solid waste incineration technologies, impacts and perspectives

SOLID WASTE INCINERATIONTechnologies, Impacts and Perspectives

    F. ANTUNES PEREIRA

Professor of Environmental Engineering Science

University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

antunes@dao.ua.pt

Curso de Verano “La problemática del ambiente urbano”

Universidad de Castilla e León

SEGOVIA, 10-13 Septiembre, 2002.

What is Incineration?

• Technical definition is a bit complicated (see EU Incineration Directive 2000/76/CE)!

• For the common citizen it is the burning of MSW (municipal solid) waste in dedicated furnaces.

What distinguishes MSWI from other waste treatment processes?

• Reduce the weight (by 70%) and volume (by 90%) of original waste: ash

• Stabilize the waste: toxicity, patogenicity

• Divert waste from landfill sites

• Recover (produces) energy:

heat + electricity

Why is incineration currently so important ? !

• The new EU Landfill Directive (1999/31/CE) imposing a 75% decrease of waste (relative to 1995) going to landfills, until the year 2015.

• The 3 RRR’s rule (reduce, reuse, recycle) is not being fully implemented.

• The need of EU governments to comply with the new 6EAP (Environmental Action Programme): “decouple resource use from economic growth through significantly improved resource efficiency”.

What is a typical MSW composition in the EU?

• 30% are inorganic: can be recycled

• 70% are organic: can bee incinerated or biologicaly degraded

• Many treatment combinations are then possible

What are the most used management options, then?

Landfilling (60%)and

incineration (20%)

in averageare the

commonest

What are the numbers of incinerator plants in the EU ?

•295 sites in EU (>30 000 t/y)

•Trend to increase lately

What are the incinerator plants sizes in the EU ?Average incinerator size in the EU: 177 000 t/y (this means 20 t/h, or 500 t/d).

Average size of MSWI plants has increased since the 1980’s.

What are the costs of incinerator plants in the EU ?

• Treatment costs vary from 20 to 160 €/t• EU average is about 75 €/t, and

• The prices have been increasing

Now: it is about time to say what is the scope of this presentation...!

IMPACTS Incinerator WASTE

Siting

Legislation

Technologies

Policies

Future trends

Emissions control

Impacts

Socioeconomical

Environmental Human Health

1

3

4

6

5

2

7

But...

Before going on it is relevant to emphazise that incineration generates two important

toxic emissions:

• Combustion gases• Solid residues (ash)

...Therefore they need pre-treatment before disposal...

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

What are the main components, streams and pollutants?...

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

The same, but a bit more funny !!!...

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Now, more serious stuff...!

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Types of furnace (combustion chamber): grates

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Types of furnace (combustion chamber): fluid beds

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Types of furnace (combustion chamber): rotary drum

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Types of furnace (combustion chamber): vitrification hearth

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Useful plants: producing matrials for recycling!...

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

Useful plants: producing heat and electricity !...

Topic 1-Technology: how does an incinerator work?

...just what you can do with heat alone...

Topic 2-Emissions controlThese are the main emissions...

OOOOPS!...

Topic 2-Emissions controlWhat are the main emissions?

OK now !...

Topic 2-Emissions controlThe culprits in the waste!...

Topic 2-Emissions controlWhat can be done?...

• UPSTREAM

Waste pre-sort: remove the culprits !...

• INSIDE FURNACE

Increase combustion efficiency using good control and monitoring

• DOWNSTREAM

Use “end-of-pipe technology”

Topic 2-Emissions controlImproving combustion through monitoring and control

Topic 2-Emissions controlTreating the flue gases...

Topic 2-Emissions controlTreating the flue gases...

Topic 2-Emissions controlTreating the flue gases...

Topic 2-Emissions controlTreating the fly-ash and APCRs...

Topic 2-Emissions controlTreating the flue gases...

Topic 3-LegislationHow is ordinary people protected by government’s legislation?...

•Waste incineration is regulated by EU Directive 2000/76/EC

•Critic: regulation based on “available” technology, not on human health data

•Example of emission limits: see next slide...

Topic 3-LegislationHow is ordinary people protected by government’s legislation?...

Example of gas emissions limits:

Poluente Média 24 h

Média 30 min (100%)

Média 30 min (97%)

Média 6-8 h

Frequência de amostragem

Partículas totais (mg.m-3) 10 30 10 Contínuo TOC (mg.m-3) 10 20 10 Contínuo HCl (mg.m-3) 10 60 10 Contínuo HF (mg.m-3) 1 4 2 Contínuo SO2 (mg.m-3) 50 200 50 Contínuo NOx (mg.m-3) 200 400 200 Contínuo Cd + Tl (mg.m-3) 0.05 0.1 2 vezes por ano Hg (mg.m-3) 0.05 0.1 2 vezes por ano Sb + As + Pb + Cr + Co + Cu + Mn + Ni + V (mg.m-3)

0.5 1 2 vezes por ano

Dioxinas e furanos (ng.m-3) 0.1 2 vezes por ano CO (mg.m-3) 50 100 150 Contínuo Temp. (°C) 850 Contínuo

Topic 3-LegislationHow is ordinary people protected by government’s legislation?...

Example of wastewater emissions limits:

Poluente Valor limite expresso em concentração mássica para amostras não-filtradas

Sólidos suspensos totais (mg.l-1) 30 (95%) 45 (100%) Hg (mg.l-1) 0,03 Cd (mg.l-1) 0,05 Tl (mg.l-1) 0,05 As (mg.l-1) 0,15 Pb (mg.l-1) 0,2 Cr (mg.l-1) 0,5 Cu (mg.l-1) 0,5 Ni (mg.l-1) 0,5 Zn (mg.l-1) 1,5 Dioxinas e Furanos 0,3

Topic 4-PoliciesWhat is EU policy regarding waste and incineration?...

