INCINERATION of HAZARDOUS WASTE in a high T plant: a SUSTAINABLE TREATMENT?

Transcription

1 2C ECOSOLUTIONS INCINERATION of HAZARDOUS WASTE in a high T plant: a SUSTAINABLE TREATMENT? C. Block 1, J. Van Caneghem 2, C. Vandecasteele September, Antwerp, Belgium 1 2C Ecosolutions; 2 KU Leuven, Campus Groep T, Leuven Engineering college; 3 KU Leuven, Departement Chemische Ingenieurstechnieken

2 Treatment of (hazardous) waste Treatment of waste with minimal negative effects on human health and environment Reduction of use of resources through recycling or E-recovery Reuse and recycling = high priority in waste hierarchy but for hazardous waste not necessarily best treatment method Main objective of treatment of hazardous waste containing organics destruction of organic waste concentration of non-destructable hazardous components Pretreatment + Landfilling Thermal treatment in high T plant

3 RECP and sustainability Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) Sustainable process Production efficiency Optimization of use of natural resources Environmental management Minimization of adverse impacts on nature and environment Human development Minimization of risks to people and communties

4 Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Human Development MINIMIZATION OF RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH

5 Incineration of hazardous waste in high T plant, Indaver, Antwerp Hazardous waste -solvents -medical waste -pesticides -PCB oils -etc Incinerator 2. Energy recovery Performance with respect to ELV [%] Flue gas cleaning Waste water Solid residues Dust CO TOC HCl SO2 NOx Cd, Tl Hg Metals* *Sum of Sb, As, Pb, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, V, Sn Emission values in mg/nm³ Complying with IED limits

6 Is an incinerator for HW a toxicity source or sink? POPs= persistant organic pollutants (PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PAHs) POPs are present in waste, but destroyed POPs are formed in post combustion zone Rotary kiln, Indaver, Antwerp site, Belgium Known input Output: measured in flue gases, bottom and boiler ash and flue gas cleaning residue

7 POP-weighing methodology Weighed POP mass (POPw) for each POP in input and output = POP i weighing factor x Σ j mass j x POP i concentration j Total POPw = Σ i POP i massw Weighing factor Non-carcinogenic Carcinogenic 1/MRD Potency factor Total weighed POP mass input /Total weighed POP mass output = Indication if waste incinerator acts as toxicity source or sink MRD = minimal risk dose of chronical oral exposure (mg/ kg body weight d) Potency factor = slope of dose (oral) response curve (kg body weight d)/mg

8 Input/output Incineration of hazardous waste in a rotary kiln All output fractions (flue gas and solid fractions) Only flue gases Non-cancer cancer Non-cancer cancer Ranges = lowest and highest reported values; most and least toxic congener.. Weighed input >> weighed output: rotary kiln is a sink of POP s

9 Risk control; impact on human health Literature study Three potential sources of exposure Emissions to atmosphere Solid ash residues Water used for flue gas treatment Focus on PCDD/Fs and PCBs Other carcinogens: mainly PAHs and Cd Heavy metals Most significant route of exposure

10 Three different approaches Measurements of concentration of biomarkers PCDD/F, PCB and HM (in tissue, blood, urine, plasma, breast milk) People living close to or working in the waste treatment plant concentrations comparable or lower than non-exposed population Estimation of incremental daily PCDD/F intake via food (within 10 km distance of the incinerator) 3.0 x pgteq/kg bw.day 2 pg TEQ/kg bw.day (WHO) Epidemiologic studies Additional cancer risk due to PCDD/F and Cd (10x10 km² area): / / (US EPA) Damage to health of a well regulated high T hazardous waste incinerator is likely to be very small, if detectable

11 Contribution of emissions of the incineration of HW to total anthropogenic emissions (2010) NO x SO 2 TSP CO HM PCDD/F % % % % % % EU 28 a Flanders b a EURITS b Flemish Environmental Agency

12 Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Production efficiency Optimization of use of natural resources MATERIALS, ENERGY, WATER

13 Materials - water Materials Incinerator ashes or bottom ashes Water Removal of iron high grade metal for reuse Residual fraction: construction material for company landfill or for free-market application Effluent flue gas cleaning (partly) recycled

14 Energy High calorific waste used as fuel for the destruction of low calorific waste saving fossil fuel Energy recovery electricity or steam Electricity: plant s own facilities + grid Heat Incineration plant Heating of offices Preheating of process air Distillation of contaminated solvents reuse Exported District heating Companies: drying and process heat

15 Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Environmental management Minimization of impact on nature and environment AIR, WATER AND SOIL

16 Air emissions water - soil Air emissions below the IED (Industrial Emission Directive ) limits of the European commission Effluent of scrubber of flue gas cleaning Soil Discharge concentrations below European discharge limits Evaporated + residue Landfilled (constructed and managed to garantee environmental protection) Salt mines Boiler ashes, fly ashes, flue gas cleaning residue landfilled after solidification Minimization of adverse impacts on environment and nature

17 CONCLUSIONS Sustainable? Profit: gate fee, material and energy recovery, emission reduction Human development: Risk minimization, support to development Economically feasable Socially desirable Sustainable solutions Environmental management: Air, water and soil Ecologically viable Waste destruction RECP? Production efficiency: Materials, energy and water

18 Thank you! 2C ECOSOLUTIONS Tel: