Turning rubbish into electricity: Indonesia to build huge incinerators to shrink landfill needs

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In some way, you can burn the problem. But the key is to burn it in the right way. The smart way

The WTE (waste-to-energy) facility is said to be able to transfer the heat from the garbage-burning to boil water and turn it into steam in special pipes to spin a turbine to generate electricity.

However, concerns remain about potential health risks from emissions despite modern incinerator technology. Thus, incinerators might not be welcomed by all, though the modern ones have devices to convert pollutant gases into less harmful ones in closed systems with air controls. In many countries, communities near incinerators often worry about respiratory diseases and cancer risks as emissions from these plants cannot be 100 per cent contained.

Toxic and acidic liquid could form when rainwater passes through waste and seeps into soil and groundwater, a particularly dangerous issue as most Indonesians still rely on pumped-up groundwater for their supply of clean water, including for drinking

Decomposing waste also releases methane and hydrogen sulphide, causing foul smells and sometimes respiratory irritation. Methane is highly flammable and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, worsening climate change.

Qn: To what extent are science and technology able to solve the problem of waste disposal? (Cam. 2024)