An Interactive Map Shows Where Cities Still Burn Waste
Cities across the United States have come to recognize the many drawbacks of waste incinerators, which contaminate the air, soil, and water. Nevertheless, 72 municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators still operate in the United States.
A new interactive map from the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) pinpoints their locations, revealing that the vast majority are located in vulnerable communities already affected by excess pollution.
Many of the incinerators currently operating are near the end of their lifespans, and cities will have to reconsider whether to keep investing in this dying industry. We designed this map to give local municipalities concise and accurate information on the harmful effects this industry has on its residents, especially now since they have the opportunity to transition away from these aging, polluting facilities.
The new map provides a snapshot of each incinerator’s locations and effects on the surrounding community, including the amount of waste burned per day, the amounts of toxic pollutants released into the air, and the total population living within a three-mile radius of the facility.
It builds on the Tishman Center’s research into the human and ecological impacts of municipal waste incineration, detailed in the report U.S. Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators: An Industry in Decline, which highlighted the large percentage of incinerators in EJ communities. We’ve also produced state-specific reports on the five states with the largest number of incinerators (Florida, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania).
Nearly 4.5 million people in the United States are exposed to pollution from waste incinerators, and 85 percent of waste incinerators are located in environmental justice (EJ) communities (lower- income communities and/or communities of color). Many of the communities where incinerators are located are already experiencing pollution from other industrial sources, causing cumulative impacts that regulators fail to take into account when setting emissions regulations.
Incinerators create major climate impacts through the release of greenhouse gases, producing almost as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as coal burning. They also pose a significant public health hazard through the emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide, mercury, lead, and other toxic materials associated with increased rates of asthma, heart disease, miscarriage, stillbirth, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and lung disease.
Notably, long-term exposure to particulate matter has also been shown to increase the risk of death from Covid-19. State and local officials must reconsider any future incineration investments through the lens of Covid-19 deaths and the disproportionate impacts on environmental justice communities.
Many cities have moved away from trash incineration in favor of zero-waste solutions, which encourage responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery without the burning of garbage. Cities and states can invest in recycling infrastructure and composting programs, with State legislatures holding producers accountable through minimum recycled content standards in their manufacturing processes.