Sweet smell of profits from trash

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Fortune; (United States)

OSTI ID:5724672

Leinster, C; Goodman, A

Burning a county's or municipality's refuse and turning is into electricity should take off as a major growth industry, and capital investment in such plants over the next 10 years could reach $20 billion. Charles River Associates predicts that by 1995 some 75 incinerators will be in operation, taking in annual revenues of $4 billion. Unlike the ill-starred attempts to turn profits into trash in the 1970s, the new plants will use a proven technique called mass burning. While there is some concern about dioxin emissions, these plants emit negligible pollution when properly run. Since Americans throw away 170 million tons of household garbage annually - and since the country is fast running out of landfill sites - the refuse problem is especially acute in heavily populated areas. The biggest prizes, of course, for the refuse-to-energy companies will be the big cities; Mayor Koch wants five for New York City, one for each borough.

• OSTI ID: 5724672
• Journal Information: Fortune; (United States), Journal Name: Fortune; (United States) Vol. 111:7; ISSN FORTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation-- Other-- (-1989)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320603* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Public Utilities-- (1980-)
320604 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
ECONOMIC IMPACT
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
POWER PLANTS
REFUSE-FUELED POWER PLANTS
SOLID WASTES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
URBAN AREAS
WASTES