Incinerating

Incinerating is the controlled combustion of waste materials in a purpose-built furnace to reduce their volume and destroy contaminants. Modern incineration is used for municipal solid waste, medical and hazardous waste, and some industrial residues, with the option to recover energy in the form of heat or electricity.

Incineration plants burn waste in a primary combustion chamber with air supplied to sustain high-temperature oxidation, typically followed by a secondary combustion zone to ensure complete destruction of pollutants. Many facilities include an energy recovery boiler and integrated flue gas cleaning to minimize emissions.

Emissions may include carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and trace organics such as dioxins and furans. Contaminants are controlled through air pollution controls, including scrubbers, fabric filters or electrostatic precipitators, and selective catalytic reduction. Residues consist of bottom ash and fly ash, the latter often requiring stabilization and careful disposal or treatment; bottom ash may be repurposed for construction after testing.

Benefits of incineration include substantial volume reduction of waste and, where energy recovery is implemented, generation of electricity or district heat. Drawbacks are high capital and operating costs, ongoing maintenance, potential air pollution if not well managed, and ash handling and disposal challenges. Regulation typically sets emission limits, waste acceptance criteria, and residue management standards.

History: controlled incineration emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries and expanded with energy-recovery designs and stricter emissions controls in many regions.