Companies tap industrial waste for savings

Food processor Cargill generates heat from methane made from scraps

BEARDSTOWN, Ill. – One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. And the same goes for corporate America’s waste.

Companies and municipalities have been looking to their landfills and trash bins for fuel sources for years. But with energy prices spiking, that search has intensified.

Just about every business is looking to cut costs these days — particularly industries under intense pricing pressure. As a result, waste-to-energy projects are getting more popular, thanks to the rising payoff of a smaller energy bill.

On the cutting floor of global food giant Cargill’s pork processing plant here, nothing goes to waste. From the choice cuts, like the back ribs and the shoulders to the fat that falls on the floor. But it’s the water used to clean up the place that actually saves Cargill money.

CNBC