The Incineration process by Laura Murtagh

Incineration is a waste treatment process

The term incinerates means to burn something until nothing is left but ashes.

 An incinerator is a unit or facility used to burn waste until it is reduced to just ash. An incinerator is constructed of heavy, well-insulated materials, so that it does not give off extreme amounts of external heat.

The high levels of heat are kept inside the furnace so that the waste is burned quickly and efficiently. If the heat were allowed to escape, the waste would not burn as completely or as rapidly.

One function of an incinerator is to dispose of trash or waste effectively, eliminating the high cost of having waste transported away and deposited elsewhere, then piling even more rubbish on to existing landfills. Incinerators also serve to keep dangerous materials from finding their way to landfills where they can cause harm people.

However some people feel that an incinerator is a poor alternative to other waste disposal methods. They believe its exchanging land waste for smog and air pollution. But, an incinerator can dispose of an incredible amount of solid waste when used properly, which is why many people believe that it is the most efficient waste disposal process.

Aside from reducing the sheer quantity of solid waste by roughly 90%, an incinerator can also be used to manage certain materials that cannot be disposed of properly by simply dumping them in another location due to issues of public health and safety.

 The extreme temperatures produced by an incinerator can wipe out certain biohazards, as well as other toxic materials which are found in medical and hazardous waste. Other dangerous and harmful materials can also be broken down in an incinerator, such as bio-weapons, confiscated drugs, and contaminants. The use of an incinerator is meant to be strictly regulated to protect our health and the environment.

In Ireland many incinerators where proposed leading to huge public debate a recent one was the poolbeg incinerator in planning in county Dublin, there was also a proposal for one in Ringaskiddy county cork.