Knowledge, attitude and practices toward dioxins in China's waste incineration industry and coking industry

A questionnaire was used to survey the knowledge and attitude of senior managers toward dioxins at five waste incineration plants and seven coking plants. A field survey was performed to verify dioxin control practices at two of the waste incineration plants and one of the coke plants. All the respondents at the waste incineration plants claimed to be knowledgeable about dioxins and had a proactive attitude toward dioxin control. The field survey verified the implementation of various dioxin control measures at their plants. However, the coking plants' respondents were ignorant about dioxins. This study reveals that dioxin emission policies have had a significant effect on industrial practices and knowledge. The differences in economics between the two sites have also contributed to the disparity in their respective knowledge levels. Finally, the paper gives the corresponding recommendations on how to further improve the level of dioxin knowledge and control practices in China.     

控制城市垃圾焚烧二噁（口英）产生与扩散方法

控制垃圾焚烧二产生与扩散分三部分首先,通过预处理除去原生垃圾中的聚氯乙烯塑料,从源头上控制垃圾焚烧二哄产生的物质基础;其次,垃圾焚烧炉采用组合式循环流化床锅炉,实行垃圾先低温热解气化,然后高温燃烧垃圾热解气体的方式,同时在炉内加入添加剂实现稳定燃烧和部分脱氯,以减少二哄在炉内生成和炉后形成量;最后,在烟气尾部采用吸附剂吸附二哄,并与布袋除尘器配套使用,控制二哄的尾部扩散.该工艺具有成本低、控污效率高等优点,特别适用于发展中国家的垃圾焚烧二哄控制.     

The emission inventory of PCDD/PCDF in Taiwan

Establishment of a country or region-based dioxin inventory was considered a crucial step toward elimination of worldwide dioxins/POPs contaminations, although no harmonized method for the preparation of an inventory is available at present. In this study, we used limited data and information to generate an inventory of dioxin emissions from some major sources in Taiwan. A total of 67.25 g I-TEQ of dioxins released annually was estimated. Unlike most of the industrialized countries, municipal waste incineration is not the highest contributor for dioxins released into the atmosphere. In contrast, secondary copper smelting accounts for more than 39% of the total dioxin emissions, and is higher than those from all waste incinerators combined (23.7%). Cement kilns and electric arc furnaces for steels also produced significant portion (both >10%) of dioxins into the environment, followed by secondary aluminum smelting (6.53%), industrial oil combustion (5.02%) and power plants fueled by coal (5.01%). Other known sources are either insignificant with respect to their dioxin emissions or not included in this inventory due to lack of information or uncertainty of the results. Data presented in this report provide a general picture of dioxin emissions in Taiwan, but were mostly based on less reliable or representative information, especially with respect to emission factors from different emission sources. It is necessary to establish background information relative to our own environment at present. Upon available, the inventory should be updated accordingly for proper environmental management on dioxins.     

Steps towards a European dioxin emission inventory

The results of a project aiming at collection and evaluation of information regarding the industrial and non-industrial emission sources for dioxins and furans (PCDD/PCDF) in 17 European Countries (EU 15, CH, N) are presented. An overview about national documents covering dioxin emission inventories for the period 1990-1995 is given. Some data on emissions associated with residual materials, waste and waste water are presented additionally. Based on the air emission data contained in these documents the most important emission sources were determined which are assumed to cover about 90% of the overall emissions. For the selected sources and for all 17 countries new estimates of the atmospheric PCDD/PCDF emissions were derived from average emission factors and statistical activity rates for the year 1994. As a result, on the European scale the largest annual PCDD/PCDF emission is assessed to be released from municipal waste incineration, quite closely followed by emissions from iron ore sintering. Considerable releases of dioxins and furans--based, however, on highly uncertain data--are further assessed for domestic burning, accidental fires and (former) use of contaminated wood preservatives (pentachlorophenol). A lower but still significant emission is further assigned to the sector of non-ferrous metal production; particular processes used in this branch proved to generate very high PCDD/PCDF flue gas concentrations.     

