Incinerators (Pro) are better than Landfills (Con)

So here I will make my points: 1. Incinerators cost less than landfills Firstly, it should be obvious that incinerators require less land than landfills. With a growing population, land is becoming more and more of a concern. Modern incinerators reduce waste to between 6-13% of the original volume, while landfills do nothing to reduce the volume of waste. This alone saves a lot of money as land is very expensive. Additionally, landfills need extensions more frequently while incinerators do not. Secondly, incinerators cost less in the long run. Hong Kong executive council member Bernard Chan says that "the cost of (processing) each bag would be 'less than HK$1 each' ", thus reducing the heavy burden of $1400 million of waste management per year in Hong Kong. Incineration is a practical method of disposal that saves a lot of money on transport of waste to landfills. This is because garbage is transported long distances, to multiple collection and transfer points before ultimate disposal. A 250 ton per day incinerator can produce 6.5 megawatts of electricity per day and this itself can save about $3 million per year. Let's look at an example: TeamTec-an incinerator company. While each company does indeed try to advertise or even exaggerate the advantages of their products, the facts and numbers are indisputable. "TeamTec incinerators are all controlled by a state-of-the-art PLC ensuring a simple and reliable operation, maximum capacity utilisation and minimum fuel consumption. Minimum attendance is needed during operation and remote supervision is possible. " So here it is seen that incinerators do not need as much personnel as landfills do, since automatic control is possible. This is indeed true. Take the Lincoln Avenue Plant as an example. A total of 15 men are needed for the first shift, 11 for the second and 10 for the third. On the other hand, landfills require many more drivers (transfer of waste to collection points is needed) and supervisors, thus adding to the cost. 2. Incinerators do not add to the growing problem of global warming Landfills produce landfill gas, which is about 40% to 60% methane, which is a greenhouse gas. On the other hand, incinerators do not produce or release any methane. Additionally, with less transportation needed (please see above), the carbon footprint that such transport leaves behind is less than that of landfills. Studies have shown that solid waste incinerators produce less pollution than landfills. One study in particular, conducted during a 1994 lawsuit in the United States, showed that a waste incinerator site was more environmentally friendly than an equivalent landfill. (Both were 1,500-ton-per-day facilities. ) The study found that the landfill released higher amounts of greenhouse gases, hydrocarbons, nonmethane organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, nitrogen oxides and dioxin than an incinerator. Landfills further leach dangerous chemical into the underlying groundwater, which can contaminate underground water systems. 3. Incinerators are cleaner Toxic substances from landfill waste often reach underground water supplies and surrounding land areas, causing water pollution and land pollution. These lead to soil erosion, which lowers the productivity of agriculture land, affecting not only the livelihood of farmers but the food supply and generation of the area. In the worse cases, soil erosion can even bring about desertification. And with an increasing world population and higher demands for food, land degradation at these rates will magnify problems of food shortages and malnutrition, especially in the poorer third world countries. However, incinerators do not have such effects on the environment as all waste is burnt to ash and no toxic substances will reach underground water supplies or surrounding land areas. Incinerators burn waste at over 850 degrees Celsius, thus ensuring the destruction of pathogens (e. g. fungi, bacteria and viruses) and hazardous pollutants (e. g. volatile organics). On the other hand, landfills cannot kill germs or bacteria. Landfills come with many problems such as pests, insects and leachate, which incinerators do not come with. 4. Incinerators are an alternative power source Incinerators can generate electricity at the same time while burning waste, and is a renewable energy since waste will never run out. Landfills do not have this added benefit. This waste-to-energy policy is used successfully in countries such as Norway, Sweden and Japan. 5. Incinerators are more sustainable Landfills are unsustainable. There is only so much land in the world, and every year about 175 million tons of waste enter landfills. While some matter will decompose in landfills, other materials, like plastic and Styrofoam, will last millions of years. Every year landfills take up more and more space. There is no such land requirement for incinerators, however, and thus they are much more sustainable and a long-term solution to our waste problems. 6. Incinerators can be operated 24/7 in any weather Incinerators can operate in any kind of weather, while landfills cannot. Let's have a common scenario to explain why it is so. Let's have a rainy day. Happens often enough, right? Now, waste is not actually supposed to be dumped into landfills when there is rain since the rain would wash toxic substances of the waste down into the ground, forming leachate and polluting underground water sources as well as nearby land. Waste cannot be dumped during strong winds as well for obvious reasons. On the other hand, incinerators have no such limitations. They do not require as much care as landfills when it comes to rain or water since the waste will be burnt and no toxic substance will be leaked. They can also operate 24 hours a day and thus are more efficient in handling waste when compared to landfills. 7. Effective Metal Recycling When waste burns in an incinerator, metal remains intact due to its high melting point. After the fire has burned out, the operator removes the metal and recycles it. This eliminates the need to separate out any metal before disposing of the waste. When waste goes straight to a landfill, it is likely not sorted, which results in a waste of resources. Using the incinerator makes it easier to find the metal and reuse it. I look forward to Con's arguments. References: . http://www.epd.gov.hk... . http://www.scmp.com... . http://www.energyjustice.net... . http://www.all-recycling-facts.com... . http://www.raceagainstwaste.com... . http://www.theguardian.com... . http://organic-recycling.net... . http://www.sher-tech.com... . http://steelysdrinkware.com... . http://ce540.groups.et.byu.net... . http://www.ehow.com... . http://www.seas.columbia.edu... . http://www.teamtec.no...