Today's Article

Tim Clarke, CEO, Warsan Waste Management Company: Around about 45% of Dubai's total waste comes to this 2facility and we turn that into energy. 

CNN Anchor: 3Overseeing this site in the United Arab Emirates, Tim Clarke is an expert in turning piles of trash into 4megawatts. Here, enough to 5power 6approximately 130,000 homes. 

Tim Clarke: This facility is the largest of its type in the world. We're processing about 1.9 million tons a year of waste. 

CNN Anchor: The process is simple. Burn the waste, produce heat and steam, drive a turbine to make electricity. It's a tried and tested 7method that has 8existed for over a century. Now, Tim says having a 9plant of this scale 10takes it to a different level. 

Tim Clarke: We 11operate at a 34% 12efficiency of producing electricity which is much higher than it would normally be expected from an energy from 13waste plant and that's partly because of the size we can operate at higher temperatures and higher pressures. 

CNN Anchor: Last year, the world's 14urban areas produced more than 2 billion tons of waste, and that will grow to nearly double by the middle of the century. 15Landfills are piling up, and there's an urgent need for 16a way out. 

Bryan Staley, CEO, Environmental Research & Education Foundation: If we're globally putting more waste into open dumps, we're creating 17methane that is unmanaged. As a solution, 18waste energy can create less 19emissions compared to a landfill setting. 

CNN Anchor: At Warsan, besides the energy produced, waste metal is recycled and 20leftover ash is used for building roads. Finally, 21sulfur and heavy metal 22contaminants are filtered and taken away. 

Tim Clarke: Only the 200 tons of 23flue gas 24residue is the net waste at the end of 5,500 tons of waste going in per day. 

CNN Anchor: Using trash to create power can be seen as a more 25sustainable way to manage waste and 26combat the climate crisis. For experts, it's one piece of the puzzle. 

Bryan Staley: I think waste energy is part of a 27holistic solution. If we look at things from a 28circular economy 29standpoint, turning that plastic bottle back into a plastic bottle is by far going to have the least amount of energy 30consumption. And first, of course, would be just minimizing waste 31from the get-go. For example, less packaging or no packaging. 

CNN Anchor: This is the future of trash in a world where no efforts are left to waste.