Hmmm! “Disadvantages of Incineration vs Anaerobic Digestion”; We guess that a lot of visitors will be thinking, “Why compare these two processes?

Why talk about the disadvantages of incineration versus anaerobic digestion?”

That is a good question, and it isn't something we would have thought of, had the comparison not been made in a report published today by the London Assembly’s Environment Committee, and featured in the ADBA Press Release below.

That incineration comes with some massive downsides for raising recycling rates, once installed, and can be a major health risk due to flue emissions, which need to be cleaned up to a very high degree, is not new. Nor is it new to point out that flue gas clean-up by technologies is essential and they simply cannot be allowed to fail; otherwise, dangerous substances such as dioxin will be emitted, as serious health risk factors.

What is new is for a major report to very closely compare those incinerator disadvantages with the advantages of anaerobic digestion and biogas/fertilizer production, and categorise incineration as one of the least desirable forms of waste management. 

Watch our video below to quickly find out exactly what we are saying on this subject. Don't forget to return after watching the video. We have a lot more information on this subject when you SCROLL DOWN!

<< New Video will be Coming Soon >>

Anaerobic digestion industry welcomes London Assembly incineration report

The main points made in the report, which are of particular interest to the AD Industry, are as follows:

• The report calls incineration one of the ‘least desirable forms’ of waste management
• Report calls for food waste to be separated and sent to anaerobic digestion facilities to extract full value
• The AD industry body says the ‘report' strengthens the case for mandatory separate food waste collections.

The London Assembly's Environment Committee published a report today that cites household waste incineration as one of the “least desirable forms of management in the waste hierarchy,” which the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry in the UK has welcomed.

The report states that the amount of UK waste sent for incineration has more than doubled in the last decade, reaching nearly two million tonnes in 2017. It also notes, [as disadvantages of incineration], that:

• burning waste takes materials out of the circular economy,
• releases carbon into the atmosphere, and
• may have negative health effects.

The report goes on to say that because not all London boroughs offer separate food waste collections, food waste is being burned rather than going to other processes that are more environmentally beneficial, such as AD, which recycles food waste into renewable energy, low-carbon transport fuel, and nutrient-rich biofertiliser.

The report describes anaerobic digesters in London as ‘under-utilized’.

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), the trade body for the UK AD industry, said:

“Today’s report rightly recognises that burning waste not only contributes to London’s urgent air pollution crisis but also fails to extract maximum value from what we throw away. Local authorities sending waste to incineration currently have no incentive to encourage householders to separate their recycling, while introducing separate food waste collections would allow food waste to be properly recycled through AD, producing [the advantages of anaerobic digestion]:

• not only renewable heat and power and low-carbon transport fuel but also
• nutrient-rich biofertiliser, vital to restoring the UK’s depleted soils.

“This report only serves to strengthen the case for the UK Government to finally introduce mandatory separate food waste collections across England to emulate the success seen in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The government has set itself a target of diverting all food waste from landfill by 2030, but it will find this target impossible to meet without separate food waste collections.”

ADBA Press Release Ends Here:

Conclusion to ADBA's View on the Disadvantages of Incineration vs Anaerobic Digestion

That incineration would, once installed in an area, tend to reduce the likelihood that higher rates of recycling would take place is not new.

For at least 20 years pressure groups such as the Friends of the Earth have been making exactly this same point. It has been the main objection to incineration, after criticism of technology for the inherent dangers of incinerator flue emissions.

It's only right that ADBA (Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association) should publicise the disadvantages of incineration vs anaerobic digestion when other bodies are making this point.

It is our view that ADBA is correct, and the disadvantages of incineration are exactly as they suggest. The hope is that at long last mainstream opinion may be moving toward the same conclusion.

If this proves to be a watershed moment for acceptance of the disadvantages of incineration, and the support society gives to the anaerobic digestion industry as a result. Many people will look back on this day and the “Waste: Energy From Waste” report, as a historic event.

More Disadvantages of Incineration

1. Environmental Impact

Air Pollution

Incineration of organic waste generates significant air pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and particulate matter. These emissions contribute to air quality degradation, acid rain, and respiratory problems in humans.

Toxic By-products

The incineration process produces toxic by-products such as dioxins and furans, which are highly hazardous to human health and the environment. These substances can persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain.

2. High Operational Costs

Energy Intensive

Incineration requires a substantial amount of energy to reach the high temperatures necessary for waste combustion. This energy demand increases operational costs, making incineration less economically viable compared to anaerobic digestion.

Maintenance and Infrastructure

The maintenance of incineration plants is costly due to the need for specialized equipment to handle high temperatures and corrosive gases. Additionally, the initial investment in infrastructure is significantly higher.

3. Limited Resource Recovery

Energy Recovery Efficiency

While incineration can generate electricity, the efficiency of energy recovery is relatively low compared to anaerobic digestion. Much of the energy produced is lost as heat, reducing the overall energy efficiency of the process.

Lack of Nutrient Recovery

Incineration destroys organic matter, resulting in the loss of valuable nutrients that could be recovered and reused. Unlike anaerobic digestion, which produces nutrient-rich digestate, incineration does not contribute to soil fertility.

4. Regulatory and Social Challenges

Stricter Regulations

Incineration facilities face stringent regulatory requirements due to their potential environmental and health impacts. Compliance with these regulations can be costly and time-consuming.

Public Opposition

Incineration plants often face strong public opposition due to concerns about air pollution, health risks, and unpleasant odours. This opposition can lead to delays and increased costs in the approval and construction of incineration facilities.

FAQs

What is the primary environmental disadvantage of incineration?

The primary environmental disadvantage of incineration is the release of harmful air pollutants and toxic by-products, which can degrade air quality and pose health risks.

How do operational costs of incineration compare to anaerobic digestion?

Operational costs of incineration are generally higher due to the energy-intensive nature of the process and the high maintenance requirements of the infrastructure.

Can incineration contribute to resource recovery?

Incineration contributes to resource recovery by generating electricity, but its efficiency is lower compared to anaerobic digestion, and it does not recover valuable nutrients from organic waste.

Why does incineration face more regulatory challenges than anaerobic digestion?

Incineration faces more regulatory challenges because of the potential environmental and health impacts of its emissions, which are subject to strict controls and monitoring.

Conclusion

While incineration and anaerobic digestion both offer solutions for organic waste management, the disadvantages of incineration make it less favourable in many contexts.

Incineration's environmental impact, high operational costs, limited resource recovery, and regulatory challenges contrast sharply with the more sustainable and economically viable anaerobic digestion. As the world moves towards greener and more sustainable waste management practices, the benefits of anaerobic digestion are becoming increasingly evident.

By understanding these disadvantages, stakeholders can make better-informed decisions, promoting waste management practices that are both environmentally and economically sustainable.

Sources:

London Assembly Environment Committee report Waste: Energy From Waste.

Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) website: www.adbioresources.org

The disadvantages of incineration, have all been said before, and here is the evidence that it has, in a clipping from an article published in 2012, as follows. But, this big difference is that now the London Assembly has accepted those arguments for the first time of any governing body to do so!

This has now produced a precedent whether the London Assembly realised it when they published, it or not, which will have negative consequences for incineration as it will be quoted by the opposing pressure groups, at every future incinerator planning inquiry.

Deja Vue! Waste plant plan opponents to give evidence at assembly