This is a report I have just come across from the IMechE about Energy-from-Waste.  One serious flaw with this report, is the assertion than we have a strict regulatory framework.  In the UK we do not, just like the banks and Health & Safety, is is a self-reporting, self regulation regime which the banks have shown to be totally inadequate.  I worked on an EfW plant and know what happens.  Until we have a proper regulatory regime, with firms having to use BAT (Best Available Technology), then we should not be building waste combustion (incinerators) plants.
The one thing, I did like about this report, is the section on Denmark, near the end.  Where it mentions, they had their first District Heating system in 1930 and that since the 70s they have moved away from large centralised power plants, to smaller local CHP plants.  Plenty of lessons here for the UK.

Energy-from-Waste-Report.pdf (application/pdf Object).