Abstract: A waste disposal and energy recovery system and method uses sub-stoichiometric combustion to gasify waste fuels into high temperature synthetic gas. The system minimizes the amount of flue gas exiting to the atmosphere. The high temperature synthetic gas is then combusted in a gas burner. The burner can be closely coupled to a heat recovery unit to facilitate radiative heat transfer. Some flue gas can be recirculated to maintain low combustion temperatures in both the kiln and the burner. Sub-stoichiometric combustion is accomplished in the rotary kiln in a counterflow configuration.