国内外生活垃圾焚烧烟气排放与监管标准比较分析

我国生活垃圾焚烧发电规模占全球的66.1%,环境风险不容忽视,需要制定适宜的烟气污染物排放限值与监管措施,可参考欧盟、美国、日本等较早应用生活垃圾焚烧处理的国家 (地区) 的有益经验。但是,现有的国内外对比研究仅关注了排放限值的差异,忽略了国内外标准在历史沿革、基准条件、适用对象、执行尺度等方面的差异及原因。本研究基于2017年以来国内生活垃圾焚烧行业专项整治取得的成效,深入分析国内外标准的差异及原因,得出以下结论：1) 烟气排放限值落地执行需要与之配套的监管措施,自动监测手段有利于实现对生活垃圾焚烧烟气常规污染物及炉温的全天候监管,在欧盟、美国已广泛应用,在我国的应用已取得良好成效;2) 与国外相比,我国生活垃圾焚烧烟气排放限值未考虑焚烧炉规模与技术差异化的影响,在排放与监管标准中未兼顾小型焚烧炉,但实际上有必要给予小型焚烧炉适度的、合理的差异化要求,以规范市场并增强环境监管的严肃性;3) 与国外相比,我国生活垃圾焚烧烟气排放限值总体上处于严格行列,监管刚性很强但柔性不足,部分省市制定的地方标准限值严于欧盟,但缺乏类似欧盟标准B类限值的达标评价方式,有必要在探索“正面清单”等更为灵活的监管方式的同时,基于自动监测手段表现出的精准监管能力,进一步优化和拓展更具弹性的排放限值与监管措施。本研究有利于识别我国生活垃圾焚烧行业环境监管政策和模式与发达国家 (地区) 的差异,可为进一步优化固定源环境监管政策和模式提供依据。     

生活垃圾焚烧烟气排放中二噁英对人体健康的风险评价

随着垃圾焚烧的广泛应用,由此产生的二次污染问题也日益显现出来,特别是二嗯英污染已引起世界的关注。这也是垃圾焚烧设施在环评阶段遭到周围公众反对的原因之一。文中介绍了二嗯英的危害、垃圾焚烧烟气中的二嗯英来源以及二嗯英的相关标准。以某垃圾焚烧发电厂为例,对垃圾焚烧烟气中的二嗯英类物质对人体健康的风险进行了评价,并提出了如何最大限度地减少垃圾焚烧处理过程中的二唔英排放量。     

The Spanish dioxin inventory part I: Incineration as municipal waste management system

The main objectives of the Spanish dioxin inventory and the incidence of municipal waste incinerators in the PCDD/Fs releases in the period from January 1997-November 1999 are presented. Preliminary data about the stack emission levels, fly ashes and slags as solid residues and the PCDD/Fs input in the USW are also presented to elaborate an initial balance for the incineration sector. A great decrease, from 20 to 1.2 g I-TEQ/y, from incineration gas emissions has been observed since 1996. The preliminary balance in the MWI sector suggests an overall PCDD/Fs destruction. The calculated emission factor, 1.06 microg I-TEQ/Mg, indicates a high quality of the air pollution control systems. The assumption of PCDD/Fs in the USW permits an initial evaluation of other waste management systems.     

