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
- Incineration causes a significant reduction in the volume of waste. The reduction in the original volume and weight 95% and 75% respectively.
- It helps providing a renewable source and conserving valuable raw materials.
- Bottom ash can be reused – as secondary aggregates for parking lots, paved roads etc.
- 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.
- Incineration does not does not generate methane gas and reduces methane from landfills.
- It provides better control over odour and noise.
- It occupies small land.
Disadvantages of Incineration
The disadvantages of incineration are as follows.
- It causes atmospheric pollution if incinerators are not ell maintained.
- Incinerators are costly to construct, operate and regulate. Stringent emission for incinerators increase the cost of construction, operation and maintenance.
- It lacks system flexibility. The demand for recycled and recovered material for different treatment methods is likely to change overtime.
- Incineration process produces ash and waste water from pollution control devices.
- A huge amount of money required to purchase a foreign made incinerator.
- Low income countries often lacks of adequately trained labor to operate and maintain incinerator systems.
