Trash piled nine yards high is converted to heat and electricity at a waste-to-energy incinerator. Photo by: Brian Cliff Olguin for The New York Times
The lifestyles and consumption habits of individuals in developed countries are causing a huge worldwide waste problem leading to overfilled landfills and worse quality of air. The world is at a state of disequilibrium. Our natural resources can no longer sustain the demands of consumers, while consumers keep asking for more.
Countries are looking for ways to efficiently dispose waste. Figure 1 illustrates common practices on how waste is managed. For the purposes of this entry, I will be focusing on waste incineration.
Illustration of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model developed by Björklund et al. (2003).
Waste incineration is the practice of converting waste into ashes before placing them in landfills. It significantly covers less space in landfills, and reduces the demand for fuels, like coal, to produce heat. Additionally, this process produces combined heat and power (CHP), which can be beneficial in many neighbourhoods.
One shining example that widely practices this type of waste management is Sweden. They not only achieved the benefits mentioned above, but also generated added revenues by importing trash from its neighbouring countries, which amounts up to 700,000 tons of waste annually.
Nonetheless, we must not ignore the consequences of this practice to our environment and our health. This process emits hazardous and cancerous chemicals, unless strict protocols are implemented. Installing streamlined filtration systems can reduce the accidental exposure of these chemicals to the environment. In fact, Sweden is doing well with respect to minimizing airborne damages from incinerating garbage. Nevertheless, the ashes are still disposed in landfills, which create a devastating impact in our environment.
This leads us to the fundamental question: is this sustainable? In my opinion, not even close. This strategy is beneficial in the short-run for managing waste, but it does not fully address the real problem. It may have an indirect effect to consumers by taking away the motivation to reduce consumption. Hence, it is necessary to find alternative cleaner methods in disposing garbage, and it starts at the consumer level.
Consumers need not wait for government interventions before taking action. There are three basic methods in which consumers can be proactive and play a significant role: reduce, reuse, and recycle. These simple techniques are quick and easy ways to minimize waste that incur little-to-no cost for the consumers.
Supporting green products by creating demand in this market is another strategy that can help. Research has shown that consumers are willing to pay more for products that can help the environment. However, the issue lies in the lack of awareness, or perceived availability for green options in many categories. This is perhaps the biggest constraint that prevents consumers from switching to green products. Stimulating demand for greener product may have the capacity to encourage companies to introduce more in different categories, which may raise awareness.
Today, we are consuming the resources of one and a half Earths. We only have one to live in. Waste incineration certainly creates a positive impact in transforming waste to energy. It also serves as a good substitute to landfill disposal, but waste prevention techniques will always be the best option to combat our global problem.
Further reading:
Effects of planned expansion of waste incineration in the Swedish district heating systems
A City That Turns Garbage Into Energy Copes With a Shortage
Negative Impacts of Incineration-based Waste-to-Energy Technology