This innovative approach, developed without the need to dry the waste, has the potential to dramatically reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills while providing a renewable energy source that could meet up to a third of Israel’s marine fuel needs.

Israel has been grappling with an escalating waste management crisis. In 2019, the country generated approximately 5.8 million tons of municipal waste, equating to an average of 1.76 kilograms per person per day — a rate 30 percent higher than the European average. This figure is increasing annually by 2.6 percent.

“Organic waste emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and contaminates groundwater,” explained Tel Aviv University Professor Alexander Golberg, who led the research. Around 80 percent of household waste in Israel ends up in landfills, he noted.