A Citizen’s Guide 

to Incineration

What is Incineration?

Incineration is the process of burning hazardous 

materials at temperatures high enough to destroy 

contaminants. Incineration is conducted in an 

“incinerator,” which is a type of furnace designed for 

burning hazardous materials in a combustion chamber. 

Many different types of hazardous materials can be 

treated by incineration, including soil, sludge, liquids, 

and gases. Although it destroys many kinds of harmful 

chemicals, such as solvents, PCBs (polychlorinated 

biphenyls), and pesticides, incineration does not 

destroy metals, such as lead and chromium.

How Does It Work?

Hazardous materials must be excavated or pumped 

into containers before incineration. They may require 

further preparation, such as grinding or removing 

large rocks and debris, or removing excess water. The 

materials are then placed in the combustion chamber 

of an incinerator where they are heated to an extremely 

high temperature for a specified period of time. The 

temperature and length of time depend on the types of 

wastes and contaminants present. Air or pure oxygen 

may be added to the chamber to supply the oxygen 

needed for burning. The destruction of contaminants 

will depend on:

• Reaching the target temperature: Depending on

the contaminants present, the target temperature

may range from 1,600 to 2,500oF.

• The length of time the waste is heated in the

combustion chamber: Typically, solid wastes

must be heated for 30 to 90 minutes, while liquid

and gaseous wastes may only require 2 seconds.

• Mixing of the waste material. Mixing helps all of

the waste to be heated to the proper temperature.

As the wastes heat up, the contaminants volatilize 

(change into gases) and most are destroyed. Gases that 

are not destroyed pass through a secondary combustion 

chamber for further heating and destruction. The resulting 

gases then pass though air pollution control equipment, 

which removes particulate matter (extremely small 

particles or liquid droplets) and “acid gases.” Acid 

gases such as sulfur dioxide are very corrosive.

Incinerators can be constructed for temporary use at 

the site. However, in recent years, it has been more 

common for the wastes to be loaded onto trucks for 

transport to a permanent offsite facility. EPA requires 

that an incinerator can destroy and remove at least 

99.99 percent of each harmful chemical in the waste it 

processes. When some extremely harmful chemicals 

are present, EPA requires that an incinerator show it 

can destroy and remove at least 99.9999 percent of 

contaminants in the waste. Ash remaining at the bottom 

of the combustion chambers likely will require disposal 

in a hazardous waste landfill. However, the amount of 

material that requires disposal after incineration is much 

less than the initial amount of waste that was burned.

How Long Will it Take?

Incineration of all waste at a site might take a few weeks 

to several years. The actual cleanup time will depend on 

several factors. For example, it may take longer where:

• The amount of waste is large, requiring more time

to excavate or pump out.

• The waste contains large rocks or debris that

must be removed before incineration.

• The capacity of the incinerator is small.

These factors vary from site to site.

How an incinerator converts waste into ash and gases.
United States Office of Solid Waste and EPA 542-F-12-010

Environmental Protection Emergency Response September 2012

Agency (5102G) www.epa.gov/superfund/sites

www.cluin.org

Example

Incineration was used as part 

of the cleanup effort at the 

MOTCO, Inc. Superfund site 

in Texas. From the 1950s 

through 1970s, the site was 

contaminated with tar- and 

petroleum-related chemicals 

from tar recycling activities. 

Investigation of the site 

in the 1980s found seven 

unlined waste disposal pits 

containing 7 million gallons of 

PCB-contaminated liquid and 

18 thousand cubic yards of 

sludge and tar. These wastes 

had to be removed to prevent 

further contamination of soil 

and groundwater.

From 1993 to 1996, the 

liquid, sludge, and tar were 

excavated and transported 

about 280 miles to an 

incinerator in Louisiana. The 

remaining contaminated 

soil beneath these wastes 

was covered with a cap and 

surrounded by underground 

slurry walls to prevent 

release of any contaminants 

that remained. Removal of 

the contaminant sources was 

expected to speed up the 

cleanup of groundwater.

For More Information

For more information about 

this and other technologies in 

the Citizen’s Guide Series, 

visit:

NOTE: This fact sheet is intended solely as general information to the public. It is not intended, nor can it be relied upon, to create any 

rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States, or to endorse the use of products or services provided by specific 

vendors. The Agency also reserves the right to change this fact sheet at any time without public notice.

Is Incineration Safe?

An incinerator that is properly designed and operated can safely destroy 

harmful chemicals. Proper temperatures must be maintained for complete 

incineration, and air pollution control equipment must be monitored to ensure 

all contaminants are removed from the offgases. Hazardous materials 

transported to offsite incinerators are covered or contained to prevent their 

release. 

How Might It Affect Me? 

Residents and businesses near the site may see and hear large earth-moving 

equipment such as backhoes that may be needed to excavate wastes for 

incineration. They will notice increased truck traffic if wastes must be transported 

to an offsite incinerator. Odors, smoke, and dust are not typically issues with 

modern incinerators, though residents may occasionally see harmless white 

steam that disappears quickly into the air.

Why Use Incineration?

Incineration can destroy a wide range of highly contaminated wastes and 

greatly reduce the amount of material that must be disposed of in a landfill. For 

small contaminated areas, excavation and transport to an offsite incinerator 

can be a quick cleanup approach. A faster cleanup may be important when a 

site must be cleaned up quickly to prevent immediate harm to people or the 

environment.

Although incinerators require a 

lot of fuel for their operation, the 

heat generated sometimes can 

be used to generate electric 

power in a process called 

“waste to energy.”

Offsite incineration has been 

selected or is being used at 

over a hundred Superfund 

sites, while onsite incineration 

has been selected or is being 

used at over 40 Superfund sites 

across the country. Example of offsite incinerator.

www.cluin.org/remediation

www.cluin.org/products/

citguide