Doesn't the revenue brought in from the sale of electricity offset the costs of a "modern waste to energy facility"?

Not by much. Only a fraction of the expense of these facilities is offset by the sale of electricity.

According to budget reports, the Montgomery County facility processed 640,101 tons of waste in 2004, generating 387,141 megawatt hours of electricity valued at $15M, or $23.43 per ton. But, per ton, the net operating cost was $21.78 and the net debt service cost was $42.36.

That year, Montgomery County spent $41M to operate and upgrade the facility. Not included in this figure: non-financed capital of $2.09M; non-contract operating costs of $772,000 for risk management; county work worth $275,134; residue disposal of $10.80 per ton; and charge backs to the Department of Environmental Protection worth $43,603.

So called "waste to energy" plants are more accurately termed wasted energy plants because they produce less energy than is saved through recycling. As discussed elsewhere, large quantities of energy are required to mine, transport and make resources into disposal goods. Additional energy is required to get consumables, once packaged, to market. (See Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)

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