waste-to-energy
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We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology
To implement a true circular economy, we need to systematically and automatically reuse most of the material placed in our trash bags.
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The Necessity of Recycling
Without recycling, there can be no circular economy. Without a circular economy, we cannot build environmentally sustainable cities. Without sustainable cities, we’d better start looking for another planet.
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The U.S. Should Phase Out Landfilling, as China and the E.U. Are Doing
Compared to landfilling, waste-to-energy plants reduce carbon emissions and conserve land. China provides a good example of how waste-to-energy can be expanded.
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Putting Garbage to Good Use with Waste-to-Energy
Burning garbage to produce electricity is a strategy for sustainable waste management that is finding favor in Europe and China. Why isn’t it practiced more in the U.S.?
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Landfill Disposal May Pose Greater Health Risks Than WTE Treatment, Student Research Shows
Disposing of waste via landfills increases health risks 30-fold, compared with using waste-to-energy treatment — which generates electricity by burning waste — for disposal. This is according to a study conducted by a student in the Masters in Public Health (MPH) program at the Mailman School at Columbia University. The study, carried out by Pearl…

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More
