Incineration is the process of burning hazardous
materials at temperatures high enough to destroy
contaminants. Incineration is conducted in an
“incinerator,” which is a type of furnace designed for
burning hazardous materials in a combustion chamber.
Many different types of hazardous materials can be
treated by incineration, including soil, sludge, liquids,
and gases. Although it destroys many kinds of harmful
chemicals, such as solvents, PCBs (polychlorinated
biphenyls), and pesticides, incineration does not
destroy metals, such as lead and chromium.