Which of the following statements about incineration is/are correct?
1. Incineration at high temperatures completely destroys all organic pollutants.
2. Waste-to-energy incineration can contribute to electricity generation.

Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question

Which of the following statements about incineration is/are correct?
1. Incineration at high temperatures completely destroys all organic pollutants.
2. Waste-to-energy incineration can contribute to electricity generation.

Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is not correct: Incineration involves burning waste at high temperatures, but metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium do not get destroyed. Instead, they either remain in the residual ash or get released into the atmosphere if not properly controlled. The incineration process detoxifies hazardous wastes by destroying most of the organic compounds contained in the wastes and reduces the volume of wastes with any inert residual solids.

Statement 2 is correct: Waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration generates electricity by burning waste and using the heat to produce steam.

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
Which of the following statements about incineration is/are correct? 1. Incineration at high temperatures completely destroys all organic pollutants. 2. Waste-to-energy incineration can contribute to electricity generation. Select the correct answer using the code below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2