Annex : UK emissions to air from Municipal
waste incinerators
Pollutant/type
|
Units
|
1995
|
1998
|
1999
|
1995
|
1998
|
1999
|
1) Air - general
|
|
|
|
|
% of UK total
|
% of UK total
|
% of UK total
|
Black smoke
|
kt |
40.6 |
3.4 |
4.1
|
10.96%
|
1.20%
|
1.52%
|
PM10
|
kt |
0.7 |
0.1
|
0.1 |
0.29% |
0.04% |
0.03% |
2) Greenhouse gases
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CO2 (as Carbon)
|
kt |
217.5 |
181.8 |
181.2 |
0.15% |
0.12% |
0.12% |
N2O
|
kt |
0.1 |
0.1
|
0.1 |
0.05% |
0.04% |
0.05% |
3) Multi effect
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Methane
|
kt |
0.0 |
0.0
|
0.0 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
Carbon monoxide
|
kt |
1.1 |
0.5
|
0.5 |
0.02% |
0.01% |
0.01% |
HCl |
kt |
9.9
|
0.2 |
0.2 |
6.18%
|
0.18%
|
0.20%
|
Ammonia
|
kt |
0.6 |
0.1
|
0.0 |
0.17% |
0.02% |
0.01% |
Nox |
kt |
6.3
|
6.3 |
3.3 |
0.30%
|
0.36%
|
0.21%
|
SO2 |
kt |
2.0
|
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.09%
|
0.01%
|
0.02%
|
VOCs
|
kt |
0.1 |
0.1
|
0.1 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
4) Heavy metals
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arsenic
|
t |
1.1 |
0.8
|
0.5 |
1.54% |
1.66% |
1.02% |
Cadmium
|
t |
1.1 |
0.1
|
0.1 |
8.86% |
1.58% |
0.82% |
Chromium
|
t |
8.8 |
0.3
|
0.1 |
8.16% |
0.35% |
0.20% |
Copper
|
t |
12.2 |
0.7 |
0.4
|
13.70%
|
1.11%
|
0.68%
|
Mercury
|
t |
0.6 |
0.4
|
0.1 |
3.61% |
3.56% |
1.27% |
Nickel
|
t |
5.4 |
0.3
|
0.5 |
1.63% |
0.18% |
0.32% |
Lead
|
t |
87.1 |
0.3 |
0.5
|
5.60%
|
0.04%
|
0.08%
|
Selenium
|
t |
0.1 |
0.0
|
0.0 |
0.13% |
0.01% |
0.01% |
Vanadium
|
t |
1.7 |
0.1
|
0.0 |
0.21% |
0.02% |
0.02% |
Zinc
|
t |
146.9 |
8.2 |
2.4
|
16.12%
|
1.24%
|
0.55%
|
5) Persistent organic pollutants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dioxins
|
g i-TEQ
|
413.2
|
3.1 |
1.8 |
50.43%
|
0.87%
|
0.52%
|
HCB |
t |
2.2
|
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.18%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
PCB |
kg |
10.0
|
5.3 |
5.3 |
0.23%
|
0.19%
|
0.25%
|
6) PAHs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anthracene
|
kg |
26.4 |
22.1 |
22.0 |
0.01% |
0.03% |
0.04% |
Benz[a]anthracene
|
kg |
12.2 |
10.2 |
10.1 |
0.02% |
0.05% |
0.05% |
Benzo[a]pyrene
|
kg |
2.0 |
1.7
|
1.7 |
0.01% |
0.01% |
0.01% |
Benzo[a]fluoranthene
|
kg |
9.1 |
7.6
|
7.6 |
0.02% |
0.05% |
0.06% |
Benzo[k]fluorantene
|
kg |
9.1 |
7.6
|
7.6 |
0.04% |
0.08% |
0.09% |
Chrysene
|
kg |
54.5 |
45.6 |
45.4 |
0.05% |
0.15% |
0.18% |
Dibenz[ah]anthracene
|
kg |
10.2 |
8.5 |
8.5
|
0.07%
|
0.13%
|
0.12%
|
Fluoranthene
|
kg |
421.7 |
352.4 |
351.3 |
0.10% |
0.36% |
0.45% |
Naphthalene
|
kg |
149.9 |
125.3 |
124.9 |
0.02% |
0.02% |
0.02% |
Phenanthrene
|
kg |
320.5 |
267.8 |
267.0 |
0.04% |
0.12% |
0.14% |
Pyrene
|
Kg |
427.5 |
357.2 |
356.1 |
0.17% |
0.54% |
0.64% |
Compared to the figures released last year some of
the 1995 and 1998 estimates have gone up or down. Most notably,
dioxin estimates for 1998, but not 1995, have been revised down.
The emission estimates are generally made by multiplying an emission
factor by an activity - in this case the mass of MSW combusted.
The emission factor (i.e. the emission to air per unit mass of
MSW consumed) that was used for the 1998 version of the inventory
(released 2000) was a best estimate based on literature values.
Each year the methodology is revised and recalculated
for all years. For the 1999 version of the inventory emission
data was reported from individual plant, combined with plant consumption
data to determine a new, more representative emission factor.
This new factor was used for appropriate years when emissions
for all years were recalculated. The more recent estimate is considered
to be an improvement on the previous number.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
12 February 2002
| 
