Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Waste-to-energy: Impact and additionality

Cleaner than dumps, dirtier than gas: it depends what's replaced

Cleaner than dumps, dirtier than gas: it depends what's replaced What this tab covers The impact and additionality lens: direct emission cuts, side benefits for water and air, and the risk of prolonging the life of a polluting host plant.

Climate benefit depends on what is displaced. Incineration beats methane-emitting dumps but emits more CO2 per kWh than a gas plant; co-processing, re-refining and residue co-firing offer clearer gains.

Direct Scope 1 and Scope 2 abatement

Mixed

Burning mixed waste releases CO2 from both biogenic material and fossil plastics. Zero Waste Europe, an advocacy group, says more than 70 Mt of waste was burned across Europe in 2017 and that incinerator electricity carries about twice the carbon intensity of the EU grid average, and more than gas power. India's co-firing programme reports about 3.5 Mt CO2 avoided, and JSW Cement about 120,000 t in FY2024-25 from RDF (company figure).269

Waste burned in European incinerators (2017) more than 70 Mt (ZWE)6 Incinerator power carbon intensity about twice the EU grid average (ZWE)6 Co-firing CO2 avoided (India) 3.477 Mt (as reported)9 JSW Cement RDF CO2 avoided about 120,000 t (FY2024-25, company figure)2

Water and air synergy

Mixed

The strongest local case is air quality: India has about 230 Mt a year of surplus crop residue, part of which is burned in fields (residue burning is a seasonal driver of smog in north India), and the Commission for Air Quality Management set a minimum co-firing share for captive plants around Delhi. Incinerators, by contrast, have faced complaints and penalties over stack emissions, and backyard used-oil processors pollute soil and water, which EPR aims to formalise.19

Surplus agricultural residue about 230 Mt of 750 Mt generated9 NCR captive plants co-firing target 10% minimum by end-20239

Avoided lock-in

Mixed

Incinerators need a steady, calorific waste stream for 25 years or more, which can compete with recycling and composting of the same plastics and paper. Co-firing biomass can extend coal plant lives if used as a reason to defer retirement. Re-refining and co-processing lock in less, because the host (lubricant market, cement kiln) will exist regardless.19

Sources

  1. Trash-fired power plants wasted in India Down To Earth (Centre for Science and Environment), 2019
  2. Advancing Cement Sector Decarbonization via RDF Co-Processing (authors from JSW Cement) NBM&CW, 2026
  3. The impact of Waste-to-Energy incineration on climate (advocacy briefing) Zero Waste Europe, 2019
  4. Decarbonising Coal: Co-firing as a viable pathway to cleaner thermal power generation Power Line (citing CAQM and Ministry of Power), 2025