Earth Equity News

Biosolids by Any Other Name... By Jim Forsyth, Reuters, September 9, 2008. "San Antonio unveiled a deal on Tuesday that will make it the first U.S. city to harvest methane gas from human waste on a commercial scale and turn it into clean-burning fuel. San Antonio residents produce about 140,000 tons a year of a substance gently referred to as 'biosolids,' which can be reprocessed into natural gas, said Steve Clouse, [head] of the city's water system. 'You may call it something else,' Clouse said, but for area utilities, the main byproduct of human waste -- methane gas -- will soon be converted into natural gas to burn in their power plants. The city approved a deal where Massachusetts-based Ameresco will convert the city's biosolids into natural gas, which could generate about 1.5 million cubic feet per day... Following the agreement, more than 90% of materials flushed down the toilets and sinks of San Antonio will be recycled."