Sources of dioxins in the United Kingdom: the steel industry and other sources

Several countries have compiled national inventories of dioxin (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin [PCDD] and polychlorinated dibenzofuran [PCDF]) releases that detail annual mass emission estimates for regulated sources. High temperature processes, such as commercial waste incineration and iron ore sintering used in the production of iron and steel, have been identified as point sources of dioxins. Other important releases of dioxins are from various diffuse sources such as bonfire burning and domestic heating. The PCDD/F inventory for emissions to air in the UK has decreased significantly from 1995 to 1998 because of reduced emissions from waste incinerators which now generally operate at waste gas stack emissions of 1 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 or below. The iron ore sintering process is the only noteworthy source of PCDD/Fs at integrated iron and steelworks operated by Corus (formerly British Steel plc) in the UK. The mean waste gas stack PCDD/F concentration for this process is 1,2 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 based on 94 measurements and it has been estimated that this results in an annual mass release of approximately 38 g I-TEQ per annum. Diffuse sources now form a major contribution to the UK inventory as PCDD/Fs from regulated sources have decreased, for example, the annual celebration of Bonfire Night on 5th November in the UK causes an estimated release of 30 g I-TEQ, similar to that emitted by five sinter plants in the UK.     

回转窑式纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾技术研究

生活垃圾安全无害化处理是目前迫切需要解决的问题,直接气化熔融焚烧垃圾技术以降低二恶英排放方面巨大优势得到广泛关注,在此基础上提出纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾技术,几乎可以实现所有二次污染物近零排放。以350 t/d回转窑垃圾焚烧炉为例,对纯氧代替空气应用在回转窑上熔融焚烧垃圾系统进行了详细热力计算及分析。结果表明,纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾系统的锅炉效率可达90.56%,回转窑熔融焚烧系统还可以在垃圾焚烧后灰渣达到熔融温度的条件下,保持该系统热量平衡,稳定燃烧。并参考回转窑设计标准对该纯氧熔融焚烧城市生活垃圾的回转窑参数进行确定。     

An assessment of dioxin contamination from the intermittent operation of a municipal waste incinerator in Japan and associated remediation

Significant dioxin (polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs)/polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs)) pollution from a municipal solid waste incinerator was discovered in 1997 in Osaka prefecture/Japan. The cause and mechanism of pollution was identified by a detailed assessment of the environment and incinerator plant. The primary sources of PCDD/PCDF pollution were high dioxin releases from an intermittently operated waste incinerator with PCDD/PCDF emissions of 150 ng-TEQ/Nm³. PCDD/PCDF also accumulated in the wet scrubber system (3,000 μg TEQ/L) by adsorption and water recirculation in the incinerator. Scrubber water was air-cooled with a cooling tower located on the roof of the incinerator. High concentrations of dioxins in the cooling water were released as aerosols into the surrounding and caused heavy soil pollution in the area near the plant. These emissions were considered as the major contamination pathway from the plant. Decontamination and soil remediation in and around the incinerator plant were conducted using a variety of destruction technologies (including incineration, photochemical degradation and GeoMelt technology). Although the soil remediation process was successfully finished in December 2006 about 3 % of the waste still remains. The case demonstrates that releases from incinerators which do not use best available technology or which are not operated according to best environmental practices can contaminate their operators and surrounding land. This significant pollution had a large impact on the Japanese government’s approach toward controlling dioxin pollution. Since this incident, a ministerial conference on dioxins has successfully strengthened control measures.     

Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in China and chemometric analysis of potential emission sources

Aimed to give a preliminary image of dioxin pollution in China, chemometric analysis was performed to determine background dioxin levels during the period 1994-2002 and potential emission sources. Using principal components analysis (PCA), the congener profiles of 71 sediment samples from rivers, lakes, and sea bays around China were compared with the congener profiles of various known or suspected industrial, residential, and municipal dioxin sources to determine whether the dioxin residues typically found in a broad range of potential environmental sources could explain the presence of these chemicals in China. It was found that the background dioxin levels of China were similar to those of lightly polluted samples from other countries during the period 1994-2002. Primary ferrous ore sintering and secondary lead and aluminum smelters were the major sources of dioxin emission in China. Chloranil and wastewater from chemical plants, sodium pentachlorophenate, and pulp bleaching were also important sources of dioxin emission. Open burning of e-waste as well as diesel-fueled and leaded gas-fueled vehicles were additional possible sources of dioxin. In contrast to other countries, in China, flue gases from incineration of municipal waste, hazardous waste, and medical waste might be minor sources of dioxin emission.     

