ENERGY
Dispelling the incineration myth
In countries leading the fi eld, such as misleading information about the health effects Despite numerous studies, there has been no
Switzerland, Germany and Denmark, the of combustion. Those fears, as Defra has “conclusive link” made between incinerator
comparable fi gure is more than 50%. Although pointed out, need to be addressed. emissions and public health impacts. The
some of the leading environmental lobby When it comes to the advanced EfW processes for removing pollutants from
groups have argued otherwise, the evidence solutions which don’t involve combustion, modern EfW combustion facilities, such as the
from Europe is that expanding EfW is fully such as gasifi cation and pyrolysis, there is also one in Sheffi eld, are advanced and rigorous,
compatible with a strong recycling strategy. a need for signifi cantly more education on minimising impact on the local environment,
A bullish paper produced in January by these complex technologies. using 225,000 tonnes of municipal waste
the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, called I’d like to address both of these big issues to generate up to 60 megawatts of thermal
for a “pragmatic combination” of recycling in turn. energy and up to 19 megawatts of renewable
and EfW as the most effective way of meeting electricity, thereby making substantial cuts in
the requirements of the European Landfi ll
A burning issue
greenhouse gas emissions.
Directive, which calls for a 65% reduction On combustion, the environmental picture is If the scientifi c case and engineering facts
in the organic portion of landfi lled waste much more positive than it is often portrayed. around combustion are clear, communicating
by 2020. Emissions of mercury, lead, dioxin, sulphur that story to a much wider audience of
So why are we falling further behind? dioxide and cadmium fell dramatically, even stakeholders is more challenging.
Surveying the British landscape, it’s clear before the EU’s Waste Incineration Directive Defra has recognised that this needs to be
there is a wide diversity of views on EfW came into law at the start of this decade. done, and a group of leading local authorities,
within local authorities. Some of them are EfW facilities are highly regulated in terms such as the City and Council of Swansea are
strongly supportive of combustion, while of their emissions to atmosphere and are making serious efforts to explain the issues
others have explicitly ruled it out. Pressure required by law to monitor the levels of any through websites and other literature.
from local stakeholders, relating to the substances produced during the process. Beyond this activity, there probably
environmental impact of incineration, has As the Environment Agency said needs to be a step-change in the way all
often led to the long delay or cancellation of recently, EfW facilities make a “very small professionals talk about EfW. For example,
major EfW projects across the country. Most contribution” to background levels of air the word ‘incineration’, with all of its negative
of the fears expressed are based on outdated or pollution. connotations, is still used far too often.
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS April 2009 25
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