Science is about to generate electricity from garbage that no one dares to recycle

There is a waste that is wasted a lot, but no one has ever thought about recycling them.

Try listing the most wasteful waste, we have food, plastic waste, and paper.

In fact, people are gradually aware of the impact of huge amounts of waste on the environment each year, and are looking for ways to use it economically, enhancing recycling of items and waste.

However, there is a "top" standing waste of waste, but no one is bothering to recycle them. It is toilet paper, used!

According to statistics from a number of environmental organizations, the average European person discharges about 14kg of toilet paper per year. The number is even bigger in countries like the United States, and indeed, it's a terrible waste.

A terrible waste.

However, recently, a chemist from the University of Amsterdam (UvA - Netherlands) "dared" to enter this field. He said that people have not made full use of the true potential of toilet paper, while it is actually a very rich supply of carbon. And so, he and his colleagues devised an extremely simple way to turn toilet paper into electricity.

In theory, taking the amount of paper emitted by Amsterdam people every year (about 10,000 tons) is enough for 6,400 households to use - an extremely impressive performance. Moreover, basically 80% of toilet paper components are cellulose taken from plants, so this is a renewable energy source. And more importantly, consumers can get paid to hand over the paper they used.

Imagine, you go to the toilet, then someone gives you money - what's more amazing?

Professor Gadi Rothenberg from Uva - the research director shared, the nature of the method is to transform organic substances into toilet paper into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and CO2. Next, they will use solid oxide fuel to convert gases into electricity for human use.

80% of toilet paper components are cellulose taken from plants, so this is a renewable energy source.

The current conversion efficiency is about 57% - which is roughly equivalent to the energy turnover efficiency in natural gas power plants. And if successful, the cost will be equivalent to the most advanced solar power system today.

"When we discussed research results with a number of companies, they all enjoyed it," said Rothenberg.

Currently, this is still the dream technology of the future. But Rothenberg believes that this recycling model will soon be applied in the Netherlands and many countries around the world. At first, it may be high, but gradually it can be reduced thanks to a more open market.