Technology Comparison Hub
PHANTOM vs Every Alternative
Incineration, autoclave, composting, anaerobic digestion, landfill — how does PHANTOM compare on cost, emissions, cycle time, outputs, and compliance? Select a comparison below or review the full summary table.
At a Glance
Full Comparison Summary
All key metrics across all five treatment alternatives.
| Metric | PHANTOM | Incineration | Autoclave | Composting | Anaerobic Digestion | Landfill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle time | ~30 minutes | Continuous / off-site | 1–4 hours | 60–90 days | 20–40 days | Permanent |
| On-site operation | ✓ | ✗ (off-site) | ✓ | ✓ (large land) | ✓ (large infra) | ✗ (off-site) |
| Zero dioxins | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pathogen kill (STAATT III) | ✓ >99.9% | ✓ | ✓ (if validated) | ✗ unreliable | ✗ unreliable | ✗ |
| Sellable outputs | 3 (compost, fertiliser, fuel) | 0 (fly ash = hazardous waste) | 0 | 1 (compost) | 1 (digestate) | 0 |
| Approx. OPEX / tonne | ~£11–16 | £130–617 | £20–60 + residual disposal | £15–40 (land cost excluded) | £25–55 | £126.15+ (tax alone) |
| EU/UK ETS liability (2028) | None | High | Low | None | Low (methane) | High (methane) |
| Handles contaminated streams | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ (costly) |
Deep Dives
Head-to-Head Comparisons
PHANTOM vs Incineration
PHANTOM wins on cost, emissions, and compliance risk
PHANTOM
- ✓Zero dioxins / fly ash
- ✓~£11–16/tonne OPEX
- ✓No EU ETS liability
- ✓30-min cycle
- ✓3 sellable outputs
Incineration
- ✗Dioxins + hazardous fly ash
- ✗£130–617/tonne gate fee
- ✗EU ETS carbon cost from 2028
- ✗Off-site haulage required
- ✗No usable outputs
PHANTOM vs Autoclave
PHANTOM sterilises AND converts — autoclave only sterilises
PHANTOM
- ✓Sterilises + decomposes waste
- ✓~£11–16/tonne OPEX
- ✓3 sellable outputs
- ✓No residual waste volume
- ✓30-min on-site cycle
Autoclave
- ✗Sterilises only — no decomposition
- ✗Residual waste still needs disposal
- ✗No output value recovered
- ✗High water + energy use
- ✗Separate disposal contract still required
PHANTOM vs Composting
PHANTOM: 30 minutes. Composting: 60–90 days
PHANTOM
- ✓30-min cycle
- ✓Fully enclosed — zero odour
- ✓STAATT Level III pathogen kill
- ✓Processes all organic waste
- ✓Liquid fertiliser + solid output
Composting
- ✗60–90 day cycle time
- ✗Open windrows — odour & land use
- ✗Pathogens not reliably destroyed
- ✗Cannot process contaminated streams
- ✗Compost only — no liquid output
PHANTOM vs Anaerobic Digestion
PHANTOM handles contaminated streams AD rejects at the gate
PHANTOM
- ✓30-min cycle
- ✓Handles contaminated mixed waste
- ✓No infrastructure scale required
- ✓Liquid fertiliser + solid fuel output
- ✓On-site, compact footprint
Anaerobic Digestion
- ✗20–40 day digestion cycle
- ✗Rejects contaminated / mixed streams
- ✗Requires large infrastructure
- ✗Digestate disposal still needed
- ✗High capital & operating complexity
PHANTOM vs Landfill
UK landfill tax at £126.15/tonne — PHANTOM eliminates the cost entirely
PHANTOM
- ✓~£11–16/tonne OPEX
- ✓Zero landfill tax liability
- ✓3 sellable outputs
- ✓On-site — no haulage cost
- ✓Supports zero-waste-to-landfill certification
Landfill
- ✗£126.15/tonne standard rate (2025/26)
- ✗Rising £10/yr by statutory escalator
- ✗No output value — pure cost
- ✗Haulage + gate fee on top
- ✗Regulatory and reputational risk
Not Sure Which Comparison Matters for Your Operation?
Tell us your waste stream and current disposal method — we'll send you the relevant cost model and a site-specific ROI estimate within 5 business days.