Incinerators in Disguise
Incinerators
with names like "gasification," "pyrolysis," "plasma
arc," and "waste-to-energy" all emit dioxins and other harmful
pollutants, despite industry claims that they are "green"
technologies.
Dozens of start-up companies
are working to site a new generation of toxic "incinerators in
disguise" in communities throughout the world. These are incinerators with
names like gasification, pyrolysis, and plasma arc
that are promoted by waste companies as "safe" and "green"
for community health and the environment. Many of today's incinerator companies claim that they can
safely, cost-effectively and sustainably turn any type of material such as
household trash, tires, medical waste, biomass, refuse-derived-fuel and hazardous
waste into electricity and fuels like ethanol and bio-diesel. Some companies go
so far as to claim that their technology is "zero emissions" or
"pollution-free" and not, in fact, incineration at all. However, all
of these technologies emit dioxins and other harmful pollutants into the air,
soil and water, and they are defined as incineration by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the European Union[1].
Incinerator
technologies such as plasma, pyrolysis and
gasification do have some different processes when compared to conventional
mass-burn incineration. While mass-burn incinerators combust the waste in a
single chamber, these incinerators typically heat the waste materials at high
temperatures in one chamber with less oxygen present, and then burn the waste
gases in a separate chamber connected to a smoke stack. Regardless of the
technology used, the core destructive impacts of all types of incinerators
remain the same.
Incinerators
negatively impact public health, local economies, the climate and the
environment. The short track record of pyrolysis,
plasma and gasification incinerator technologies has shown even higher costs,
less dependability, and inconsistent energy generation. In addition, data show
that dioxins, furans and other toxins are formed in these systems, and in some
cases, toxins are formed in higher quantities than in conventional mass-burn
incinerators. [2]
Learn more about
the core impacts of all waste
incinerators.
[1] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Title 40: Protection of Environment, Hazardous Waste Management System:
General, subpart B-definitions, 260.10, current as of February 5, 2008.
Incinerators in Disguise Documentation - Plasma Arc/ Biomass Incinerators , Health Information
>
The developers of plasma gasification and other types of "incinerators in
disguise" are making the same misleading, dishonest and unsubstantiated claims
in each community hoping to get one built.
-- witness the copy in the two links directly below
about the Milwaukee proposal, and in the links in the first set at the end of
this message:
>
Project would turn Milwaukee trash into energy - Thomas Content -
Journal Sentinel 2/2/10 http://www.jsonline.com/business/83410837.html
"Project Apollo" - a proposal by Alliance Federated Energy (AFE)
utilizing Westinghouse Plasma Corp.'s plasma gasification technology
to process municipal and industrial wastes into "renewable energy"
in Milwaukee 2/1/10 www.afeservices.com/press_02012010.php
>
One would hope that the national and Wisconsin Apollo Alliance would be
outraged at, and would respond to, the deceit, greenwashing,
and incompatibility with true clean energy involved in AFE's proposal. One would also hope that both groups would be concerned about the public
getting confused about all the good things that the Alliance's "The
New Apollo Program" stands for
(third link directly below), and the very different and not-so-good things the
AFE plasma gasification proposal -- "Project Apollo" -- stands
for.
http://apolloalliance.org/
http://apolloalliance.org/state-local/wisconsin/
http://apolloalliance.org/programs/apollo-14/
>
since we're all vulnerable in multiple
ways to developers who are shopping around proposals for incinerators or
disguised incinerators, I decided to just do a quick selected listing of recent
resources to fight such proposals. I'm sure I missed lots of important
articles and reports
>
The first set below focuses on resources that address
primarily plasma gasification proposals. Thanks to Mike Ewall for the information on the proposed Waste Management/InEnTec plasma gasification plant in Arlington, OR.
>
The second set is a little broader and focuses on incinerators and
incinerators in disguise. The third set focuses on the health and
environmental effects of all of the above, and introduces
precautionary concerns about the growing quantity of engineered
nanomaterials in the waste stream and their
incineration. The last
six links in the third set illustrate the ways in which engineered
nanosilver -- now used in "several hundred
medical and consumer products" -- poses urgent precautionary concerns.
