Busting the myth: waste-to-energy plants and public health.

Abstract

Today, most products have a comparatively short lifespan and are being disposed of at an accelerating rate. As a result, waste management is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing global environmental issues. The European Union, for example, is experiencing a continuous rise in the amount of waste produced, with the most recent statistic reporting that, on average, in EU27 countries each person generates 530 kg of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually (1). To address this problem, the EU mandates a so-called “waste management hierarchy”, which prioritizes waste prevention and minimization as the preferred methods of managing waste. Material recovery and recycling are also prioritized. In contrast, thermal treatment of waste and landfilling are the least favoured methods due to concerns about their potential adverse health and environmental effects.