北京市生活垃圾焚烧发电厂温室气体排放及影响因素

以北京高安屯垃圾焚烧发电厂为例,利用《温室气体排放核算指南生活垃圾焚烧企业》（DB 11/T 1416-2017）,核算固定设施排放源的直接排放、间接排放和避免排放,并分析影响排放的主要因素。结果表明,2015年高安屯垃圾焚烧发电厂吨垃圾净CO2排放量为0.165 t,其中生活垃圾中矿物碳焚烧贡献量为0.375 t;燃烧产生的N2O贡献量为0.015 t;化石燃料燃烧贡献量为0.002 t;发电上网减排量为0.227 t。降低塑料类在入炉生活垃圾中的比例是减少垃圾焚烧发电厂温室气体排放的关键途径之一。     

城市生活垃圾焚烧过程中二次污染物的生成与控制

在我国 ,采用焚烧法处理城市固体垃圾 ,逐渐得到推广和应用。然而焚烧带来的二次污染物 ,如二、细颗粒、重金属、HCl以及SOx、NOx 等也随之引起了广泛关注。对垃圾焚烧过程中各种二次污染物的产生机理及其控制方法进行了综述。并且指出近期我国城市固体垃圾焚烧烟气污染物的重点控制对象应为颗粒物、HCl、SOx 和NOx。     

垃圾焚烧发电过程中的二次污染物控制处理技术

概述了二口恶英、重金属、酸性气体、灰渣等垃圾焚烧二次污染物的形成机理，并详细介绍了通过控制垃圾焚烧条件、尾气处理以及吸附等方法，可以有效控制二口恶英类污染物的排放；重金属的控制可以用除尘器或使用相应的吸附剂处理；采用较为成熟的烟气处理技术，可以控制处理酸性气体；灰渣可采用固化稳定化和酸或其他溶剂提出法处置。     

城市垃圾预处理改善焚烧特性的探讨

针对目前我国城市垃圾的高水分、低热值的特性,提出了2种改善城市垃圾焚烧特性的有效措施:生物质垃圾源分类和生物干燥.在我国建立生物质垃圾源分类体系,将生物质垃圾源头分类后,剩余垃圾的热值可以提高约50%～120%,已适合直接入炉焚烧,同时分离出来的生物质垃圾也更易于好氧堆肥或厌氧消化.另外一项技术措施是在焚烧前利用生物干燥技术,降低城市垃圾的水分含量,提高入炉垃圾的热值,这种方法主要是利用生物反应热来干燥城市生活垃圾,只需要在垃圾投入焚烧炉前增加一个预处理步骤,不必改变目前的垃圾收运体系,而且进行生物干燥后的垃圾更易于分选其中的可回收物质.     

The reduction of dioxin emissions from the processes of heat and power generation

The first reports that it is possible to emit dioxins from the heat and power generation sector are from the beginning of the 1980s. Detailed research proved that the emission of dioxins might occur during combustion of hard coal, brown coal, and furnace oil as well as coke-oven gas. The emission of dioxins occurs in wood incineration; wood that is clean and understood as biomass; or, in particular, wood waste (polluted). This paper thoroughly discusses the mechanism of dioxin formation in thermal processes, first and foremost in combustion processes. The parameters influencing the quantity of dioxins formed and the dependence of their quantity on the conditions of combustion are highlighted. Furthermore, the methods of reducing dioxin emissions from combustion processes (primary and secondary) are discussed. The most efficacious methods that may find application in the heat and power generation sector are proposed; this is relevant from the point of view of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention resolutions in Poland with regard to persistent organic pollutants.     

