Send these materials through a plasma-arc trash disposal system
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How many kilowatts does it take to power a plasma-arc anyways ?
Doesn’t sound very cost effective.
You are quite correct, a plasma-arc trash disposal system is a real energy hog.
BUT, the process by which the plasma arc converts ALL materials to their constituent atoms, also acts upon any organic materials that are fed into the plasma arc. Two of the products formed are free hydrogen and carbon monoxide, both excellent fuels, which may be used to supply energy to superheat steam and drive a power generator, and thus the system can be made to generate its own electrical power to keep the plasma arc going, once initiated. In fact the system can generate enough electrical power to not only maintain the arc, but some five times as much power as is consumed. This can be fed back into the grid, or used to power other processes necessary to assure the induction of new material and the removal and further processing of the slag at the bottom of the reaction vessel. The slag may in fact be a very high grade of ore for various metallic elements, and an important step in recovery of those metallic elements. As most of the slag is made up of silicate compounds, it may also be used as aggregate in concrete or other industrial uses, or even carved up into blocks of igneous rock for other purposes.