Tampa, like many other rapidly growing metropolises, is realizing the challenge of increased waste accumulation. In response, officials in the area are adopting a popular strategy in Florida: incineration.
Jack Mariano, the commissioner of Pasco County, located just north of Hillsborough County in Tampa, Florida, acknowledges that areas experiencing growth will inevitably face capacity issues in managing waste. The question arises for everyone: where can the trash be effectively disposed?
To address this concern, Pasco authorities have approved a $540 million plan to enhance the county’s waste-to-energy facility. This plan involves the addition of a fourth boiler, which would increase the capacity of the incinerator complex by approximately 50%. Furthermore, the increased amount of power generated through a turbine, fueled by steam produced from burning garbage, would be fed into the electrical grid.
About $60 million of the project, which is expected to be finished in the summer of 2026, will be covered by money obtained through the Inflation Reduction Act, according to Mariano. The plant is one of three in the Tampa area that processes solid waste; but, according to a facility official, it can now manage less than two-thirds the volume of a nearby Hillsborough WTE and a third of Pinellas County’s to the wes
Research conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency reveals that the technology utilized by WTEs is progressively becoming safer and cleaner, despite their long-standing usage. The Pasco facility, constructed in 1989, has required substantial renovations to meet regulatory standards. The Energy Department’s representative has confirmed that numerous installations are eligible for tax credits, which have been augmented by the Inflation Reduction Act.
The director of solid waste and resource recovery for Pasco County, Justin Roessler, affirmed that the incinerator in the area has already implemented stringent air pollution controls, including the utilization of activated carbon for filtering hazardous gases. The emissions from the site are continuously monitored to detect any irregularities, which are subsequently reported to the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Although recent research has established a correlation between air pollution and other environmental contaminants with a rise in eczema cases, Vale mentioned that her daughter’s doctor did not draw any conclusions regarding the potential impact of the incinerator. Nevertheless, she believes that it may contribute to the situation.
She stated, “We lived in Atlanta for 12 years, and she never got that diagnosis—ever,” but she conceded that her access to doctors is limited. We are a family of four. It gets insane if we take them to the doctor every time they get sick.
Although others have, Vale does not intend to file a lawsuit against any authorities or Covanta, the business that ran the Miami-Dade WTE and seven of Florida other WTEs, including Pasco’s.