Incineration

Incineration falls in the lower half of the waste hierarchy, and while it does help reduce the volume of solid waste, it does not completely recover resources within the waste. Due to the fact that it has been known to emit a variety of airborne pollutants, incineration is also considered a somewhat controversial method of waste management. For these reasons, there are a number of other more desirable waste management options.

Key points to consider about incinerators

• Some incinerators do not burn at temperatures high enough to totally destroy the waste compounds.
• Older incinerators have been known to emit heavy metals such as chromium, nickel, arsenic, mercury, lead and others. ^{3, 4}
• Solid wastes not destroyed during incineration can be toxic and must be disposed of in another manner.

The effects of incinerators

• Companies - incineration leaves corporations open to possible liability issues as well as damaging negative publicity, particularly when dealing with hazardous wastes.
• Communities - the opportunity for resource recovery is lost requiring usage of more raw materials in local industry.
• Environment - incinerators reduce the need for landfill space and can help reduce emission of methane from landfills, but emissions contribute to greenhouse gases, which are linked to climate change. ⁵
  
  
  
  
  

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3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incineration#The_argument_against_incineration
4. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/incineration/the-problem
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incineration#The_argument_against_incineration