Dioxin-like potencies and extractable organohalogens (EOX) in medical, municipal and domestic waste incinerator ashes in Japan

Ash samples collected from medical, municipal and small-scale domestic incinerators in Japan were tested for dioxin-like activity using bioassay technique (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase: EROD assay) and for extractable organohalogens (EOX) using instrumental neutron activation analysis in order to estimate potential toxicity and responsible chemicals in those samples. Crude extracts and fractions cleaned-up for dioxin analysis from the samples were used for the analysis. The ranges of dioxins in the ashes were between 2.23 and 12.29 ng TEQ/g (dry weight). Relative potency ranges estimated by EROD assay in the medical incinerator ashes were 3.8-17.6 times higher than the results of conventional chemical analysis. EOX analysis suggested that ash samples contained plenty of organochlorine compounds apart from chlorinated dioxins. In addition, medical waste incinerator ashes were considered to have relatively higher amount of organoiodine compounds. In the cleaned-up fractions, bioassay potency ranges were lower than those in the crude extracts. However, some samples still exhibited higher potency than expected from chemical analysis. Though some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found in the fractions, the amounts were relatively low (0.39-10.56 ng/g). The results imply that some bioactive organohalogens that cannot be detected in the conventional chemical analysis might have potential for dioxin-like toxicity, and contribute to higher bioassay activities. The combination of the chemical analysis with the bioassay and EOX provides rough figure of dioxin-like toxicity and suggests types of organohalogen compounds that should be identified as a part of dioxin analysis for control emission from an incineration plant.     

城市生活垃圾并流竖炉焚烧模拟实验研究

气化熔融焚烧技术能够避免重金属和二恶英的二次污染,被公认为实现零排放和环境友好型的焚烧方法。在这样的背景下提出了生活垃圾并流竖炉气化熔融焚烧工艺。该工艺以竖炉为气化熔融主体设备,垃圾料层与助燃空气在炉内都是至上而下并流流动,从而使垃圾热解气化产生的可燃气体在竖炉下部完全燃烧,以提供灰渣熔融耗热。并流竖炉热态模拟试验表明,并流时垃圾料层中各点的温度明显高于逆流情况,并流时产生的CO₂量明显高于逆流情况。因此说并流竖炉更适合气化熔融焚烧工艺的要求。     

Characteristics of dioxin emissions at startup and shutdown of MSW incinerators

Dioxin concentrations from municipal waste incinerators in Japan and elsewhere often show low concentrations that comply with legal limits (in this paper, the term "dioxin" designates WHO-TEQ: PCDD/Fs+dioxin-like PCB). However, such data is usually generated under normal steady state operational conditions, and there has been little investigation of releases occurring during startup and shutdown. It is important, therefore, to ascertain quantitatively emissions in an unsteady state (startup and shutdown) in order to correctly evaluate the relationship between emissions from a facility and the surrounding environment. The present study aimed to examine dioxin emissions of a continuously operated incinerator at startup and shutdown, and estimating the time period of greatest emission, and the processes causing dioxin generation. The startup process was divided into five stages and the shutdown into two; at each stage, dioxins in the flue gas were measured at the boiler outlet and the stack. From the concentration of dioxins and the flue gas volume at each stage, the amount of dioxins at startup and shutdown were calculated, and these were compared with that under steady state conditions. Dioxin concentration at the stack under steady state conditions was a very low level, while those at startup and shutdown were higher. In the case where dioxin concentration under a steady state is a low level like in this study, it is indicated that the total annual dioxin emission from a facility could be attributed to the startup periods.     

Dioxins and related compounds: Status and regulatory aspects

Several countries have put much effort in dioxin research programmes with the aim to assess the risks of dioxin exposure, to identify dioxin sources and to quantify their contribution to environmental emissions and human exposure. In this review, the accent has been put on: sources of dioxins and their contribution to the total dioxin emissions, sources of human exposure and their contribution to exposure and measures to reduce emission and exposure. The information from countries with existing dioxin regulations is reviewed and compared. Uncertainties which hamper comparability of data are indicated. Results of measures and expectations for the near future are presented.