The Business Of Trash | CNBC Marathon
CNBC・44 minutes read
The waste management market is projected to reach $229 billion by 2027, with a focus on waste-to-energy facilities for electricity generation and proper battery disposal. Landfills generate revenue through tipping fees, with waste-to-energy facilities considered a cleaner alternative to landfills for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing electricity efficiently.
Insights
- Landfills generate electricity through landfill gas, benefiting from subsidies and carbon credits, showcasing a profitable and environmentally friendly aspect of waste management.
- Spears New Technologies (SNT) specializes in extending the economic life of EV batteries, reducing the need for critical minerals and providing a comprehensive solution for faulty batteries through repair, remanufacturing, refurbishing, and recycling.
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Recent questions
What is the projected value of the waste management market by 2027?
$229 billion
How do waste-to-energy facilities generate electricity?
Burn trash to power turbines
Why is proper disposal of batteries important for green companies?
Crucial for sustainability
How do landfills generate revenue?
Through tipping fees
What are the environmental benefits of waste-to-energy facilities?
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
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Summary
00:00
Global Waste Management Market Growth and Trends
- By 2027, the waste management market is projected to reach $229 billion.
- Waste-to-energy facilities burn trash to generate electricity.
- The amount of plastics in rivers worldwide may surpass that in oceans.
- Proper disposal of batteries is crucial for green companies.
- The degradation of EV battery packs is a significant industry concern.
- In 2019, the North American waste management market hit $208 billion.
- Strict environmental regulations and increased waste production will further expand the market.
- Landfills have seen financial success due to modern chemistry and government support.
- Landfills make revenue through tipping fees based on weight per ton.
- Tipping fees have steadily increased over the years, varying by location and population density.
13:03
"Landfill Gas Powers Homes, Benefits Environment"
- Landfill gas generates about 10.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually, sufficient to power around 810,000 homes and heat nearly 540,000 homes.
- Landfill gas-to-energy projects can cost over $5 million to construct and operate, with revenue not fully covering costs but benefiting from subsidies.
- Landfills benefit from subsidies and carbon credits for converting gas to electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Waste management is a profitable industry, attracting private companies due to resource utilization and profitability if managed correctly.
- Waste-to-energy facilities burn trash to generate electricity, with intense heat converting water into steam to power turbines.
- Waste-to-energy facilities recover metals and reduce landfill waste, with Amazon and other companies utilizing this method for waste disposal.
- Waste-to-energy facilities are considered a sustainable waste management solution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to landfills.
- The U.S. generates significant waste, with recycling and composting preferred but not always feasible for all materials.
- Waste-to-energy facilities are more prevalent in Europe and Asia, with some countries overbuilding incineration capacity.
- Waste-to-energy facilities are viewed as a cleaner alternative to landfills, producing less harmful emissions and generating electricity efficiently.
26:07
Toxic Air Pollution: Dioxins in Grass
- Dioxin contamination in grass and chicken eggs due to air pollution.
- Toxins in smoke plume include particulates, heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium.
- U.S. monitoring systems and standards are lower than Europe's.
- Air pollution technology advancements have reduced common toxins.
- Waste-to-energy facilities emit less dioxin than forest fires.
- Incineration produces toxic ash, requiring regular testing for heavy metals.
- In Europe, toxic fly ash is separated from safer bottom ash for reuse.
- In the U.S., fly and bottom ash are mixed and buried due to toxicity.
- Waste-to-energy facilities and landfills are often located in poor communities.
- Waste-to-energy is a $10 billion industry, with landfill companies like Waste Management and Republic Services outperforming the market.
- Amazon burns waste to hide it, with waste-to-energy facilities being a financial alternative to landfills.
38:25
River Cleanup Projects: Global Collaborations and Innovations
- Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore and a state-owned NGO are collaborating on river cleanup projects.
- Clearwater Mills and Marea Verde are partnering to build a trash wheel named Wanda Diaz in Panama.
- The project is funded by the Benioff Ocean Initiative and the Coca-Cola Foundation.
- Wanda Diaz will operate on the Juan Diaz River, one of Panama's most polluted rivers.
- The Ocean Cleanup is focusing on river cleanup technologies in addition to ocean cleanup efforts.
- The Interceptor Original, a solar-powered barge, is the Ocean Cleanup's first river cleanup device.
- The Ocean Cleanup is developing various solutions like the interceptor barrier and trash fence for different river conditions.
- AlphaMERS, an India-based company, produces a river barrier made of stainless steel mesh for trash capture.
- AlphaMERS' floating barriers have been successful in capturing tons of plastic in rivers like the Cooum River in Chennai.
- Spiers New Technologies in Oklahoma City is working on rebuilding and salvaging EV batteries for reuse in electric vehicles.
50:54
SNT: Pioneering EV Battery Life Extension
- Dirk Spears is the founder and CEO of Spears New Technologies, specializing in EV battery pack life cycle management to extend their economic life and reduce the need for critical minerals.
- Spears New Technologies (SNT) was founded in 2014 with two employees, acquired by Cox Automotive in 2021, now having over 400 employees, offering a one-stop solution for faulty EV batteries.
- SNT receives batteries from dealerships or manufacturers like Toyota or Porsche, diagnosing them with Alfred to determine if they can be repaired, remanufactured, refurbished, or repurposed for a second life.
- SNT has facilities in Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Detroit, the Netherlands, and plans to expand to the U.K., focusing on end-to-end life-cycle management for EV batteries.
- SNT services over 240,000 packs, with 50,000 repaired, refurbished, or remanufactured, and 3,000 recycled, handling an average of 15,000 battery packs and modules per month.
- By 2050, demand for graphite, lithium, and cobalt is expected to increase by 500%, but extending EV battery life can reduce the need for critical minerals.
- While some critics believe the EV battery recycling business may be booming too quickly, SNT and similar companies are pioneering the space, focusing on making the business profitable and sustainable.
