What is Incineration?

Incineration is the process of burning waste at high temperatures to reduce its volume by up to 90%. It is commonly used for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and helps in managing waste efficiently. Modern incinerators also recover energy from the heat produced, generating electricity or heat. This method reduces the need for landfills and helps destroy harmful pathogens.

How Incineration Works (Step-by-Step)

1. Waste Collection & Sorting

  • Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is collected.
  • Pre-sorting may be done to remove recyclables and hazardous materials.

2. Feeding into the Furnace

  • The sorted waste is fed into a furnace or combustion chamber via a hopper.

3. Combustion

  • Waste is burned at high temperatures (850–1100°C).
  • This reduces the volume by up to 90% and weight by 70–75%.

4. Energy Recovery (Waste-to-Energy)

  • Heat from combustion boils water into steam.
  • The steam drives a turbine to generate electricity or provide district heating.

5. Flue Gas Treatment

  • Gases (flue gases) are treated to remove toxins, heavy metals, and particulates using Baghouse filters, Scrubbers (neutralize acidic gases) Electrostatic precipitators

6. Ash Collection

  • Bottom ash (non-combustible residue) is collected at the furnace bottom.
  • Fly ash (fine particles from flue gas) is captured by filters and treated as hazardous waste.

Types of Landfills

Advantages of Incineration

• Reduces waste volume drastically
• Generates electricity or heat
• Kills pathogens
• Requires less land compared to landfills

Concerns with Incineration

• Air pollution risk if emissions are not properly filtered
• Toxic ash disposal requires careful handling
• High installation and operational costs
• May discourage recycling if relied on excessively

Concerns with Incineration

• Air pollution risk if emissions are not properly filtered
• Toxic ash disposal requires careful handling
• High installation and operational costs
• May discourage recycling if relied on excessively