Incinerators

Public or private facilities that dispose of community refuse by burning it to ash. Included are modern waste-to-energy plants which burn waste in high-efficiency furnaces/boilers to produce steam and/or electricity as well as older style incinerators that have no energy recovery component. Waste-to-energy plants are required to use anti-pollution devices including scrubbers, fabric filters and electrostatic precipitators to make sure that harmful gases and particles do not go out the smokestack into the air; and to make sure that the residue ash is hazard-free and proper disposal methods are used. Using waste to generate electricity following the implementation of recycling and reduction programs provides an efficient disposal method for garbage that serves as an alternative to landfills.