U-Pak University
Emerald
Energy From Waste EfW
What is Energy from Waste (EfW)?
ENERGY FROM WASTE (EFW) is a scientific engineering process that turns waste that cannot be recycled into useful energy, such as electricity and steam.
It offers a responsible option for materials we cannot:
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- Reuse
- Recycle
- Compost, or otherwise divert in another way
Instead of sending these residual materials to landfill, Energy from Waste facilities use them as a resource to make energy.
For businesses, this means leftover waste can still serve a purpose—even after they have tried every practical way to recycle or divert it.
Why Does Energy from Waste (EfW) Matter?
Sustainable waste management means more than recycling. Instead, it means finding the best destination for each type of material.
Even with strong programs for waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting, some leftover waste remains. That’s where EfW can help.
Energy from Waste (EfW) helps:
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- Reduce reliance on landfills
- Preserve landfill space
- Recover energy from leftover waste
How U-Pak Uses Energy from Waste (EfW)
At U-Pak, our Zero Waste Solutions help businesses find ways to divert more waste across their operations. Once they have explored every practical way to recycle or divert it, U-Pak can send suitable leftover materials to Emerald Energy from Waste (EfW).
At the facility, Emerald turns waste that cannot be recycled into electricity and steam under strict environmental standards.
Together with strong recycling and organics programs, EfW helps businesses rely less on landfills and move closer to zero waste.
How Emerald (EfW) Turns Waste into Energy
What happens to waste after it leaves a facility?
At Emerald Energy from Waste (EfW), staff carefully process non-hazardous leftover waste and turn it into useful energy.
Emerald has operated in Brampton, Ontario, since 1992. In turn, the facility processes non-hazardous solid waste from municipal, industrial, commercial, and institutional sources. In addition, the facility has approval to process up to 500 metric tonnes of waste per day, recovering energy from materials that would otherwise go to landfill.
The result? Emerald produces enough electricity to power about 6,000 homes continuously. As a result, it supplies recovered steam to a nearby recycled-paper manufacturer.
Here’s how the process works.
STEP 1
Waste Delivery and Screening
Emerald receives waste on an enclosed tipping floor, where trained operators check each load by sight. They identify and remove oversized, prohibited, or unsuitable materials before processing.
The tipping floor can hold about 2,250 tonnes—roughly four to five days’ worth of waste for the facility. Only approved, non-hazardous solid waste moves on to processing.
WHY IT MATTERS: Screening protects employees and equipment and keeps unsuitable materials out of the Energy from Waste (EfW) process.
STEP 2
Gasification and Combustion
Approved waste is fed into one of Emerald’s five two-chamber Consumat gasifiers.
Lower chamber: Gasification
The gasifier heats waste in a low-oxygen environment at about 750°C to 850°C for roughly six hours. Instead of burning right away, the waste breaks down and produces an energy-rich gas called syngas.
Upper chamber: Combustion
The syngas moves into an upper chamber with more oxygen, where it burns fully at temperatures of about 1,000°C to 1,100°C.
This two-stage process controls how the waste breaks down and creates the heat needed to recover energy.
WHY IT MATTERS: The two-stage process helps recover energy recovery while maintaining the temperatures and residence times required by environmental standards.
STEP 3
Heat Recovery and Steam Production
Hot flue gases from combustion flow through a water-tube boiler. The gases heat water inside the boiler tubes, producing high-pressure steam.
At Emerald (EfW):
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- Flue gas enters the boiler at approximately 1,000°C
- Gas temperature drops to approximately 230°C
- Steam is produced at approximately 343°C
- The system can produce approximately 12,250 kilograms of steam per hour
This steam becomes a valuable source of recovered energy instead of letting heat to go to waste.
STEP 4
Electricity Generation
High-pressure steam turns a turbine connected to a generator, converting heat into electricity. Emerald produces approximately 10 MW. This electricity powers the facility and adds power to Ontario’s grid.
Emerald also sends recovered steam to a nearby recycled-paper manufacturer, helping the manufacturer rely less on fossil-fuel boilers.
WHY IT MATTERS: One waste stream can produce multiple forms of useful energy while reducing the amount of material sent to landfill.
How Are Air Emissions Managed?
However, energy recovery is just one part of the process. Before Emerald releases flue gases, it sends them through a multi-stage Air Pollution Control System.
Emerald’s (EfW) system includes:
- Evaporative cooling to control gas temperature
- Venturi reactors that introduce lime and activated carbon
- Baghouse filters that capture particulate matter
- Induced-draft fans that control airflow
- Selective Catalytic Reduction to reduce nitrogen oxides
Together, these systems are designed to remove or reduce:
- Acid gases
- Particulate matter
- Mercury and other heavy metals
- Dioxins and furans
- Nitrogen oxides
During Selective Catalytic Reduction, operators inject ammonia into the flue gas as it passes through catalyst beds. This process changes nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water.
Continuous Monitoring
Emerald continuously tracks key operating and emissions indicators, including:
- Carbon monoxide and oxygen
- Hydrogen chloride
- Opacity
- Nitrogen oxides
Additionally, independent stack testing assesses additional substances and verifies compliance with Ontario’s environmental requirements.
KEY TAKEAWAY: EfW relies on controlled combustion, advanced air-pollution controls, continuous monitoring, and independent testing.
The Benefits of Energy from Waste (EfW)
Sends Less Waste to Landfill
EfW can reduce the amount of leftover waste sent to landfill by 85% to 90%, helping preserve Ontario’s limited landfill space.
Recovers Value from Residual Waste
Even materials that cannot be reused or recycled can still produce electricity and steam.
Cuts Landfill Methane
Typically, when organic material breaks down in a landfill without oxygen, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Businesses can help avoid these emissions by diverting suitable leftover waste from landfill.
Produces Local Energy
Emerald generates electricity for its operations and Ontario’s grid. It also supplies steam to a nearby recycled-paper manufacturer.
Supports a Circular Economy
Energy from Waste (EfW) treats leftover waste as a resource rather than burying it. It works alongside reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting by recovering value from what remains.
Supports More Resilient Waste Management
Local Energy from Waste EfW capacity can help municipalities and businesses rely less on distant landfills and cross-border waste exports. Additionally, it also provides long-term solutions for leftover waste.
Emerald Energy from Waste (EfW)
Emerald is Ontario’s longest-running Energy from Waste (EfW) facility. Moreover, it has been operating in Brampton for more than 30 years. The facility:
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- Processes about 500 tonnes of non-hazardous waste per day
- Generates about 10 MW of energy
- Produces enough electricity to power the facility and approximately 6,000 homes
- Supplies steam to a nearby recycled-paper manufacturer
- Continuously monitors its operations and uses advanced air-pollution controls
- Has processed more than three million tonnes of waste since 1992
Furthermore, Emerald also plans to redevelop the facility in stages. Therefore, this could raise its processing capacity to about 2,500 tonnes per day and increase its energy output to up to 100 MW—enough to support the facility and about 60,000 homes.
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