Has This Malaysian Created The Solution To Our Waste Problems?

Image credit: cilisos.my and bloomenergy.com

We all know that waste is becoming an increasingly serious situation. It even has countries shipping their trash back and forth amongst each other. However, this Malaysian man has created a machine called ‘Asher’ that may solve the problem.


Is This The Answer To Our Problems? 

Image result for incinerators
Image credit: airqualitynews.com

Incinerators that burn trash actually provide more problems while recycling has become an inefficient system.

Cue the Asher, the invention of Roland Tee that could be the answer to all our problems.

The Asher is a much better option compared to the traditional incinerator currently being used.

How Does It Work?

Fits well: Each machine fits smugly into a car park.
Image credit: thestar.com.my

Firstly, it runs on solar power which means it does not consume any electricity or fuel.

Secondly, unlike incinerators that use fuel such as diesel to burn the trash, the Asher uses trash and plasma.

To get it started, a small flame is added to the chamber (left) and the ash tray (right). Then it'll stay hot as long as rubbish is added.
Image credit: cilisos.my

To get it started, a small fire is added to the chamber and the ash tray. A combination of plasma and a refractory chamber is used in the process.

Plasma is an ionised gas while a refractory chamber is basically a chamber made out of heat-resistant material.

The refractory chamber absorbs the heat from the fires in the beginning and uses it to heat up the chamber. Trash that is put in will then release more heat that is absorbed into the refractory chamber. This then creates an environment where heat is a constant and the trash can be burnt up.

Image result for plasma
Image credit: thoughtco.com

Plasma is generated by directing air from the outside into the chamber through a strong built-in magnetic field. This allows the gas to be ionised and become plasma. Having the plasma allows for more heat to be created and used in the process.

All this allows for the Asher to be able to reach temperatures as high as 1,600°C, enough for the trash to become ash.

The Asher’s Great Benefits

Don’t worry, any harmful gases from the trash is put through an elaborate filtration system which removes toxins. It is completely safe by the time it is released into the air.

Having the Asher can help the process of eliminating waste to become more efficient and environmentally friendly. In fact, the ash that comes out is only 4% of the initial trash that goes in.

And most of the time, this ash is perfectly safe to be used as fertiliser.

About 50 units of the Asher has been deployed to 13 countries, including the Philippines. Unfortunately, as of now our government is unsure on how to classify the machine as it is neither an incinerator nor an oven.

You can read more on the Asher here and here.