Don't bury it, burn it: many experts say the time is right to build more plants to turn rubbish into fuel instead of just dumping it in holes in the ground

摘要

Waste-to-energy plants are back on the agenda as the problem of disposing of rubbish grows. But is this just another short-term fix to the waste dilemma or a long-term sustainable answer? Waste-to-energy (WTE) plants have never been popular with the public which generally regard them as dirty and environmentally unsound. A "not in my backyard" culture is all too common. One of the biggest challenges facing advocates of such schemes is that of swinging public opinion. But technology has come a long way in the past 20 or 30 years ago and incinerator plants are now not as unsound as some might think. As the need for change in the waste management strategy grows, many industry experts are looking towards WTE as a viable solution to the problem of disposing of municipal waste.