Biodigester And Biocell Feasibility Study A Sustainable Approach For Waste Management For The Island Of San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador

Abstract

The focus of this project is the island of San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador, and the analysis of two types of solid waste management technologies, an anaerobic digester or a biocell,as a means to improving the Island’s management of landfilled and organic waste, and the potential to generate sustainable energy. This project examines the technological and economic feasibility of three waste management scenarios. Moreover, the three pillars of sustainability`environmental, social, and economic`are fundamental in assessing benefits and stresses that the technologies may cause to the Island’s already sensitive and endemic ecosystems. Various academic and institutional case studies were used to evaluate each individual technology and its potential fit to the context of San Cristobal. Literature related to the Island’s waste management situation, waste characterization, existing environmental concerns, and construction costs had to be supplemented by relevant Ecuadorean, Latin American, and North American research. According to my evaluation, the most feasible technology for the Island is the anaerobic digester technology. Not only does this technology have the potential to generate renewable energy in the form of biogas as a form of energy, and compost as a benefit to the agricultural sector, but it also can provide multiple environmental and socio`economic benefits. Socio`economic benefits are associated with the creation of new jobs on the Island, the potential to sell carbon credit, but also monetary gains that the waste management facility can obtain from the technologies generation of biogas and compost. Environmental benefits include a sequestration of greenhouse gases, prevention of leachate contamination of water sources, and the potential to improve the fertility of the Island’s agricultural soils. Altogether, none of the technologies has the complete solution to all of the Island’s waste management issues, this study informs, guides, and gives options to policymakers and potential investors who consider altering or improving San Cristobal’s municipal solid waste management program.