"The prevention principle continues to take priority over recycling and disposal of waste”, said UBA President Prof. Dr. Andreas Troge. “Thermic valorisation of waste, however, is an unavoidable chapter in sustainable waste management. Waste incineration plants play an important role in climate protection and saving natural resources”. These were the findings of tests carried out by UBA and various environmental research institutes.

“As waste is indeed incurred in our consumer society, thermal valorisation of waste which is not otherwise redeemable will also continue to be necessary and useful. A comparison across Europe shows that countries with progressive waste management systems in place have both a high proportion of waste incineration as well as high rates of materials recycling, as for example in Denmark and the Netherlands, where waste incineration does not impede high rates of recycling”.

“Waste incineration is an ecological means of waste disposal when waste is not otherwise redeemable. The energy generated at waste incineration plants could replace fossil fuels such as coal or oil, saving about 9.75 million tonnes carbon dioxide (CO₂) in Germany annually…” The UBA also informs that “the energy content of residual waste from human settlements is about 50 percent biogenic content, which can be classed as carbon dioxide-neutral”.

The UBA emphasizes, however, that it continues to be of prime importance, “to avoid waste as much as possible, and this requires greater materials efficiency in manufacturing”

See press release in English and German http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/uba-info-presse/2008/pd08-052.htm

The background paper "Waste incineration and waste prevention: Not a contradiction in terms" is available in English and in German from the links below:

English
http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/uba-info-medien/mysql_medien.php?anfrage=Kennummer&Suchwort=3820

German
http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/uba-info-medien/mysql_medien.php?anfrage=Kennummer&Suchwort=%203285