In the previous two blogs, I talked about two of the largest problems surrounding the disposal and treatment of human biosolid waste. To recap, the main problems were the high concentration of PFAS in our biosolid sludge, and the decline in accessible ways of sludge disposal. PFAS stands for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and are a “large, complex, and ever-expanding group of manufactured chemicals that are widely used to make various types of everyday products” (Perfluoroalkyl). These PFAS consist of long strands of carbon-fluorine bonds that do not break down over time and are incredibly harmful to humans. PFAS are found in human waste and are causing issues with sludge disposal. Because of PFAS and other newfound constraints, sludge is unable to be disposed of in the ways it had been before. People don’t have anywhere to go with it and a solution is needed. In this blog post, I will cover the best approach for solving these issues and creating a cleaner future with reduced PFAS and a home for human biosolids. 

As of this moment, the most promising solution is a form of biomass gasification developed by an American company named Ecoremedy, but what is gasification and how does it work? “To begin, biomass gasification is a mature technology pathway that uses a controlled process involving heat, steam, and oxygen to convert biomass to hydrogen and other products, without combustion” (Hydrogen). The heat from gasification is generated chemically. From chemistry class, we know that the formation and breaking of chemical bonds generates and absorbs energy. In the case of gasification, the reaction is exothermic and the process emits energy in the form of heat. The reaction that takes place generally emits a mixture of hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide which reacts with water to make carbon dioxide and more hydrogen. To illustrate this, a simplified chemical reaction can be followed: C6H12O6 + O2 + H2O → CO + CO2 + H2 + other species. In this reaction, glucose (C6H12O6) is used in place of the biomass. This can be done since glucose is one of the main building blocks in the chemical composition of biomass. 

Now that the process of gasification has started, what can be done with the gasses, biomass, and heat that is created/left over? This is what makes Ecoremedy such a good solution to the biosolid problem. Each and every product is used or recycled in some way. For example, the heat from the gasification process is typically used to power a boiler. The steam from the boiler is then sent to heat homes, run electric turbines that generate electricity, or heat water. This process is efficient in the way that it uses the heat it creates, unlike other methods of gasification or incineration. Beyond the heat created, the gasses created in the process are typically sent through a carbon scrubber where unwanted substances are removed. The leftover hydrogen and carbon dioxide are then released into the atmosphere where they combine as water vapor. This part often confuses people. Despite the creation of CO2, the process of gasification is actually incredibly carbon neutral. This happens because the gasification process also creates hydrogen gas. Because both gasses are created, the CO2 and H2 can combine to create water instead of acting as greenhouse gasses. This is extra special because of the fact that Ecoremedy’s gasifier runs on biosolids and not fossil fuels. Because of this, there are no byproducts of fossil fuel combustion. Since there are no other gasses emitted, Ecoremedy’s solution can even be carbon negative when running efficiently. Finally, the leftover biomass from the gasification process is changed drastically during the process. Remember PFAS? The cool thing about gasification is that it gets so incredibly hot that the carbon-fluorine bonds of PFAS are broken. This is the only way to break apart PFAS and it can be done without the need to use unclean energy. When the C-F bonds are broken, “the free fluorine grab onto the hydrogen within the reducing atmosphere inside the gasifier to form hydrogen fluoride. HF is easily removed from the flue gas stream using conventional chemical packed tower scrubbing equipment” (Mooney). The biosolids are also used very thoroughly in the gasification process. By the time they come out of the gasifier, they are only 2% of the volume that they were originally. This means that the processed biosolids are able to be landfilled safely or sold as fertilizer. 

There are many other competitors to Ecoremedy who are attempting to solve the biomass disposal problem, but none of them have the cleanliness, efficiency, and small carbon footprint that Ecoremedy does. Ecoremedy has found out how to use all of the energy in biosolids without needing any outside energy input, and they are the only solution that actively removes PFAS from the biosolids. With that being said, think about what Ecoremedy could do in the future. The energy created from one single Ecoremedy plant has the ability to power up to 95,000 homes annually and the ability to heat half of the capital of Pennsylvania (Ecoremedy). It has the ability to remove harmful substances from our water, food, and atmosphere. PFAS is deadly and something that we won’t be able to live with much longer. Ecoremedy also solves the biosolid disposal problem. Since the product is dry, small, and safe, it can be disposed of in all of the old ways. It can be land applied, landfilled, or sold to consumers around the nation. 

Ecoremedy is one of the most promising inventions of my generation, and I am excited to see how it shapes the world. Maybe one day soon, fossil fuels will no longer be used to create electricity and the world will run on biomass! Whatever the solution may be, Ecoremedy is a step in the right direction.

Works Cited:

“Ecoremedy Technology.” Ecoremedy, 16 Nov. 2021, https://ecoremedyllc.com/about/.

“Hydrogen Production: Biomass Gasification.” Energy.gov, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office,  https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-production-biomass-gasification#:~:text=Gasification%20is%20a%20process%20that,%2C%20hydrogen%2C%20and%20carbon%20dioxide.

Mooney, David E. Ecoremedy Technology Explanation, 14 Mar. 2022.

“Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022, https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm#:~:text=PFAS%20are%20a%20large%2C%20complex,foam%20that%20is%20more%20effective.