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Combustion of Solid Waste

T he large amounts of waste that we produce is often disposed of by burning it in large furnaces known as incinerators. Most of the solid waste on Earth is removed by combustion. However, unsafe combus- tion practices harm the atmosphere.

CO

Nitrous Oxide The combustion of solid waste, sewage treatment, and agricultural processes pro- duces another GHG known as nitrous ox- 2 Burning organic matter, such as coal, oil, and wood converts solid carbon into CO 2 . A ton of organic waste produces the same amount of CO 2 upon burning. Thus, the incineration of solid wastes produces more CO 2 than produced by landfills.

ide. Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a major air pollutant. It has also led to the large-scale depletion of the ozone layer. This depletion allows harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach the earth.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

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