THE INCINERATION OF WASTE IN EUROPE: ISSUES AND

0,17

MB

PERSPECTIVES

47

stron

1834

ID

INSTITUTE FOR PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES

1999

rok

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

1. INTRODUCTION 6

2. THE INCINERATION OF WASTE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 7

3. IMPORTANT TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS 10

3.1 Technology and practice, two crucial factors 10

3.2 Key features of a waste incinerator 10

3.3 The main technologies 11

3.3.1 Grate furnaces 11

3.3.2 Rotary kiln furnaces 11

3.3.3 Fluidised bed furnaces 12

3.3.4 Other incinerators 12

3.3.5 Co-incineration 12

3.3.6 Thermolysis and gasification 13

3.4 Emissions and residues 14

3.5 Comparisons 17

4. ISSUES 19

4.1 Environment and health issues 19

4.1.1 Dioxins and furans 19

4.1.2 Heavy metals and salts 20

4.1.3 CO2 emissions and global warming 21

4.1.4 NOx, SOx, other emissions and emission control 22

4.1.5 Blending 22

4.2 Economic issues 23

4.2.1 The cost of incineration 23

4.2.2 Economic relevance of waste reduction 24

4.2.3 Commercial competition 25

4.2.4 Fairness 26

4.3 Social issues 27

4.4 Regulatory issues 29

4.4.1. Definitions 29

4.4.2. Other regulatory issues 32

4.6 Management issues 35

5. PERSPECTIVES 37

5.1. The need for waste reduction 37

5.2 The need for the incineration of waste 37

5.3 Trends 38

6. CONCLUSIONS 41

BIBLIOGRAPHY 43