MUNICIPAL (REGIONAL) INCINERATION COULD HAPPEN

Last Thursday's Waterloo Region Record's Editorial was titled "Contemplating incineration". My understanding was that past incinerator emissions were among significant sources of Dioxin emissions. Burning plastics at sub optimum tempuratures was one method of producing them. This is not to say that better technology, better management and better supervision cannot overcome this and other issues with incineration.

The sweetener seems to be the belief that energy can be produced from this incineration. Energy from waste is the term being used. Again I'm not an expert but I do know that massive amounts of energy go into burning garbage in the first place. Natural gas is the usual fuel and again the hotter you want to burn things at in order to destroy dioxin molecules for example, then the more fuel (gas) you have to add to the mix.

Should the latest technology at least be looked at? Most probably because we've learned the hard way in waterloo region that burying everything isn't without major costs and issues. Should our efforts at recycling and diverting waste for reuse and compost be expanded? Undoubtedly. Should issues such as excessive packaging continue to be attacked? Absolutely. To date I'm not aware of any magic technologys with one exception. Just as our use of water and abuse of water via sewage treatment plant discharges is a direct function of the number of residents; so certainly is garbage production. Unbridled growth, outstripping our ability to manage the worst effects on our finite piece of land is not sustainable. Until this is finally acknowledged by governments at all levels , we are in serious trouble.