Incineration

Industrialized and urbanized humans have a serious problem with solid wastes. These materials must be dealt with by society in a safe and effective manner, and incineration is one option that should be considered. However, incinerators have some drawbacks, including the fact that they invariably emit some quantities of potentially toxic chemicals. The role of incinerators in waste disposal would best be determined by an objective consideration of the best available scientific information.

Environmental damages have been caused in the past by the use of less efficient technologies to dispose of the wastes of society, including incinerators without modern combustion and pollution-control systems. In large part, these damages were associated with industries, politicians, and societies that were not sufficiently aware of the potential environmental damages, or did not care about them to the degree that is common today.