垃圾焚烧，或称垃圾焚化，是一种废物处理的方法，通过焚烧废物中有机物质，以缩减废物体积。焚烧与其他高温垃圾处理系统，皆被称为“热处理”。焚化垃圾时会将垃圾转化为灰烬、废气和热力。灰烬大多由废物中的无机物质组成，通常以固体和废气中的微粒等形式呈现。废气在排放到大气中之前，需要去除其中污染气体和微粒。其余残余物则用于堆填。在某些情况，焚化垃圾所产生的热能可用于发电、供暖。

焚化是其中一种将垃圾转换成能源的技术，其它如气化、等离子弧气化、热解和厌氧消化。可是，不是所有焚化系统都配以产生能源和材料的设备。

虽然垃圾焚化有以上的优点，在一些国家仍有专家和地方团体对焚化炉对环境的影响有顾虑。（见反对焚烧垃圾部分）。

Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high-temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and heat. The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste, and may take the form of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases must be cleaned of gaseous and particulate pollutants before they are dispersed into the atmosphere. In some cases, the heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power.