Colorful Trash Fuels City Power Plant

The garbage man can tell it’s a holiday. But though there may be more trash to haul, it doesn’t make a big difference at the Ames resource Recovery plant. Superintendent John Pohlman says when they sort trash for the city’s garbage-burning power plant, winter’s the season when up to 70% of the haul can be used for fuel. It makes up about a tenth of the fuel for the electric plant, which adds coal dust to power the generators. Ames residents pay more than the average Iowan for the electricity, but Pohlman says the garbage-burning plant keeps trash out of landfills and has been going strong for more than 25 years. And yes, he says the garbage is more colorful right after Christmas.