Photo via Gates Notes/The Janicki Omni Processor in Dakar, Senegal
Does a pilot project in Africa hold promise for cheaper, more efficient sewage disposal in southeast Michigan? Imagine a number of these machines scattered throughout our region, eliminating the need for miles and miles of interceptors, as well as the Detroit wastewater treatment plant; not to mention landfills and the NEFCO pelletizing plant presently necessary for sludge disposal.
Molly Brown (August 12, 2015 on GeekWire) describes the success of the inexpensive Janicki sewage processor, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates’ foundation, in Dakar, Senegal (excerpts):
[Bill Gates’ blog, Gates Notes]...shows how the Omni Processor takes one third of the sludge in Dakar [population 1.2 million] and makes it into potable water, electricity and ash.
Even greater news? Gates reports in his blog that this is only the first iteration of the project, which has allowed them to fix a few engineering problems and set their sights on a much bigger and better use — garbage.
Gates calls the results “promising” and that his team is “still looking at ways to make the [Janicki Omni Processor] cheaper and smaller.”
“Now we have a business plan, an impassioned team of engineers, great in-country partners, and a pilot project in motion,” he concludes in his post.
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