A Model Analysis of Metal Partitioning

The 1984 Amendments to the Solid Waste Act require that wastes listed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) be analyzed to assess the feasibility of further banning from land disposal. Incineration is expected to be used more often for disposing of either the banned wastes directly or the residues of various treatment processes. Incineration of hazardous wastes, municipal wastes and industrial sludges produces some extent of trace metals. This paper provides a preliminary model concept for analyzing metal partitioning during incineration. The paper concludes that a model for predicting metal partitioning phenomena is feasible and could reduce costs in conducting metal emission testing in the field.