Scientists of Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) have produced petroleum from degradable organic waste that ushered in a new hope among the people of the energy-starved country.
"We have developed petroleum products from organic municipal waste and are looking into its commercial viability," said Dr Md Yunus Miah, principal engineer of Institute of Fuel Research and Development of BCSIR, told BSS yesterday.
A five-member team headed by Dr Yunus, produced the petroleum at the BCSIR laboratory on an experimental basis in April last at a nominal cost. Other members of the team were Principal Scientific Officer Dr M Naimul Huq and Scientific Officers M Shah Jamal, Sujit Kumar Banik and Mohammad Ismail.
Dr Yunus said production of about 400 grams petroleum is possible from one kilogram of municipal waste. Besides, he said, food waste, dried grass and leaf, husk of paddy and oil seeds could be used in producing bio-oil.
He said they first decompose the garbage and pour it into an air-empty tube furnace and produce bio-oil from the waste in 450-500 degree Celsius temperature.
Dr Yunus, who obtained PhD in petrochemical from former Soviet Union, said there will be no mentionable cost except electricity in producing the bio-oil from the waste. The standard of the bio-oil is equivalent to furnace oil, he claimed.
Yunus said Bangladesh imports a huge quantity of furnace oil annually to meet its demand. "The country would be able to save huge foreign currencies if we can go for commercial production of bio-oil, he said.
He said the waste, which remains after producing bio-oil, could be used as organic fertilisers. As a result, he said, farmers' dependence on chemical fertilisers would be reduced to some extent.
Dr Yunus said a plan has been undertaken to produce bio-oil in a pilot plant. "We would be able to produce more bio-oil if the pilot plant is launched," he said.
Under the existing tube furnace, he said, production of 200 grams oil is possible using 500 grams waste.
Dr Yunus said Dhaka city produces about 15,000 tonnes of garbage and the cost of collecting it is nominal. "If we can make agreement with the city corporation to this end, our work would be easy."
"We also have a plan to produce petrol from bio-oil using a device, and a design has already been prepared in this regard," he said.
Dr Yunus said production of petrol through upgradation of bio-oil, developed from waste, would also be cost-effective.
Bangladesh imports most of the petroleum products, about 3.7 million tonnes annually.