Landfill Energy:
     THE AVERAGE AMERICAN THROWS AWAY A TON OF TRASH PER YEAR.  FROM YOUR
GARBAGE CAN IT GOES TO THE LANDFILL--WHERE AT BEST IT SMELLS AND AT WORST IT
SENDS OUT POLLUTION.

     Spiegel: "The biological material in that waste decomposes. . .bacteria eat this
waste. . . and the byproduct of that digestion is landfill gas which is methane."

     ENGINEER RON SPIEGEL WORKS FOR THE US ENVRIONMENTAL PROECTION
AGENCY AND HE'D LIKE TO TURN THAT METHANE INTO ELECTRICITY.  

     Spiegel: "Methane is basically natural gas, so if you can utilize that methane. . . first
you can elimate that release into the atmosphere, and then secondly if you can
produce energy from that gas you get an extra benefit. "

     SPIEGEL'S METHOD INVOLVES USING SOME Of THE MOST EFFICIENT AND CLEANEST
TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TODAY--A DEVICE CALLED A FUEL CELL.  THE FUEL CELL NEEDS
ULTRACLEAN INPUT, SO MOST OF SPEIGEL'S WORK HAS CONCNETRATED ON PURIFYING
THE METHANE WAFTING OFF A LANDFILL BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE PLANT.  THE EPA AND
NORTHEASE UTILITIES ARE CURRENTLY TESTING THE SYSTEM ON A LANDFILL IN
CONNECTICUT.  THEY'VE DRILLED DEEP HOLES INTO THE LANDFILL AND SET PIPES INTO
THEM.  THEN THEY SUCK THE METHANE UP INTO THE POWER PLANT.  WHILE THERE ISN'T
ENOUGH METHANE COMING OUT OF LANDFILLS TO POWER THE WHOLE COUNTRY,
SPIEGEL THINKS IT COULD BE A VIABLE  SOURCE OF EXTRA ENERGY. 

     Spiegel: "Taking into account the existing landfills in the united states. . .it could
produce something like electricity for about 5 million homes. "

     AND THAT'S ENERGY THAT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE THROWN AWAY.