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 3
What should be done with the more than 2 billion tons of waste generated worldwide every year[1]? A large portion of this waste is still disposed of in landfills and dumps, often finding its way into the natural environment. Yet waste is increasingly being recognized as a resource - and could make a significant contribution to meeting the growing demand for raw materials and energy.
Landfills have a long history: as early as ancient times, the first known waste dump in the Western world was established outside the gates of Athens[2]. A form of disposal with serious environmental consequences: landfills not only pollute soil and groundwater, but also emit methane, a greenhouse gas around 25 times more harmful to the climate than CO₂[3].
Shift: From Landfilling to Recovery
While Germany has already banned the landfilling of untreated municipal waste since 2005, waste management and climate experts are calling for similar measures not only across Europe but worldwide. However, alternatives to landfills are needed. “A key lies not only in waste prevention but also in increasing waste recovery. Recovery includes all measures aimed at utilizing the material or energy potential contained in waste,” writes the German Environment Agency[4]. This is precisely where the so-called Waste-to-Energy process comes in: through thermal recovery, it generates heat and electricity from waste that cannot or can no longer be recycled - a previously underestimated secondary benefit.
Transformation: From Waste Disposer to Energy Supplier
While the primary goal of thermal waste treatment has traditionally been the safe disposal of waste, its side effect - energy generation - is becoming increasingly economically important. Waste-to-Energy plants are usually located regionally, meaning waste disposal and energy production take place over short distances. At the same time, plant efficiency is improving, for example through the use of modern power turbines that increase energy output. According to the German association of thermal waste treatment plants (ITAD), thermal waste recovery in Germany could supply around one third of the population with heat[5]. Waste-to-Energy thus reduces the need for primary, predominantly fossil fuels - contributing to sustainability and, above all, to energy security in light of the nuclear phase-out and the planned end of coal-fired power generation in Germany by 2030.
Development: From Environmental Burden to Recreational Space
To reduce harmful landfills, modern waste-to-energy plants with advanced filtration systems are also gaining importance as spaces for ecological and social activity. A look at neighboring European countries illustrates this: the Danish waste-to-energy plant “Amager Bakke” in Copenhagen processes around 400,000 tons of waste annually, supplying about 160,000 households with district heating and 62,500 homes with electricity[6]. At the same time, the industrial facility has become a popular recreational and ski area, known as “Copenhill.” At the Kraków waste-to-energy plant, beehives were installed in 2017 as part of the “Apiary Krakow” project, demonstrating a healthy natural environment around the facility[7] - after all, bees are considered a reliable indicator of environmental quality. The Econotre Ecopole heating network in Toulouse, France, is also connected to a waste-to-energy plant that supplies, among other things, a nearby greenhouse producing 6,000 tons of tomatoes annually for the local market[8].
Future: From Waste-to-Energy to Waste-to-Value
Thermal waste treatment is also an important component of the circular economy because it recovers energy from materials that cannot or can no longer be recycled and would otherwise end up in landfills. This energy can supply not only businesses and households but also electrolysis plants for hydrogen production. In addition, the remaining ash and slag can be reused industrially. The same applies to the greenhouse gas CO₂ - its capture and storage can significantly reduce emissions. Various methods are being tested, for example in Iceland, where researchers are turning CO₂ into stone[9]. Carbon is also valuable for other sectors, such as the chemical industry or as an energy carrier, which - according to the Research Institute for Sustainability at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - could create a carbon cycle[10]. In this way, waste becomes not only a driver, but also a beginning.
