What is a limitation of Waste-to-Energy regarding waste supply?

What is a limitation of Waste-to-Energy regarding waste supply?

• A. WTE plants rely on a continuous supply of waste, which may decrease with rising recycling rates.
• B. WTE plants do not depend on waste supply and can run indefinitely.
• C. WTE plants produce energy without any emissions.
• D. WTE plants only operate when the sun shines.

Answer: (A)

Waste-to-Energy relies on a continuous feedstock of municipal solid waste. A key limitation is that the amount of waste available is not fixed and can shrink as recycling and waste diversion programs grow. When more waste is diverted to recycling, less ends up in the WTE stream, reducing throughput and making it harder to maintain steady energy output. If the supply becomes inconsistent or runs low, the plant may have to idle or operate at a lower capacity, which limits reliability and overall energy production. The other options don’t fit this idea: WTE does depend on waste feedstock, it does have emissions from combustion, and it is not tied to sunlight.

Waste-to-Energy relies on a continuous feedstock of municipal solid waste. A key limitation is that the amount of waste available is not fixed and can shrink as recycling and waste diversion programs grow. When more waste is diverted to recycling, less ends up in the WTE stream, reducing throughput and making it harder to maintain steady energy output. If the supply becomes inconsistent or runs low, the plant may have to idle or operate at a lower capacity, which limits reliability and overall energy production. The other options don’t fit this idea: WTE does depend on waste feedstock, it does have emissions from combustion, and it is not tied to sunlight.