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Armed Forces: Waste Disposal

Volume 501: debated on Tuesday 24 November 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of pyrolysis waste disposal systems generating heat and electricity whilst troops are on operations; and how wet and dry waste is disposed of during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. (300501)

The use of pyrolysis waste disposal systems on operations to generate heat and electricity may not be viable, due to the low electrical power output such systems can generate and the difficulty in utilising heat energy in hot desert environments. MOD is however, committed to investigating this and is conducting a study into the quantity and type of waste produced in theatre, which will enable the Department to determine the best energy from waste solution.

Currently dry waste in theatre is sorted and plastics and metals are recycled by local companies. The rest is incinerated in theatre. MOD is in the process of supplying Membrane Biological Reactors in order to treat sewage and it is investigating the re-use of grey water from showers.