The Role of Waste-to-energy in Solid Waste Management

On behalf of the International Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Association (lSWA), it is a pleasure to open this First Annual North American Waste-to-Energy Conference. Solid waste management has moved to the forefront of the environmental agenda. The level of activity and concern by citizens and governments worldwide has reached unprecedented levels. Nations are considering restrictions on packaging and controls on products in order to reduce solid waste generation rates. Local and regional governments are requiring wastes to be separated for recycling, and some have even established mandatory recycling targets. Concerns about emissions from waste-to-energy plants have resulted in imposition of state-of-the-art air pollution controls. Landfills are being equipped with liners, impervious caps and leachate collection systems, and gas and groundwater is being routinely monitored. There is wide scale public opposition to Siting of new solid waste treatment and disposal facilities. As a result, the costs of solid waste management are increasing rapidly.