Residual Biomass
Residual biomass is mainly from three sources:
- Agricultural: manure, crop residues
- Industrial and commercial: food processing, pulp and paper, forestry, restaurants
- Municipal: wastewater treatment plant sludge, lawn and leaf, construction debris
With more than two billion tons of residual biomass generated in North America per year, management solutions remain a challenge. Current methods of managing residual biomass include:
Landfilling is the primary management mode. As organic wastes deteriorate, they produce methane (CH4), a gas that is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide is to global warming. In North America, several regions, including Quebec, have decided to ban all landfill wastes starting in 2020.
Composting is widely used, but with difficulties in selling the end product. While some specific types of compost are selling well, including those made from sheep manure and shrimp, most are not. This creates storage problems. Unfortunately, much of the compost produced ends up in landfills.
Land application is used as fertilizer in fields. Some wastes are valued as fertilizers because of their nitrogen and phosphorous contents. However, some wastes are toxic as they contain growth hormones, antibiotics, detergents and pathogenic microorganisms. Their potential hazards outweigh their benefits.
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