Re:What Happens Now That China Won't Take U.S. Recycling
by chabes on Saturday March 09, 2019 @01:04PM
(#19347456)
“trash incineration is a solved problem, modern trash incineration plants are very efficient at reclaiming energy into either heat or electricity.”
While these plants may be efficient at reclaiming energy, there are other factors to consider.
From the article: “And while many incineration facilities bill themselves as “waste to energy” plants, studies have found that they release more harmful chemicals, such as mercury and lead, into the air per unit of energy than do coal plants”
Re:What Happens Now That China Won't Take U.S. Recycling
by freehunter on Saturday March 09, 2019 @01:23PM
(#19347574)
Yeah the last thing we need is burning more junk and putting more toxins into the air. That's one waste disposal method that's actually worse than properly constructed landfills.
Re:What Happens Now That China Won't Take U.S. Recycling
by pfdietz on Saturday March 09, 2019 @11:06PM
(#19350142)
The solution to that is to simply exclude lead and mercury from anything that goes into the trash. In particular, electronics and batteries could be disposed of separately.
Re:What Happens Now That China Won't Take U.S. Recycling
by jeffrallen on Saturday March 09, 2019 @04:23PM
(#19348570)
Efficient incineration requires dry, energy dense garbage. Thus you need a population that recycles paper, PET, glass and compost religiously, so that all that is left to burn are hydrocarbons like plastic.
If Americans "are terrible at recycling" as the article says, then the incinerators will be burning the wrong stuff.
Yeah, it's not invented in America, so it obviously doesn't exist.
Listen, there are countries with almost no landfills because everything is incinerated. Heck, there are even US states without landfills because everything is incinerated! This is not a "tall order", trash incineration is a solved problem, modern trash incineration plants are very efficient at reclaiming energy into either heat or electricity.