In our house the decorations go up, the MRS starts frantically shopping and wrapping presents, and everyone wears a coat into the workshop but within 2 minutes of walking in the extra layers are off because it’s a mini furnace in here!
It’s also that time of year when even though we are 3 lad Dads and the majority of the year we are covered in sweat, metal works and grime the Christmas party means we actually get showered and suited up. Looking forward to having some fun and team building.
The other December tradition that happens is the home incinerator gets fired up (oven) and the kids make cookies and festive treats. It’s close to the same ending of a cremation.
But in between all the festivities and Christmas fun it’s a time to look back. There are at least 90 incinerators in the UK and 50 more proposed or in development, according to government data and data collected by the anti incineration group United Kingdom Without Incineration Network.
To those still concerned about the carbon impact, air pollution and waste incineration we would love to share what other countries do.
Sweden Sends Just 1% of Its Trash to Landfills
The country incinerates nearly half its garbage to create the energy that powers its homes and buildings.
In Sweden, almost all the waste that cannot be recycled is burned to provide heat and power. According to the Swedish government and advocates of waste-to-energy technology, even though it emits CO2, this method is much better for the environment than dumping waste in landfills. Energy recovery, according to Klas Svensson, a waste-to-energy technical advisor at Avfall Sverige, Sweden's waste management association, is the finest technique now available for treating and exploiting the energy in various residual wastes that can't readily be recycled. It gives a chance for many other European nations to phase out landfilling while also replacing Russian gas. In addition, Sweden makes a lot of money from it.
Sweden was a pioneer in the waste-to-energy industry. In the late 1940s, during the post-war housing boom, it opened its first plant. Instead of each home having its own boiler, the new dwellings were connected to district heating networks, which produce heat at a central place and pump it out to individual residences. Waste-to-energy generating plants have increasingly been used to power these district heating networks over time, with significant expansions starting in the 1970s. Sweden currently has 34 waste-to-energy facilities that provide 1,445,000 families with heat and 780,000 households with power. These are astounding numbers for a nation with only 10 million people.
Also in Sweden they enjoy glögg – a hot, spicy mulled wine with blanched almonds and raisins – and pepparkakor (gingerbread biscuits).
In Sweden, citizens also enjoy a 'God Jul' or 'Merry Christmas' beginning on December 13 when they celebrate Saint Lucia's Day. Food is an important part of Swedish Christmas celebrations, and the jalbord is a buffet that includes a rice pudding dish with a hidden treat for one person.
As a conclusion to this blog, we are off to celebrate at our Christmas party before we can no longer fit in our suits!
But Please get in touch with our industry professionals at enquiries@mscombustion.com
or +44(0)7786 214039 to discuss
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