Solid
Waste Disposal: The Business of Incineration
The need to
properly dispose of solid waste has been around for centuries. Today, solid waste disposal is a multibillion
dollar industry. Unfortunately, this
industry also has the potential to have an adverse impact on the
environment. However, the need to
conduct solid waste removal in a profitable and environmentally friendly way
will always be of the utmost importance.
Though there are many methods to handling solid waste, such as landfills
and composting, the use of incineration or Waste-To-Energy (WTE) has largely
been missing in the United States.
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There are several
benefits to utilizing WTE facilities but they are primarily created to reduce
or eliminate the need for landfills. Landfills,
if not maintained properly, can pose a
serious risk to the ground water, release methane gas, and leave the land
unusable for future development.
Incineration, with the use of specially designed filters, can create a
reliable source of clean power generation and waste reduction. The power from these WTE plants can then be
sold to consumers at a reasonable rate.
These WTE plants
also come with their own down side and environmental risks. WTE facilities are known to emit pollution
such as soot, heavy metal vapors, and acidic gases. After the incineration/power generation
process has been completed, left over ash and heavy metal debris must be
disposed of appropriately. If not
properly regulated, emissions from WTE plants can have a significant negative
impact on air quality. Also, there is
always the possibility that people and wildlife surrounding a WTE plant could
be exposed to harmful airborne waste byproducts.
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There are business
opportunities at every stage of the waste disposal process. Though Waste-To-Energy facilities are not the
answer to our environmental and energy needs, they should be a part of the
solution. Recycling and re-purposing of
all materials should always be the first in a series of steps prior to incineration. The need to reduce or eliminate the need for
landfills should continue to be top priority.
Many nations in the European Union have already adopted a robust
strategy that includes a mix of recycling, WTE, and landfills.
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