Spearheading Environmental Transformation with Leading-Edge Waste-to-Energy Solutions and Sustainable Innovations

In a world grappling with the growing challenge of waste management, the need for effective solutions has never been more urgent. As communities worldwide face overflowing landfills, environmental damage, and the looming threat of climate change, innovative waste-to-energy companies like WastAway play a crucial role.

WastAway stands out as a visionary in waste recycling and green technology innovation, offering transformative solutions that redefine the approach to waste. By tackling the root causes of waste generation and introducing new technologies, WastAway positively impacts the environment and advances waste’s potential as a valuable, renewable resource. Through a people-centric approach, WastAway empowers communities to improve the environment and pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come.

In an exclusive interview with CIO Bulletin, Mark Brown, CEO of WastAway, shed light on how his company transforms unwanted materials into valuable necessities that the world needs.

From Military Collaboration to Environmental Innovation: The Inception of WastAway

As CEO of WastAway, Mark Brown often reflects on the pivotal moment that sparked the company’s journey toward revolutionizing waste management. It all began with a collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a partnership forged with the aim of transforming how municipal solid waste (MSW) is handled on military bases, both at home and abroad.

The story began with a shared vision: to find a sustainable alternative to traditional landfill disposal methods, reducing reliance on landfills and mitigating their environmental impact. Inspired by this mission, the team at WastAway embarked on a journey fueled by innovation and determination.

“The core WastAway technology was born from a collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. From that moment, we knew we had the opportunity to not only revolutionize waste management but also make a meaningful difference in the world for our children and grandchildren,” Brown said.

Over the years, WastAway’s dedication to environmental innovation has driven the company to refine and enhance its patented equipment design and processing system. Today, WastAway is a leading green technology company boasting a multi-patented equipment design and processing system that converts MSW to fuel, achieving an 85% landfill diversion rate. As they look to the future, their commitment to environmental sustainability remains unwavering. They are driven by a shared vision of creating a cleaner, more sustainable world for generations to come.

Transforming Waste into Renewable Resources

WastAway’s innovative technology efficiently removes metals, plastics, glass, and inerts from municipal solid waste (MSW), facilitating recycling. The remaining waste is transformed into pathogen-free, carbon-rich sustainable engineered fuel. This fuel serves as the catalyst for a range of renewable products, including:

• High-BTU Coal Replacement Fuel: Suitable for various industrial applications.
  
  
• Biofuels: Produced through gasification and pyrolysis techniques.
  
  
• Renewable Natural Gas (RNG): Generated via anaerobic digestion processes.
  
  
• Soil Enrichment Additive: Enhances soil quality and fertility.
  
  
• Composite Building Materials: Utilized in construction materials extrusion processes.

“In our commitment to sustainability, we repurpose waste into valuable resources, contributing to a cleaner, greener future,” said Brown.

WastAway’s Role in the Circular Economy and Global Sustainability

“In less than half an hour, the WastAway system converts municipal solid waste into Cellulate, a renewable, odorless, and pathogen-free fuel stock with a negative carbon footprint,” Brown said.

By focusing on these sustainable outputs, WastAway actively supports global sustainability efforts and promotes a circular economy, where waste is transformed into valuable resources.

Leading the Charge in Environmental Innovation

WastAway remains a leading innovator in green technology, as previously mentioned, dedicated to turning MSW into sustainable fuel with an 85% landfill diversion rate, amidst growing environmental challenges. The company’s mission is simple yet profound: to take something the world doesn’t want and turn it into something the world needs – renewable, sustainable biofuels with a negative carbon footprint.

“We are rising to the evolving environmental challenges and making our world a cleaner, greener place,” Brown said.

WastAway’s technology is designed to adapt and scale with increasing environmental demands. By converting unwanted waste into valuable resources, WastAway is committed to creating a future where waste management is not just about disposal but about harnessing waste as a resource to build a sustainable world.

Fostering Community Resilience through Waste Management Revolution

For nearly two decades, WastAway has been a driving force in assisting communities and municipalities with their solid municipal waste needs. The company’s multi-patented process lies at the heart of its success, transforming waste into versatile products with multiple uses. With the system in commercial use, WastAway has demonstrated its effectiveness in solving waste management challenges.

“Our multi-patented process has been used successfully for nearly 20 years to help communities and municipalities solve their solid municipal waste needs,” said Mark Brown. “At the heart of our system are WastAway technologies that transform waste into products with multiple uses.”

