INCINERATORS

D18

Explain the short- and long-term impacts of landfills and incineration of waste materials on the quality of the environment.

LEARNING TARGETS

I can explain how an incinerator works. I can explain the short-term

environmental effects of an incinerator. I can explain the long-term

environmental effects of an incinerator.

WHAT IS AN INCINERATOR?

A building designed to burn solid waste at extremely high temperatures (as high as 2000° C)

Accounts for 14% of US waste disposal The burning of refuse drastically

reduces the volume of the solid waste.

INCINERATOR PROCESS

The heat generated by the process is captured to create steam to turn turbines to produce electricity.

HOW DOES AN INCINERATOR MAKE ENERGY?

HOW A WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANT WORKS

Video Clip

HOW MUCH MSW CAN BE INCINERATED? Virtually all of the contents of the

municipal solid waste stream are combustible at the high temperature

Examples of combustible material include paper, food, yard waste, plastic, rubber, and wood.

Non-combustible materials in the waste stream include glass, metals, ceramics, and clay.

PROBLEMS WITH INCINERATORS

Makes landfills more toxic Use the ash as the daily cover layer

Air Pollution Lack of monitoring Toxic metals (mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, etc.) Acid Gases (Hydrogen Fluoride, Hydrochloric Acid, Sulfuric

Acid) Particulate matter – health effects Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

Destroys materials instead of recycling Global warming contribution worse than zero waste

solutions Makes the problem "invisible" rather than making it

very visible Very costly to build (up to $200 million)

PROBLEMS WITH INCINERATORS

BENEFITS OF INCINERATORS

Ash has virtually no groundwater contamination risk if landfill is properly designed

Smaller amount of land needed Does not have to be capped off

They can be used continuously

Dumping in landfills is becoming expensive which makes incinerators more cost-effective

Possible solution to the nation’s energy needs

Reduces the amount of waste that must be landfilled

Allows us to use the non-recyclable trash

BENEFITS OF INCINERATORS

LEARNING TARGET CHECKPOINT

How does an incinerator work? What are the short-term environmental

effects of an incinerator? What are the long-term environmental

effects of an incinerator?