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To find out more about one of the different technologies click on the following links.
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Incineration for Energy Recovery/Waste to Energy
Waste-to-energy involves the combustion of municipal solid wastes under controlled conditions to produce an energy product, usually steam or electricity. During the process, the waste stream can be reduced by as much as 90 percent by volume or 75 percent by weight. Combustion destroys waste stream bacteria and organic pollutants. Waste-to-energy technologies fall into two categories: mass burn and refuse derived fuel (RDF). Each of the categories include different types of processes.
The basic components of a waste-to-energy system include waste receiving, storage and handling (and additional processing in the case of RDF); a furnace system and boiler to combust the waste and capture the heat; an air pollution control system to remove particulates and cleanse the exhaust gases; and ash handling and residue disposal to manage the fly ash (captured airborne particulates), bottom ash And/or the RDF process residue.
While the primary benefits of waste-to-energy include volume reduction and the production of energy, the primary concerns center on the high cost of the technology and claims of air and ground pollution from stack emissions and ash disposal, respectively. Waste-to-energy was a popular solid waste management technology in the 1980's, but projected development during the 1990's has all but ceased.
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