Risks of municipal solid waste incineration: an environmental perspective
The central focus of the debate over incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) has shifted from its apparent management advantages to unresolved risk issues. This shift is a result of the lack of comprehensive consideration of risks associated with incineration. We discuss the need to expand incinerator risk assessment beyond the limited view of incinerators as stationary air pollution sources to encompass the following: other products of incineration, ash in particular, and pollutants other than dioxins, metals in particular; routes of exposure in addition to direct inhalation; health effects in addition to cancer; and the cumulative nature of exposure and health effects induced by many incinerator-associated pollutants. Rational MSW management planning requires that the limitations as well as advantages of incineration be recognized. Incineration is a waste-processing--not a waste disposal--technology, and its products pose substantial management and disposal problems of their own. Consideration of the nature of these products suggests that incineration is ill-suited to manage the municipal wastestream in its entirety. In particular, incineration greatly enhances the mobility and bioavailability of toxic metals present in MSW. These factors suggest that incineration must be viewed as only one component in an integrated MSW management system. The potential for source reduction, separation, and recycling to increase the safety and efficiency of incineration should be counted among their many benefits. Risk considerations dictate that alternatives to the use of toxic metals at the production stage also be examined in designing an effective, long-term MSW management strategy.
- Research Organization:
- Toxic Chemicals Program, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, DC (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6448022
- Journal Information:
- Risk Anal.; (United States), Vol. 8:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
METALS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
MUNICIPAL WASTES
COMBUSTION
AIR POLLUTION
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAT
INCINERATORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOLID WASTES
WASTE PROCESSING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
HAZARDS
MANAGEMENT
OXIDATION
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
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WASTES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
320604 - Energy Conservation
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& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Municipal Waste Management- (1980-)