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Incineration From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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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]

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The Advantages of a Solid Waste Incinerator By Patrick Stothers Kwak; Updated March 13, 2018

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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

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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.