The Burn Book: Incinerators that Threaten the Climate, Public Health, and our Finances

- Incineration and cement kilns - October 13, 2026

This publication analyzed data from twenty incinerators and incinerator proposals worldwide, focusing on public debt and subsidies, climate and air pollution, toxic byproducts, and other common issues surrounding the industry– identifying key patterns that emerged regardless of regional contexts:

“Waste-to-energy” incinerators turn waste into toxic air and ash pollution. Based on public data, these incinerators alone produced at least 1.7 million tons of toxic ash per year– the equivalent in weight to 230 Eiffel Towers. There is also significant documentation of air pollutants that threaten human health– including carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, dioxin, and furans. Many communities surrounding these plants complained of odors, respiratory issues, and ground contamination.
These facilities have a large climate footprint. Despite studies showing that waste-to-energy incineration produces more climate emissions than any other power source, many of the incinerators on the list do not monitor or publicly disclose their emissions levels. The eleven that did have available data release a cumulative 5.5 million metric tons of CO_2e per year, the equivalent of 1.3 million passenger cars.
“Waste-to-energy” is a waste of money. The twenty incinerators profiled have racked up nearly $7 billion of investments to date, with a portion of that directly from taxpayers in the form of government subsidies and municipal borrowing. In some cases municipalities are on the hook for millions of dollars in debt that stretches for decades. Waste incinerators are the most expensive form of waste management.
Burning waste undermines waste reduction. Once built, “waste-to-energy” incinerators require large volumes of waste to stay in operation, and many municipalities have “put-or-pay” contracts that disincentivize waste reduction. Much of the material burned in these incinerators could have been composted, recycled, or avoided altogether.

Frequently asked questions

What is GAIA’s Burn Book?

The Burn Book is a GAIA report that analyzes public data on twenty waste incinerators and incinerator proposals worldwide, looking at public debt and subsidies, climate and air pollution, toxic byproducts and community impacts.

How much pollution do the Burn Book incinerators produce?

Together they produce at least 1.7 million tons of toxic ash per year. The eleven facilities with available climate data emit a cumulative 5.5 million metric tons of CO2e per year, equivalent to 1.3 million passenger cars.

How much money has gone into these incinerators?

The twenty incinerators profiled have attracted nearly $7 billion in investments to date, part of it from taxpayers through government subsidies and municipal borrowing.