Such plants are expensive to build, operate, and
maintain. If not operated properly, they can emit CO2
and toxic air pollutants, and they produce a toxic ash
that must be disposed of safely, usually in landfills. Because
MRFs require a steady diet of garbage to make
them financially successful, their owners have a vested
interest in increasing the throughput of matter and energy
resources to produce more trash—the reverse of
what prominent scientists believe we should be doing