Incineration | Advantages and Disadvantages of Incineration

A properly maintained incineration system has both advantages and disadvantages. Some of the main advantages and disadvantages of incineration system are listed below.

Advantages of Incineration

1. Incineration causes a significant reduction in the volume of waste. The reduction in the original volume and weight 95% and 75% respectively.
2. It helps providing a renewable source and conserving valuable raw materials.
3. Bottom ash can be reused – as secondary aggregates for parking lots, paved roads etc.
4. Due to incineration, a large proportion of the organic compounds including putresible and hazardous waste is destroyed. So there is a net reduction in the quantity of toxicity.
5. Incineration does not does not generate methane gas and reduces methane from landfills.
6. It provides better control over odour and noise.
7. It occupies small land.

Disadvantages of Incineration 

The disadvantages of incineration are as follows.

1. It causes atmospheric pollution if incinerators are not ell maintained.
2. Incinerators are costly to construct, operate and regulate. Stringent emission for incinerators increase the cost of construction, operation and maintenance.
3. It lacks system flexibility. The demand for recycled and recovered material for different treatment methods is likely to change overtime.
4. Incineration process produces ash and waste water from pollution control devices.
5. A huge amount of money required to purchase a foreign made incinerator.
6. Low income countries often lacks of adequately trained labor to operate and maintain incinerator systems.