Toxic ash must go to landfill somewhere

TED CROSBIE (Letters, July 14) is apparently unaware that incinerators produce highly toxic gaseous emissions, judging by his reference to “the clean smokestack of a modern, well-managed incinerator”.

These emissions contain dioxins, furans, oxides of sulphur, carbon and nitrogen, particulate matter, hydrogen chloride and heavy metals.

The World Health Organisation classifies dioxin as a “known human carcinogen” and states that “in terms of dioxin release into the environment, solid waste incinerators are the worst culprits due to incomplete combustion”.