Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Aug 08, 2012
Six years ago the Cleveland Recycling & Energy Generation Center was born with two goals – to retrieve recyclables and mold the remaining waste into burnable pellets to generate energy. The project has had a tough time but there is a determination to continue efforts to get it done.
A recent article from Midwest Energy News described the long road to converting waste to energy as difficult. This particular case may be due, in part, to some road blocks actually being put up by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Representatives of the federal agency criticized the Ohio EPA of giving a permit to the project because they believe the burnt pellets will emit more nitrogen oxide than the Clean Air Act allows. The center would need to apply for a permit similar to that of a fossil fuel burning plant. Also, if it converts as much trash as it plans to, it should be getting a permit as a major emitter and classified as a municipal incinerator.
The controversy centers on burning of the pellets and whether they are just trash being burned or something more, considering the pellets will burn in a low oxygen atmosphere that gives off less pollution due to gasification technology. It’s a safe bet to say that there will be plenty of proponents and opponents of the plant until it is officially slated to open in 2015.
One energy-efficient move that Lorain County residents won’t get much opposition to is a conversion to natural gas for heat. Our Lorain County HVAC experts can advise you on just how much money you might be able to save by making the switch from oil to natural gas heat. Schedule an appointment for an HVAC performance check and ask our experienced technician about converting to gas heat before the colder months begin.
Photo by Andy Arthur.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jun 29, 2012
The advancements in recycling in America have been swift and thankfully many of the improvements have to do with the increased number of items that can be recycled. The beginning of the movement involved having newspapers and bottles picked up at the curb. Now there are many more areas in the USA that will pick up milk containers, other plastics, and sometimes even appliances and electronics.
These last two items are extremely important for a number of reasons. They may contain substances that if left in a landfill will eventually leak and foul up the water supply. In Ohio you can log on to websites like AEP Ohio for information on how to safely get rid of old appliances from your home without leaving them at the curb.
There are even ways to make money from these items. If you replaced a working item like a refrigerator with a more efficient model, you can donate the used item to a local charity and receive a tax write off. You can also take old appliances to a scrap iron recycling center that will pay you for the item that no longer works.
However, there is another recycling effort going on at your house right now that may be costing you money. The A/C unit that recycles cooled air may need some cleaning to increase efficiency and reduce the particles in the air that lead to allergic reactions and summer colds.
Our experienced HVAC contractors can easily help you remedy this problem. Schedule a service appointment that will keep your A/C unit working at top efficiency all summer long. Our HVAC experts can also give you a demonstration of what a new Carrier ventilator can do to control humidity and keep the air in your home clean and fresh.
Photo by Matthew David Powell.
