Treating municipal waste
The EU-funded ORMA project concentrated on the application of Eco Industrial Park (EIP) principles within the context of low-industrial-intensity rural areas. Analysing the flow of materials in combination with a general understanding of the cyclical processes involved in EIPs is likely to facilitate their design and implementation. A major aspect of the project was the management of waste, and the waste cycle in general. The aim has been to arrive at an environmentally friendly method of waste management, which could yield also by-products of interest. Israel-based Arrow Ecology Ltd. appears to have patented such a method. The ArrowBio process is based on a series of separation and filtration steps, and it also utilises the biodegrading properties of water. Use of the technology converts the waste material into recyclable material (such as plastics and glass), biogas-derived energy, natural gas and fertilisers. These can be of particular value within a rural setting and as such the ArrowBio technology offers distinct advantages over currently employed waste management processes. The company is keen to initiate agreements with private and/or public partners, and is examining the potential of joint ventures, manufacturing and marketing deals.
