The role of thermal treatment of commercial and industrial byproducts and wastes remains a vital component of sound environmental management practices worldwide. Included in this journal are seven articles on diverse thermal treatment topics that exemplify this. These articles demonstrate an ongoing commitment by research, academic, and industrial organizations to continuously improve and adapt thermal technologies to solve both today's and tomorrow's waste management challenges. These articles were selected from over 100 different papers presented at the 2008 and 2009 International Thermal Treatment Technologies (IT3) and Hazardous Waste Combustors Conference held in Montreal, Canada, and Cincinnati, Ohio. In particular, these articles were selected by the conference organizers as representative of cutting-edge developments and excellent scientific practices in the field of thermal treatment.

This conference is now entering its third decade as a gathering place for leading academic, research and development, equipment provider, engineering and consultant, and governmental agencies involved in the field of thermal treatment. This conference covers topics ranging from new research and operational scale applications of thermal treatment, such as plasma, pyrolysis, and gasification, to the implementation of environmental regulations for existing thermal treatment systems, to emerging issues such as understanding carbon footprints and the impacts of thermal treatment on climate change. Several of the articles in this special issue concern the role of alternate fuel sources in waste combustion systems.

Drawing together experts from nearly 20 different countries around the world, the conference facilitates the exchange and dissemination of ideas, concepts, and practices relating to thermal treatment and waste management to offer the best and most current global knowledge available. This conference also provides a forum for new ideas and areas of investigation on thermal treatment–related topics that promotes the continued development of scientific and engineering principles and practices. In this way, the conference assures these technologies continue to be applied responsibly and with the best knowledge available to maximize conservation of precious resources and minimize environmental impacts.

Successful waste management strategies continue to utilize a combination of approaches and technologies ranging from waste reduction and elimination, to recycle and re-use, to treatment via multiple technologies, including thermal treatment. Policy-makers and those charged with implementing these programs must carefully integrate the best approaches for each strategy to assure responsible, long-term protection of our world.

This special issue is made possible through the efforts of a group of dedicated individuals who have worked diligently in selecting, reviewing, and editing the enclosed articles. We thank the Conference Session Chairs for nomination of papers for publication and the members of the Program Advisory Committee for selection and peer review of the manuscripts. We give special thanks to Special Issue Coordinator, Paul M. Lemieux, Ph.D., U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development; Conference Oversight Chair, Dr. Ashwani K. Gupta, University of Maryland, Air & Waste Management (A&WMA); Conference Program Manager, Lisa Breeze; and to the Air and Waste Management Association for their continued support.