The effects of chlorides (including inorganic chloride NaCl and organic chloride PVC) on Cd emission in MSW (municipal solid waste) incineration was investigated using a simulated tubular furnace and the simulated MSW spiked with heavy metals. The concentrations of heavy metals were measured by ICP-AES after the digesting of samples including bottom ash, fly ash and flue gas according to related USEPA Methods. Heavy metal species in bottom ash and fly ash were identified by X-ray diffraction technique and the spectra of elements distributed and micrographs of bottom ash and fly ash were detected by energy dispersive X-ray system and scanning electron microscope, respectively. The results indicated that the emission of Cd tended to be enhanced with the increasing of chloride content, and 97% Cd partitioned in fly ash after spiked chlorides. However, the content effect of inorganic chloride NaCl and inorganic chloride PVC on Cd emission had no significant difference. The effect of PVC on Cd partitioning was affected by temperature, 80.51% Cd partitioned in fly ash at 550 degrees C and 97.91% Cd partitioned in fly ash at 850 degrees C, when temperature went above the melting point of CdCl2 (568 degrees C), the effect of temperature became less important. The effect of NaCl on Cd partitioning was not affected by temperature, 95.02% Cd partitioned in fly ash at 550 degrees C and 96.58% Cd partitioned at 1 000 degrees C when spiked NaCl. Residence time had no significant effect on Cd partitioning with spiked chlorides. The two different mechanisms of chlorides effects on Cd emission were identified by bottom ash and fly ash analysis using SEM/EDS and XRD technique.