Energy-from-waste ACADEMIC OPINION
ACADEMIC OPINION
Dr Jennifer Macklin - Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Australia
Dr. Macklin has expressed concerns that WtE incineration undermines the circular economy by destroying materials that could otherwise be reused or recycled. She notes that once WtE infrastructure is established, it creates a dependency on a continuous waste stream, potentially discouraging recycling efforts.
UNSW Scientia Professor Sahajwalla
“It is not a good idea to burn materials for the purpose of generating energy"
Dr. Ronney Arismel Mancebo Boloy and Colleagues
In a systematic literature review, 'Waste-to-Energy Technologies Towards Circular Economy: a Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis,' Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, July 2021, Dr. Boloy and his team identified a scientific gap in the alignment of WtE technologies with circular economy principles.
Dr. Candida Brady
Dr. Brady’s documentary “Trashed” critically examines the environmental and health impacts of waste incineration, highlighting issues such as dioxin pollution and its potential effects on human health.
Dr. Peter W. Tait - Australian National University
Co-authored a systematic review identifying health risks associated with waste incineration, including respiratory issues and potential cancer risks. 'The health impacts of waste incineration: a systematic review - The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 2020'
Enzo Favoino - Scientific Coordinator, Zero Waste Europe
Advocates for zero-waste strategies over incineration, highlighting that incineration can discourage recycling and lock municipalities into long-term waste generation contracts.
REFERENCES
- Boloy, R.A.M., Padoano, E.L., Neves, C.L., & Ardila, Y.M.C. 2021, ‘Waste-to-Energy Technologies Towards Circular Economy: a Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis’, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, vol. 232, no. 7, pp. 1–16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05203-6 (Accessed: 26 April 2025).
- Brady, C. 2012, Trashed [Film], Blenheim Films, United Kingdom. Available at: https://www.trashedfilm.com/
- City of Sydney Council 2019, Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 18 November 2019: Item 13.6 Waste to Energy, City of Sydney, Sydney. Available at: https://meetings.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/documents/s36151/Waste%20to%20Energy.pdf
- Favoino, E. 2020, Zero Waste Europe position papers and presentations, Zero Waste Europe, Brussels. Available at: https://zerowasteeurope.eu/
- Macklin, J. 2024, Comments on Waste-to-Energy and Circular Economy Impacts, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Melbourne. [Internal discussion paper, publicly summarized in policy forums.]
- Tait, P.W., Brew, J., Che, A., Costantino, P., Danyluk, A., Davis, M. & Bowles, D.C. 2020, ‘The health impacts of waste incineration: a systematic review’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 37–43. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12939