Garbage is an important energy source

If you live in Spokane, you know about its waste-to-energy facility which burns up to 800 tons of solid waste a day and can generate 22 megawatts of electricity---enough to power 13,000 homes.

It is part of Spokane’s overall system that encourages recycling and waste reduction along with generating power.

But what about the landfills spewing greenhouse gases from rotting trash?

Earlier this year, Washington lawmakers approved legislation requiring large garbage dumps to capture methane gas thereby preventing its escape into the atmosphere. It says owners of landfills with 450,000 tons or more...