Hazardous combustion products from municipal waste incineration

Metropolitan areas are experiencing waste management problems due to the considerable volume of municipal waste generated and the limited space for landfills. Some communities are including incineration as part of their waste management strategy. Incineration is the destruction of materials by the controlled application of heat and is a chemically complex process that leads to the de novo formation of a large number of compounds, many of which have known toxicologic properties. This article explores some of the de novo toxicants formed during incineration of municipal waste and hazardous waste.