North Americans are among the largest producers of municipal solid waste in the world. Environment Canada indicates Canada produces about 30 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually. This is to about 1.8 kg per day per person (4 pounds). According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) each person in the US produces about 2.1 kg of municipal solid waste every day (4.62 pounds). This means that the United States produces over 250 million metric tonnes of municipal solid waste annually.
Landfills remain the primary destination for municipal solid waste around the world. According to the US EPA there are about 2,000 landfills operating in the US. Landfilling is controversial because of the nuisances of odour, the emission of greenhouse gases, the contamination of groundwater, explosion risks and the generally unsightly appearance of the sites.
Water pollution from landfills is a significant concern. Landfills threaten water supplies when water percolates through waste, picking up toxic materials such as metals, minerals, organic chemicals, bacteria and viruses (EPA). Furthermore, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, about 23% of the methane released in the US every year comes from landfills.
The ROC processes all untreated municipal solid waste without the requirement of sorting. Unsightly local landfill, odors, disease and emissions can all be removed using ROC technology, while providing a significant source of local community energy at rates lower than local utilities can provide.