Incineration

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For other forms of waste plant that produces energy, see waste-to-energy.
"Incinerate" redirects here. For the Dew-Scented album, see Incinerate (album).

The Spittelau incineration plant in Vienna, Austria, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser

SYSAV incineration plant in Malmö, Sweden, capable of handling 25 tonnes (28 short tons) per hour of
household waste. To the left of the main stack, a new identical oven line is under construction (March 2007).

Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances
contained in waste materials.[1]Incineration and other high-temperature waste treatment systems are
described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue
gas and heat. The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste and may take the
form of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases must be cleaned of
gaseous and particulate pollutants before they are dispersed into the atmosphere. In some cases,
the heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power.
Incineration with energy recovery is one of several waste-to-energy technologies such
as gasification, pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion. While incineration and gasification technologies
are similar in principle, the energy produced from incineration is high-temperature heat whereas
combustible gas is often the main energy product from gasification. Incineration and gasification may
also be implemented without energy and materials recovery.
In several countries, there are still concerns from experts and local communities about the
environmental effect of incinerators (see arguments against incineration).
In some countries, incinerators built just a few decades ago often did not include a materials
separation to remove hazardous, bulky or recyclable materials before combustion. These facilities
tended to risk the health of the plant workers and the local environment due to inadequate levels of
gas cleaning and combustion process control. Most of these facilities did not generate electricity.
Incinerators reduce the solid mass of the original waste by 80–85% and the volume (already
compressed somewhat in garbage trucks) by 95–96%, depending on composition and degree of
recovery of materials such as metals from the ash for recycling.[2]This means that while incineration
does not completely replace landfilling, it significantly reduces the necessary volume for
disposal. Garbage trucks often reduce the volume of waste in a built-in compressor before delivery
to the incinerator. Alternatively, at landfills, the volume of the uncompressed garbage can be
reduced by approximately 70%[citation needed] by using a stationary steel compressor, albeit with a
significant energy cost. In many countries, simpler waste compaction is a common practice for
compaction at landfills.
Incineration has particularly strong benefits for the treatment of certain waste types in niche areas
such as clinical wastes and certain hazardous wastes where pathogens and toxins can be destroyed
by high temperatures. Examples include chemical multi-product plants with diverse toxic or very
toxic wastewater streams, which cannot be routed to a conventional wastewater treatment plant.
Waste combustion is particularly popular in countries such as Japan where land is a scarce
resource. Denmark and Sweden have been leaders by using the energy generated from incineration
for more than a century, in localised combined heat and power facilities supporting district
heating schemes.[3] In 2005, waste incineration produced 4.8% of the electricity consumption and
13.7% of the total domestic heat consumption in Denmark.[4] A number of other European countries
rely heavily on incineration for handling municipal waste, in particular Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
Germany, and France.[2]
 Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids, Middle & High School Students »

 Nature

The Advantages of a Solid

Waste Incinerator
By Patrick Stothers Kwak; Updated March 13, 2018

DNHanlon/iStock/GettyImages

Solid waste incinerators are used to combust organic substances contained in waste.
Incineration converts solid waste into ash, flue gas and heat. Incineration is the main
alternative to landfills, which hold solid waste in a contained area. Modern solid waste
incinerators separate most dangerous gases and particulates from the flue gas
produced during incineration.
Reduces Volume of Solid Waste
Incinerators reduce waste volume by approximately 95 percent and reduce the solid
mass of the original waste by 80 percent to 85 percent. (The exact percentage depends
on the constituent materials of the solid waste). Therefore, while incineration does not
eliminate the need for dumping ground completely, it certainly reduces the amount of
land needed. For small countries, this is significant as landfills take up large amounts of
space that could be used more productively.

Power and Heat Generation

As energy costs went up in the 1950s, numerous countries sought to incorporate the
energy and heat generated from garbage incinerators for the production of electricity
through steam turbines. Furthermore, Europe and Japan have incorporated incinerators
into urban central heating systems. Sweden, for instance, produces 8 percent of its
heating needs from 50 percent of the waste incinerated.

Reduces Pollution
Studies have shown that solid waste incinerators produce less pollution than landfills.
One study in particular, conducted during a 1994 lawsuit in the United States, showed
that a waste incinerator site was more environmentally friendly than an equivalent
landfill. (Both were 1,500-ton-per-day facilities.) The study found that the landfill
released higher amounts of greenhouse gases, hydrocarbons, nonmethane organic
compounds, hazardous air pollutants, nitrogen oxides and dioxin than an incinerator.
Landfills further leach dangerous chemical into the underlying groundwater, which can
contaminate underground water systems.

Filters Trap Pollutants

A major concern associated with incinerating solid waste was the release of dangerous
compounds, dioxin in particular. Nevertheless, modern incineration plants use filters to
 trap dangerous gases and particulate matter like dioxin. The release of dioxin by most
modern incineration plants is well within the recommended limits prescribed by the
Environmental Protection Agency and international protocols.

