When you toss your garbage into a trash can in Lee and Hendry counties, only 10 percent of it is dumped into a landfill. The rest of it is converted into electricity at Lee County’s Waste-to-Energy facility.
This month, the operation hit a new milestone by transforming 10 million tons of trash into power. Mike Duff, who manages the facility, tells us everything you put into your trash can, recyclable or not, is tossed into the mix. “There is practically no sorting done here on this tipping floor. It gets very busy and there is a safety concern with all of the truck traffic,” explained Duff.
The trash in the bins slowly seep into the furnace and then emerge as ash. The ash is taken to the landfill, and the remaining metal parts are sorted with the help of an industrial belt and a magnet.
“A lot of people in this community do not realize what they have here and it is fantastic,” said Duff.
According to the director of the Solid Waste Division of Lee County, the newest milestone is proof of an indispensable system.
We are told the facility is seeing a six percent increase in the trash it collects every year. During the season, it is not uncommon for the garbage to reach the top of the pit.
To read the full story, visit http://www.nbc-2.com/story/33071864/10-million-tons-of-trash-transformed-into-energy.