The EU “hierarchy of

waste management”

The recommended Principles:

1. Proximity

2. Precautionary

3. Sustainability

4. Self-suffiency

Topic 4-PoliciesWhat is EU policy regarding waste and incineration?...

...The Sustainability principle:

1. Environmental compatibility

2. Economic effectiveness

3. Social acceptance

Topic 4-PoliciesWhat is EU policy regarding waste and incineration?...

...and the IRWM-Integrated Resource and Waste Management

Topic 5-Incineration impactsHow can we assess the impacts?...

How the emitted pollutants disperse in the environment:

Topic 5-Incineration impactsHow can we assess the impacts?...TOOLS!

Tools for impacts assessment:

• Epidemiological studies

• Risk assessment

• Emissions monitoring

• Use of biomarkers

Topic 5-Incineration impactsWhat are the impacts?...ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

• Noise (waste transport; plant operation)

• Aesthetic

• Land degradation

• Global warming (CO2, N2O, CH4...)

• Acidification (HCL, HF, NOx...)

• Smog (NOx+hydrocarbons)

Topic 5-Incineration impactsWhat are the the impacts?...HUMAN HEALTH

• Respiratory and cardiac:

-PM

-acid gases

-metals

• Cancer:

-metals (Cr, Cd, As),

-dioxins

• Neurophysiological: metals (Pb, Hg)

• Reproductive: dioxins

Topic 5-Incineration impactsWhat are the the impacts?...SOCIO-ECONOMIC

• Economic: taxes; jobs; infrastructures (transports, commerce, industry...)

• Physological: stigma (“why me?”; NIMBY); stress/depression; fairness

• Social: change of social fabric; environmental justice; social unrest (different perception values-”knowledge-gap”, distrust, bad risk communication, no public involvement

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorBasic principles:

Never forget the sustainability principle:

• Environmental compatibility (Nature, ecossystems, arquitectonic patrimony)

• Economic viability (industry, jobs, productivity)

• Social acceptance (risk communication, public involvement)

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorScientificc TOOLS

Use quantitative scientific tools:

• GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

• Operation Research methods: Linear and Dynamic Programming, Multicriteria decision tools (AHP-Analytitic Hierarquic Process...)

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case

Siting a MSW incinerator in Geneva (Sw):

1. Define the multi-criteria decision analysis methodology2. Map of the region served by the plant 3. Population density 4. Yearly volume of waste produced in all of the communes 5. Identify admissible zones for the plant location (industrial, more than

2ha lots, publicly owned); they are Cheneviers, Bois de Bay, Z.I. Meyza, Velodrome, and Les Rupiers

6. Identify the main roads from each commune center to each of the admissible sites, and calculate the optimum (shortest distance) using the Simplex Method

 (cont)

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case

(Cont)

7 Calculate the ”nuisance corridor” for each optimized route (a 100 m buffer zone for each side of the road, representing the noise buffer zone; see Figure 8.8) and a 1Km “nuisance circle” (representing the visual and noise impact around each admissible site); the cumulative representation is shown in Figure 8.9); for each case the number of affected people is calculated, by superimposing with the population map, Figure 8.3

8 Use a Gaussian atmospheric pollution dispersion model to calculate the stack plume intersection with the ground, giving the NOx concentration profiles at the ground (Figure 8.10), and calculate the number of people affected

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case

9 Use the AHP method to determine which of the 5 admissible sites is less affected by the incinerator plant; this is shown in Figure 8.11), where Z.I. Meysa has the highest score and is therefore the definite choice for siting the incinerator plant.

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

1 - Define the multi-criteria decision analysis methodology

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

2 - Map of the region served by the plant

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

3 - Population density

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

4 - Yearly volume of waste produced in all of the communes

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

5-Identify admissible zones for the plant location (industrial, more than 2ha lots, publicly owned); they are Cheneviers, Bois de Bay, Z.I. Meyza, Velodrome, and Les Rupiers

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

6-Identify the main roads from each commune center to each of the admissible sites, and calculate the optimum (shortest distance) using the Simplex Method (e.g.,Céligny)

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

7-Calculate the ”nuisance corridor” for each optimized route (a 100 m buffer zone for each side of the road, representing the noise buffer zone) and a 1Km “nuisance circle” (representing the visual and noise impact around each admissible site); for each case the number of affected people is calculated, by superimposing with the population map

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

8-Cumulative “nuisance “buffer zones” for transport, visual and noise impact

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

9-Use a Gaussian atmospheric pollution dispersion model to calculate the stack plume intersection with the ground, giving the NOx concentration profiles at the ground, and calculate the number of people affected

Topic 6-Planning and siting an incineratorApplication to a ficticious case: the Geneva case

10-Use of the AHP method to determine which of the 5 admissible sites is less affected by the incinerator plant; Z.I. Meysa has the highest score and is therefore the definite choice for siting the incinerator plant.

See next slide...

...and the winner is: Z.I. ZIMEYZA

Topic 7-Future trendsCONCLUSIONS

• New European waste legislation, and market conditions favourable to increase incineration

• However, incineration is still a controversial issue, due to possible socio-economical, psycological and environmental impacts produced

• Strict adherence to the EU policies (waste hierarchy, [precautionary + proximity + self-sufficiency] principles, will help to mitigate possible negative impacts

• GIS, Air Pollution Dispersion Models, Optimization Methods, and Multicriteria Decision Analysis are fundamental tools for planning and siting incinerator facilities in large cities