What is WTE?
WTE is the direct combustion of municipal solid waste (garbage) in controlled, high-temperature furnaces.
The is not the incineration of decades ago. Flue gasses from the combustion process flow through multiple pollution-control structures that reduce or nearly eliminate pollutants. The U.S. EPA has stated that waste-to-energy plants produce electricity “with less environmental impact than almost any other source of electricity.”
WTE is a technologically advanced means of waste disposal that reduces greenhouse gases —particularly methane — by eliminating emissions from landfills. In Florida, WTE annually reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6.5 million tons of CO2.
If you have never been inside a WTE facility, here are some interesting videos that describe how WTE facilities work.
