Dealing with waste is fast becoming a concern for municipalities all across the country. The more proactive of these governments look at municipal solid waste as a valuable resource offering inherent value even after the package or product has fulfilled its initial use. These innovative governments manage municipal waste via an integrated waste management strategy that draws upon a variety of different options to include reduce, reuse, recycle, recover and landfill. In Canada, approximately only 22 per cent of total municipal solid waste (all materials) is recycled and eight per cent is reclaimed through energy recovery leaving a staggering 70 per cent being disposed in landfill.
Energy recovery is becoming an increasingly popular waste management option for residual waste that cant practically or efficiently be dealt with through the traditional 3Rs. Europe, Asia and the U.S. have widely adopted this option and are actively increasing their activity in this area.