The technology allows to use garbage from disposal facilities without sorting. The garbage is first gasified to CO, H2 etc. under anoxic conditions. As gases obtained from garbage may contain contaminants toxic for microbial catalysts, gas purification technologies are applied which identify contaminants (about 400 species) contained in gas and remove toxic components. Moreover, control technology to efficiently drive the process while monitoring the presence of contaminants in real time is applied. LanzaTech’s microbial catalyst is a Clostridium strain that can produce ethanol or similar C-2/C-3 substances. It offers enhanced reaction rates sufficient for an industrial level. In cooperation with ORIX Resource Recycling Co.,, Sekisui has set-up a pilot plant on one of its company sites and operated it since 2014, successfully converting collected garbage into ethanol with extremely high production efficiency. Japan emits about 60 million per year of combustible garbage, and its energy amount reaches about 200 trillion kcal, https://www.lanzatech.com/trash-tank-upcycling-landfill-fuel-demonstrated-japan/
Sekisui news release, December 6, 2017
Sekisui und LanzaTech entwickeln waste-to-ethanol”-Technologie