CONSUMER POWER

Photo: One day all of this could run on Biogas

(Click on title for a link to camphill community)

Waste and waste management issues are in the headlines again, with blame being thrown from pillar to post. Ireland is slowly sinking under a sea of consumer waste and the problem seems to be intensifying. If County Donegal is seen to be an area that produces tonnes and tonnes of waste, a member of the Dail might think it will be a good thing if a waste incinerator was to be put in the county. Some people are in favour of these machines I know, but if we had one here it would not only be to deal with our own rubbish but we would also take in waste from other counties via a big increase in heavy lorries.

When the incinerator got into full swing we would receive rubbish from all over Europe to keep the thing burning and churning out waste gasses, which would fall onto the countryside. What is needed is awareness from manufacturers about the excess packaging that is being palmed off onto the long-suffering consumer. The best way to make a company reduce the layers of waste packaging on their goods is to hit them where it hurts. Like some other European countries there could be a hefty tax on packaging. The more rubbish the company puts around their products, the more tax they pay.

This money could be used directly by the cash strapped councils to improve the recycling facilities that are already in place. We would soon see a reduction of unnecessary packaging. If we didn’t see a reduction of waste from the manufacturers then we could stop buying that product (even though some of the packaging looks very appealing) until they conformed. That way they couldn’t pass on the tax onto us, the consumers. The power is in our hands, …. I don’t know what we can do about the fridges, telly’s and old nappies dumped in the hedgerows though, I’ll have to give that issue a bit more thought!

BIOGAS
Household waste isn’t the only thing that can be recycled. In a rural area such as Inishowen we have one product that could make us nearly self sufficient on renewable energy, well two actually when you take wind into consideration! The other source of energy is from farmyard slurry. Camphill Community, based in Co. Kilkenny are pioneers in using his form of fuel. Their 20-acre farm is a residential therapeutic centre for up to 90 children and adults with learning difficulties. The centre built an anaerobic digester plant on the farm, which produces all their energy requirements by producing methane.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The Bio fuel plant takes in cattle slurry from three neighbouring farms and food industry wastes from the local creamery and brewery for processing in the anaerobic digester. In the big tank, bacterial action causes gas to be released from the slurry. The extracted gas is then burned in a CHP (Combined Heat and Power unit) to create heat for central heating and electricity to be sold to the national grid. The digested slurry is put through a separator and the liquid portion, which is odour free and has enhanced fertilizer value, will be returned to the farmer for spreading on the land. The solids are composted and eventually sold as very nutritious, organic compost. This process is a Win Win Win situation.

· The process protects the environment by processing industrial waste into valuable organic fertiliser.
· Creates renewable energy from waste.
· Creates employment for people with disabilities in rural enterprise.


Irish government is supporting the initiative and so is the EU. Now that the Camphill community flagship is up and running it is hoped that other organisations and individuals will follow suit.

HOT AIR
Research shows that Ireland has the greatest potential per capita for farm biogas than any other country in Europe. We have some catching up to do though. Whilst we have the one plant, Germany has already 800 plants in operation. If I was a businessperson, I know where I would invest my money. Biogas tanks will be all over the country in the next few years.

Environmental.