WastAway’s approach is highly collaborative, working closely with each community to develop customized, earth-friendly solutions. Whether enhancing existing recycling programs or creating new ones, WastAway strives to boost participation rates and recover more materials, ultimately keeping municipal solid waste out of landfills for good.

“Our goal is to achieve zero landfill growth. We like to say we are the beginning of the end for landfills!”

Rescuing Communities from the Brink: WastAway’s Success Stories

The Problem: Overwhelmed Landfills and Environmental Concerns

Communities across the country face mounting challenges as landfills reach capacity and environmental concerns soar. With limited options for sustainable waste management, municipalities struggle to find solutions to growing solid municipal waste (MSW) problems.

WastAway to the Rescue: Pioneering Waste Management Innovation

WastAway, with its groundbreaking technology, is poised to transform MSW into renewable fuel and other beneficial products. In Morrison, Tennessee, WastAway’s flagship plant has been operational for more than 15 years, serving as both a commercial facility and a research and development center.

In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, WastAway is making a significant impact with the development of a major plant set to divert 85% of the city’s trash from the Middle Point Landfill. Similarly, in Kern County, California, near Bakersfield, WastAway is spearheading another major project. This facility, also

diverting 85% of processed waste into renewable fuel and other valuable products, promises to be a game-changer in waste management practices across the region. It will also help Kern County meet their state mandate under SB 1383 to reduce organics entering the landfill by 75% by 2025.

With an estimated cost of $150 million, these two plants will each process 400 tons of MSW daily, alleviating the strain on landfills while providing renewable energy solutions.

WastAway’s impact speaks volumes. By removing the equivalent of 96,000 automobiles from the road, eliminating 866 billion pounds of CO₂ from the air and adding 517,000 acres of forest land producing clean oxygen, the company’s green technology is not only reducing reliance on landfills but also contributing to a cleaner, greener future for communities nationwide.

SE3™ and the Anaerobic Digestor Evolution

As the world continues to seek sustainable solutions for waste management, WastAway remains at the forefront of innovation, constantly striving to push boundaries and advance new green technologies. One such innovation is the utilization of anaerobic digestors, heralding the next wave in waste-to-energy conversion.

“Anaerobic digestors are the wave of the waste-to-energy future. Our modern, anaerobic digestor technologies use our sustainable engineered fuel (SE3^TM) – processed from Cellulate, our patented fuel stock – to produce massive amounts of RNG that is captured and sold to gas companies. RNG is the world’s most premium natural gas!” SE3^TM is better than coal according to industry leaders through these critical attributes:

1. High Energy
   
   
2. Consistent Performance
   
   
3. Clean & Safe

“Our SE3^TM delivers 9,000 BTUs/pound, giving users an innovative solution to drive operational, sustainability and environmental goals. It can extend operating life of major assets, and advances a stronger, mutually beneficial relationship between customers, companies and communities facing a critical need to forge paths to zero waste and landfill diversion goals.”

SE3^TM delivers a revolutionary approach in a win-win-win for people, profitability and the planet.

The CEO’s Message

“Things are never as they seem. Everyone is in favor of cleaner, greener, sustainable technology, but change comes slowly when dealing with risk-averse municipalities. No one wants to be first, and making revolutionary changes to 20- and 30-year waste plans happens very slowly. Ultimately, as with any innovative technology, the process takes longer, costs more, and one will find many actors who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Hang in there. If your technology is truly beneficial, it is a great feeling to be part of making our world a better place for all of us to live!” – Mark Brown

The Ardent Visionary Leader at the Helm of WastAway

Mark Brown brings more than 15 years of diverse experience in design, management, manufacturing, and project development of solid waste conversion technologies to his role as CEO of WastAway and its parent company, Bouldin Corporation. Leading a skilled team, he oversees finance, design, construction, and commissioning efforts for numerous 100+ tons per day facilities.

Since 1985, Brown has held executive positions in construction, automation, and manufacturing companies, leading seven multi-million dollar industrial development/construction projects and serving on six corporate boards. A Paul Harris Fellow and recipient of the Free Enterprise Award, Brown graduated magna cum laude from Tennessee Technological University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

“Our goal is to achieve zero landfill growth. We like to say we are the beginning of the end for landfills!”