Turning Trash to Gas in a Powerful World of Waste

Buildings that feed on pollution, skyscrapers constructed from rubbish – what's next for the future of the world's trash?

North American environmental solutions company Waste Management has recently made significant investments in energy companies Agnion, Enerkem and Agilyx, all of which provide solutions to turning waste into something more useful. Enerkem can produce transportation fuel from garbage, and Agilyx creates crude oil from unwanted plastics.

A small-scale device created by Agnion could be used by supermarkets, hospitals and shopping centres to make the most of the waste they create. The technology can transform trash (affectionately known as "solid biomass feedstock") into gas, which in turn can be used to provide heating.