 In this video, we're going to consider the advantages and the disadvantages to waste incineration. What do you think are the advantages of burning waste instead of committing it to landfill? Pause the video and continue when you have an idea or some ideas. If the waste is not burned, then it is likely to end up in a landfill site, which is considered to be the least environmentally friendly option. Incineration could result in a reduction in waste volume of around 90%, and this could be particularly important for small cities where space is scarce, and landfill is not an option. Odours and rodents that are present in other methods are not a problem when using incineration as a garbage disposal method. Nearly all of the waste that is burned could be used to generate electricity in what is called energy from waste schemes, where households and industries could benefit from the electricity or heat produced. The electricity generated could help to pay for the start-up cost of the incinerator. Additionally, the steam produced from incineration presents itself as a cost-saving energy source if recycled. Ash produced from these incinerators could be used in the construction and road building industries. In addition, metals could be extracted from the ash, and they could also be used in steel industries. The key advantage, however, is that the production of electricity and thermal energy from waste enables us to conserve conventional sources of energy, such as fossil fuels. Now, what about the disadvantages of incineration? Again, pause the video and think about what these could be. Resume when you have an idea or some ideas. The main disadvantage surrounds potential pollutants found in the ash left in the incinerator and those that could be emitted from the chimney. These include dioxins, acid gases, nitrogen oxide, heavy metals and particulates. As you may have heard from other videos, these are airborne particles which are small enough to get into the lungs of humans. They cause and aggravate respiratory problems such as asthma. However, it is the dioxins resulting from incomplete combustion contained in the gases from the chimneys that attract the most concern. This is because they are suspected of causing cancer. In addition, these emissions could be distributed through the food chains and accumulate over a long period of time impacting on both ecosystems and human health. As a result, many people are opposed to having incinerators built in or near their communities. Another disadvantage is the initial startup cost to build a waste incinerator for the production of electricity and may not be seen as a viable alternative where cheaper waste disposal methods exist. Once built, the maintenance of the machinery could be costly. The biggest disadvantage, however, is that if waste is incinerated without first being sorted, this means we are incinerating waste that could have been recycled. So, in summary, incineration of waste presents numerous advantages. One, the energy is used to heat or to produce electricity for homes and industry. Two, this method reduces the need for fossil fuel consumption. Three, the ash produced can be recycled for metals used in the still industry. And finally, four, this method reduces the volume of waste produced. There are also disadvantages. One, incinerators are expensive to build and maintain. Two, pollutants in the ash and emissions from incinerators are harmful to health and ecosystems. And finally, three, waste that could be recycled will instead be incinerated if not properly sorted.