Abstract
The idea of a furnace operated specifically to burn waste materials originated in England more than 100 years ago. These furnaces were originally called destructors. The term incinerator was not used until the early twentieth century. Municipalities and industries are striving to reduce the generation of waste by recycling and altering their processes. Significant quantities of waste continue recycling and altering their processes. Significant quantities of waste continue to be generated (see Wastes, Industrial) and high temperature incineration is one technology for managing them. This article focuses on incinerators for the destruction of hazardous wastes. The U.S. EPA defines hazardous wastes as "by-products of society that can pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed". They possess at least one of four characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity (1).
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology |
| State | Published - 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
EGS Disciplines
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Studies
