Why do we tend to use landfills instead of incineration plants for our trash?

Question

You’d have a lot less to bury if you burned it first, right?

In: 23

Answer 1

In many countries, e.g., Germany, landfills have been completely replaced by incineration plants, already decades ago.

All non-recyclable trash (except for certain kinds of hazardous waste) is burned. This is done at very high temperature to ensure that, e.g., the toxic intermediates from burning plastics are further broken down and rendered harmless.

The heat is used to generate electricity.