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/silver-migrates-from-nanoparticle-treated-fabrics/
>========== PRIMARILY PLASMA GLASIFICATION / PLASMA ARC
Plasma Arc Technology for Municipal Solid Waste: A Proven Technology or
“Incinerator in Disguise”? - Will Florida's Health and Environment Be
Protected? Greenaction
for Health and Environmental Justice & Global Alliance for Incinerator
Alternatives 3/10/08
www.greenaction.org/incinerators/documents/GreenactionGAIAExposeOfFloridaPlasmaArcIncineratorInDisguiseProposals030908.pdf
>
Burning Issues in Waste Disposal: Incinerators In Disguise [Power point
presentation, 48 slides] - Green Action & GAIA 10/08 www.no-burn.org/downloads/IncineratorsInDisguise.pdf
>
Greenaction Comments in Opposition to Sun Energy
Group's Permit
Application for a Plasma Arc Facility in New Orleans 7/8/09
www.greenaction.org/incinerators/neworleans/documents/GreenactionGreenactionCommentsOpposingSunEnergyGroupPlasmaArcPermitApplication.pdf
>
Letter sent to the Florida Public Service Commission re Implementation and
Rulemaking Renewable Portfolio Standard Implementation and Rulemaking
7/11/08 [signed by many individuals and organizations opposing the use of waste
to energy incinerators and incinerators in disguise (gasification, pyrolysis and plasma arc), as well as biomass and biofuels energy production as components of the Florida
RPS]
www.psc.state.fl.us/utilities/electricgas/RenewableEnergy/07_11_08_PSC_RPS.pdf
>
Doctors say: Be careful, St. Lucie County, make Geoplasma
prove its claims about proposed arc incinerator 9/5/08
www.psr.org/chapters/tampa-bay/resources/doctors-say-be-careful-st-lucie-county.pdf
>
GAIA : Plasma Gasification Plan Goes Up in Smoke for
Sacramento, CA 1/19/09
http://www.no-burn.org/article.php?id=623
>
Waste Management to Add Landfill Plasma Gasification Unit [Proposal by S4
Energy Solutions, a joint venture by Waste Management and InEnTec
at Waste Management's Columbia Ridge Landfill in Arlington, OR] - Environmental
Leader 3/8/10
www.environmentalleader.com/2010/03/08/waste-management-to-add-landfill-plasma-gasification-unit/
www.s4energysolutions.com/company/index.html
>
Indiana Residents Fight Plasma Arc Plant [proposed by PEAT International to
destroy pharmaceutical, electronic, plastic and other waste in Anderson, IN] -
Environmental Leader 1/5/09
www.environmentalleader.com/2009/01/05/indiana-residents-fight-plasma-arc-plant/
>
========== BROADER FOCUS: INCINERATORS AND INCINERATORS IN DISGUISE
An Industry Blowing Smoke: 10 Reasons Why Gasification, Pyrolysis
and Plasma Incineration are Not "Green Solutions" - Global Alliance
for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) 6/09
http://nobiomassburning.org/docs/Industry_Blowing_Smoke.pdf
>
An Industry Blowing Smoke [Executive Summary] - MASSPIRG
www.masspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/healthy-communities/healthy-communities/an-industry-blowing-smoke
>
Let's Say "No" To Incineration in Canada [also addresses
gasification, plasma arc and other "incineration in disguise"
strategies] - Prevent Cancer Now 1/09
http://preventcancernow.ca/main/issues-actions/stop-incineration
>
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection moves away from
gasification and pyrolysis consideration... - Global
Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) 12/22/08
http://www.no-burn.org/article.php?id=610
>
Incineration of Municipal Solid Waste: An Update on Pollution [also addresses
gasification, plasma arc and other "incineration in disguise"
strategies] - Pembina Institute in collaboration with the
David Suzuki Foundation, Sierra Legal, Toronto Environmental Alliance, Canadian
Environmental Law Association and Great Lakes United 5/07
http://www.pembina.org/pub/1450
>
Wasted Energy: Debunking the Waste-to-Energy Scheme - Neil Seldman,
Institute for Local Self-Reliance, July/August 2008
www.ilsr.org/columns/2008/080008.html
>
Proposals for new [gasification, plasma arc, etc.] facilities in the
U.S. have failed when authorities investigated - UK Without
Incineration Network
http://www.ukwin.org.uk/?p=599
>
GAIA : No Incentives for Incinerators Sign-on
Statement
www.zerowarming.org/article.php?id=247
GAIA : Organizations signed onto No
Incentives for Incinerators statement
www.zerowarming.org/article.php?id=248
