Wheelabrator Incinerator facts for kids

The Wheelabrator waste-to-energy facility smokestack near Interstate 95.

Wheelabrator Baltimore is a special kind of power plant in Baltimore, Maryland. It uses a process called waste-to-energy, which means it burns trash to create electricity. This plant is operated by Wheelabrator Technologies and can produce enough power for many homes, about 64.5 megawatts.

How the Plant Works

The Wheelabrator Baltimore plant has been operating since 1985. It has a very tall white smokestack that says "Baltimore" on it. This smokestack is a well-known landmark for people driving on nearby Interstate 95 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

Turning Trash into Energy

The plant, also known as BRESCO, takes a lot of the city's trash. Instead of just burying it all, the plant burns the trash at very high temperatures. This burning process creates heat, which is used to boil water and make steam. The steam then spins turbines, which are like big fans, to generate electricity.

Dealing with Waste and Pollution

After the trash is burned, what's left is ash. This ash is then taken to the city's Quarantine Road landfill.

Over the years, there have been some concerns about the plant's impact on the air. People have worried about air pollution coming from the smokestack. Environmental groups, like the Environmental Integrity Project, have worked to make sure the plant follows rules for clean air.

Making Air Cleaner

In 2010, several groups worked together to ask for better monitoring of the plant's emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) then asked the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to make sure the plant's pollution monitoring was stronger. This was good news for cleaner air and water in Maryland.

A report from 2011 showed that the Wheelabrator plant released certain pollutants. These included mercury, lead, and greenhouse gases. It also released nitrogen oxide, which can cause smog and affect the Chesapeake Bay. The goal of better monitoring is to ensure that the plant follows environmental laws. This helps protect the air we breathe and the water in our bay.