References
 Terry Ally; From Waste to What? - The Pros and Cons of Incineration; March 1997

 David Krohn: What are the Pros and Cons of Landfills and Incinerators

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-incineration.php

What is Incineration?
Incineration is a method of waste treatment involving the burning organic materials found
in waste. Incineration and other high-temperature waste management processesare called
“thermal treatment”. Particularly, it involves converting waste materials into ash, flue
gas, and heat. The ash mostly consists of inorganic components of waste and can be in
the shape of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases are
supposed to be cleaned of particulate and gaseous contaminants before being released
into the air. Sometimes, the heat generated is used in useful ways like in producing
electricity.

Incineration plants are able to reduce the mass of waste to 95% to 96%. The decrease in
waste is determined by the recovery level and decomposition of substances. Even though
incineration does not substitute the need for landfills, it has been able to reduce the
quantity of waste of in landfills.
Incineration has numerous benefits especially in terms of destroying contaminant medical
wastes and other life risking garbage. Also, incineration largely utilizes a waste-to-energy
technology. In Japan, for example, thermal treatment is very popular since they have a
shortage of land. Plus, energy produced by incineration plants is in high demand in
nations such as Sweden and Denmark. However, incinerators also have their downside.
Let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of incineration.

Advantages of Incineration
1. Decreases quantity of waste
Incinerators are able to decrease the quantity of waste by 95% and reduce the solid
quantity of the original waste by 80-85% depending on the components that were in
the solid waste. Hence, even though incinerators do not completely get rid of dumping
ground, they definitely decrease the quantity of land needed. For nations that are small in
size and with shortage of land like Japan, this is noteworthy since landfills take up big
amounts of land required for other productive uses.

2. Production of heat and power

During the 1950s, energy costs increased considerably. So a lot of countries incorporated
the heat and energy produced from waste incinerators for the generation of power by
using steam turbines. Moreover, Europe and Japan have now integrated incinerators into
the modern heating systems. For example, Sweden generates 8% of its heating needs
from waste incinerators. Furthermore, other countries that have cold weather utilize the
heat from the incinerators for warming their homes and places of work in areas near the
plant.

3. Reduction of Pollution
Research has shown that solid waste incinerators are less likely to pollute the
environment than landfills do. One particular study done during a 1994 lawsuit in the US
showed that a waste incinerator location was more environment friendly compared to a
landfill. The research discovered that the landfill was releasing higher quantities
of greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, dioxin, hydrocarbons, and non-methane organic
compounds. Landfills also leach poisonous chemicals into the water below thus
contaminating underground water systems.
4. Incinerators have filters for trapping pollutants
The main problem concerning incineration of solid waste was the release of hazardous
compounds, particularly dioxin. Nonetheless, up to date incinerator plants use filters to
trap hazardous gases and particulate dioxin. The current incineration plants operate
within the required pollution limits recommended by the Environmental Protection
Agency and international protocols.

5. Saves on Transportation of Waste

Incineration plants can be near cities or towns. This is advantageous since it means waste
does not have to be driven for long distances for dumping. It significantly reduces the
cost of transport; the money can then be spent on the wellbeing of the community and
sustaining the growth of a city or district. Additionally, it reduces the harmful gases
released by vehicles during transportation, thus drastically reducing the overall carbon
footprint.

6. Provides better control over odor and noise

Incineration plants are able to provide less bad smells because waste gets burnt unlike
landfills where waste is allowed to decay thereby emitting unpleasant smells,
which cause air pollution. The production of methane in landfills may also lead to
explosions that cause noise pollution, which is unheard-of when it comes to the use of
incineration plants.

7. Prevent production of methane gas

In landfills, when the waste is decaying methane gas is generated which if not controlled,
may explode causing further global warming. Unlike landfills, incineration plants do not
produce methane, therefore making them safer.
8. Eliminates harmful germs and chemicals
Incineration plants function at very high temperatures that can destroy germs and
chemicals that are harmful. Thus, it is a very effective method when it comes to
eliminating clinical waste. .

9. Incinerators operate in any weather

Another advantage of incinerators is that they can function in any type of weather. For
instance, during a rainy season, waste cannot be dumped in a landfill because the rain
will possibly wash down poisonous chemicals into the ground and consequently create a
leachate thus contaminating the underground water as well as the neighboring land.

Waste can also not be dumped when it is windy since it will get blown into the
surroundings. On the other hand, incinerators are not limited to weather changes since
they burn waste without leakages. Incineration plants also function 24 hours a day and
are more efficient in managing waste compared to landfills.

10. Effective Metal Recycling

When incinerators are burning waste, the metals still remain whole because they have a
high melting point. After the process of burning waste is done, the workers remove the
remaining metal and recycle it. This removes the need of separating out any metal before
waste disposal.

When garbage is taken to a landfill, it is usually not organized which results in wasting of
resources that could have been recycled. Therefore, using an incinerator makes it easier
to remove and reuse metals.