INL presents Municipal Solid Waste research findings to Sho-Ban Tribes representatives
The Idaho National Laboratories researchers with INL tribal engagement lead Elese Teton perform sorting demonstration on October 16. (Photos courtesy of Office of Public Affairs)
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Office of Public Affairs
IDAHO FALLS — Idaho National Laboratories (INL) presented their final research findings from a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) demonstration to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on October 16.
Ladd Edmo represented the Fort Hall Business Council along with staff Jim Cutler from Solid Waste; Mark DeVisser, Tribal DOE Sr. Contract Specialist; Michael Steele, Sho-Ban Tribes Policy Analyst; Echo Marshall and Roselynn Yazzie from Public Affairs. Elese Teton, Tribal Engagement Lead from INL, was also in attendance.
The meeting consisted of a final report presentation, a tour of the Biomass Feedstock National User Facility and Microgrid Test Bed.
Small particles of cleaned Municipal Solid Waste after it’s been processed.
Damon Hartley, Ph.D, Group and Technical Lead of Operations Research & Analysis from INL explained the purpose of the presentation is to have the conversation around what the opportunities might be and what they found in their study. Their work looked at a typical Monday household route collected in 2015 by the Fort Hall Solid Waste Program and examined the process of how the waste was sorted and cleaned with a series of machines to ultimately be used for reusable products, such as insulation.
Hartley said tribal and rural communities generally don’t have onsite recycling programs and not having those programs available causes everything to go to a landfill. Landfill areas are a finite resource.
Being able to sort MSW does have other benefits other than just extending the life of the landfill, such as creating industries can create jobs, potential business opportunities for those looking at the materials being produced.
Fort Hall Business Council member Ladd Edmo observers INL’s Microgrid Test Bed
on October 16.
The microgrids shown are localized grids that can operate independently or in conjunction with the main power grid. They use a variety of power sources, including generators, batteries and renewable resources to provide electricity to a limited area such as a single facility or community. The systems are designed for flexibility, allowing for isolated operation and synchronization with the larger grid.
Councilman Edmo spoke of the importance of INL’s work and how these projects could help in the Tribes effort toward stewardship in the future.