>
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS of INCINERATORS
The Health Effects of Waste Incinerators: 4th Report of the British
Society for Ecological Medicine, Second Edition 6/08
www.ecomed.org.uk/content/IncineratorReport_v3.pdf
>
Incineration and Links to Cancer - Prevent Cancer Now 1/09
http://preventcancernow.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/pcn-incin21.pdf
>
Health Effects of Incineration - Prevent Cancer Now 1/09
http://preventcancernow.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/pcn-incin4.pdf
>
Incinerators Trash Community Health - Global Alliance for Incinerator
Alternatives (GAIA) 6/08
www.no-burn.org/downloads/Incinerators%20Trash%20Community%20Health.pdf
>
Irish Doctors Environmental Association: Incinerators and their Health Effects
6/15/06
www.ideaireland.org/incineratorsandhealth.htm
>
Incineration of Municipal Solid Waste: An Update on Pollution -
Pembina Institute in collaboration with the David Suzuki Foundation,
Sierra Legal, Toronto Environmental Alliance, Canadian Environmental
Law Association and Great Lakes United 5/07
www.pembina.org/pub/1450
>
Can Chemicals Be Regulated? - Peter Montague - Rachel's Democracy & Health
News #993 1/8/09
www.precaution.org/lib/09/prn_new_problems.090108.htm
>
Section on "Synergistic Effects" in "The Health Effects of Waste
Incinerators: 4th Report of the British Society for Ecological Medicine, Second
Edition" 6/08
www.ecomed.org.uk/content/IncineratorReport_v3.pdf
>
Incinerators Trash Community Health - Global Alliance for Incinerator
Alternatives (GAIA) 6/08
www.no-burn.org/downloads/Incinerators%20Trash%20Community%20Health.pdf
>
The Deadliest Air Pollution Isn't Being Regulated or Even Measured - Peter
Montague - Rachel's Democracy & Health News #915 7/12/07
www.precaution.org/lib/07/ht070712.htm#The_Deadliest_Air_Pollution_Isnt_Being_Regulated_or_Even_Measured
> Health Threats from Nanotechnology Being Ignored
Nanotechnology-Related Environment,
Health, and Safety Research:
Examining the National Strategy - Environmental Health Perspectives,
Volume 117, Number 4, April 2009
www.ehponline.org/members/2009/117-4/spheres.html
>
Sweating the Small Stuff: Nanotechnology Needs Research and Regulation - Food
& Water Watch 1/07
www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/foodsafety/food-technologies/nanotechnology
>
Precautionary Concerns about the Potential Adverse Effects of Incinerating
Engineered Nanoscale Materials in the Waste Stream (Section 9) -
Joseph Miller - Oregon PSR 1/09
www.psr.org/chapters/oregon/marion-county-incinerator.html#Section9
>
Former EPA Official Calls For New Environmental & Consumer Protection Agency: Technological
Advances Require New Oversight - Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies 4/28/09
http://nanotechproject.us/news/archive/davies4/
>
Nanotechnology: The Smallest Big Risk - Joshua Hackett - Endurance Reinsurance
Corporation of America Fall/09
www.enduranceinsuranceuk.com/files/newsletters/edge-2009-fall.pdf
>
NanoCEO - Nanotechnology Citizen Engagement
Organization
http://www.nanoceo.net/
>
Nano-silver: Extreme Germ Killer Presents Growing
Threat to Public Health - Friends of the Earth and Health Care Without Harm Europe 6/11/09 www.foe.org/nano-silver-extreme-germ-killer-presents-growing-threat-public-health
>
Nanoscale Silver: No Silver Lining? - Nanotechnology
Project 9/9/08
www.nanotechproject.org/news/archive/silver/
>
Nanoparticles from sunscreens damage microbes -
Matthew Cimitile -
Environmental Health News 3/24/09
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/nanoparticles-damage-microbes
>
Silver is a potent nerve cell toxicant - Environmental Health News 1/21/10
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/silver-is-potent-neurotoxicant/
>
Silver migrates from treated fabrics - Environmental Health News
1/7/10
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/silver-migrates-from-nanoparticle-treated-fabrics/
>
Nanosilver in consumer products: No silver lining for
fish - Environmental Health News 11/17/09
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/nanosilver
--
Rachel Smolker
Biofuelwatch
Hinesburg, Vermont, U.S.A.
office: (802) 482 2848 mobile: (802)
735-7794 skype:
rachel smolker www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/
