Garbage is Not Renewable Energy Landfill and incineration industries have lobbied to have the greenhouse gas emissions from their facilities considered "green energy," worthy of tax credits similar to the ones given to solar and wind energy projects. In fact, "garbage-to-energy" is now being legally classified in numerous states as a "renewable" energy source. This is in direct opposition to the Zero Waste Movement - our goal is to eliminate waste, not enshrine it as a renewable resource! Giving tax credits and subsidies to the garbage industry competes against wind, solar and recycling projects, and creates a financial reward for producing garbage and destroying natural resources. Learn more.
Exclude Garbage from Renewable Energy Standards Twelve states have opted to exclude municipal solid waste as a renewable source of electricity eligible to meet that state's renewable energy standards. Click here to see if your state is one of the leaders and if your state isn't learn why waste-to-energy power plants are not clean energy. Then contact your state legislator and ask them to remove waste-to-energy from the renewable energy standards. Learn more.
Sign-on Statement: No Incentives for Incinerators
Policies that qualify incinerators-including mass-burn, gasification, pyrolysis, plasma, refuse derived fuel and other incinerator technologies-for renewable energy credits, tax credits, subsidies and other incentives present a renewed threat to environmental and economic justice in U.S. communities. To sign on, email Dave Ciplet. Learn more.
Incinerators Trash Community Health
Sierra Club partner Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) has compiled a summary of the health effects on people and communities living near garbage burning incinerators and near landfills that accept incinerator ash. The research includes conventional mass-burn incinerators and plasma arc, pyrolysis, and gasification technologies. Learn more.
Reducing Waste Beats out Landfill, Incineration, and High-Heat Conversion Technologies According to Tellus Institute Report
A key report from the Tellus Institute, released December 19, 2008, says that recycling and composting are the most advantageous management options for all recyclable/compostable materials in the waste stream. Commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to inform their update of the Solid Waste Master Plan, the Report Compares a number of approaches to waste including recycling, composting, landfilling, and waste-to-energy incineration, plus the emerging technologies of gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion. The scope of the report includes impacts on climate change, energy use, and public health. The Tellus Report advises the regulatory agency to increase waste reduction strategies such as composting, for organic materials such as discarded food, leave and grass, and Extended Producer Responsibility for product and packaging discards. The Report further advises MassDEP that high-heat conversion technologies are not viable for the 1010-2020 Solid Waste Master Plan, though anaerobic digestion is recommended. More info.
Incineration Technologies
Here are videos on plasma, pyrolysis and gasification technologies. The movie was produced by Healthcare Without Harm and GAIA. In the movie, Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, PhD. reviews some of the dangers of pyrolysis, gasification and plasma incineration. Although the video most directly focuses on medical waste incineration, most of the information presented generally relates to other feedstocks as well. This should provide people with a solid understanding of some of the dangers. Part 1 (Background) Part 2 (Pyrolysis, Gasification, Plasma) Part 3 (Environmental Concerns) Part 4 (Other Issues)
Embodied Energy in Reuse and Recycling as Compared to Burning the Material:
Incineration of Municipal Solid Waste - A Reasonable Energy Option? Fact Sheet #3
This 3-page fact sheet compares the energy value and savings by material when recycling is compared to burning the same recyclable for energy. The materials reviewed include newsprint, fine paper, cardboard, other paper and some typical consumer plastics like high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalates (PET) and other plastics. [Common HDPE bottles include laundry detergent, bottled water is most often in PET.] The fact sheet lists an excellent set of supporting documents that discuss embodied energy found in everyday materials. This Fact Sheet was sponsored by the David Suzuki Foundation, Sierra Legal Advocates for the Environment, Pembina Institute, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Green Lakes United and TEA and reprinted here with their permission. Download the factsheet.
From Zero Waste Vancouver: Local Action: British Columbia Fights 6 Garbage Incinerators Zero Waste Vancouver is an independent, volunteer-run citizens' initiative formed during the Vancouver Garbage Strike in the summer of 2007. We are led by people with considerable expertise and passion about waste. Activists around the United States and Canada can learn how Zero Waste Vancouver has structured their fight against garbage incineration and how to use recycling and extended producer responsibility as reasons why incinerating waste is a bad idea. If your area has been convinced that burning or gasifying solid waste is a renewable energy and the next best thing for a safe energy future, then a visit to this website will help show why this just isn't true. Check out our Seven Good Reasons PDF, email us, or visit our Zero Waste Blog. Beware: the incinerator company Plasco has appropriated the URL www.zerowastevancouver.com.
