TOXIC EMISSIONS FROM SOLID EASTE INCINERATION FACILITIES

THE PRODUCTION OF POLYCHLORINATED DIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (PCDD) AND POLYCHLORINATED DIBENZOFURAN (PCDF) EMISSIONS FROM MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE INCINERATORS AND RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES IS ONE OF THE MOST SENSITIVE ISSUES IN THE AIR POLLUTION FIELD. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM IS MAGNIFIED BY THE FACT THAT LANDFILLING OF SOLID WASTE IS DIMINISHING AND TREATMENT BY INCINERATION INCREASING. THE ISSUE OF PCDF/PCDD EMISSIONS IN MANY CASES IS PREVENTING NEWFACILITES FROM BEING CONSTRUCTED AND CREATING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY PROBLEMS FOR OTHERS. BECAUSE PCDF/PCDD EMISSIONS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND EX EXPENSIVE TO MEASURE, THE NEED EXISTS TO DEVELOP AND ALTERNANATE PROCEDURE. SCOTT BELIEVES CHLOROBENZENES (CBS) AND CHLOROPHENOLS (CPS), RECOGNIZED PRECURSORS OF PCDFS AND PCDDS, COULD BE USED AS SURROGATE COMPOUNDS. THESE COMPOUNDSARE PRESENT IN STACK GASES AT MUCH GREATER CONCENTRATION S THAN PCDD AND PCDF CONSTITUENTS AND CAN BE QUANTIFIED ON ON-SITE. SCOTT PROPOSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF TESTING METHODOLDOLOGIES TOGETHER WITH ASSOCIATED INSTRUMENTATION. A SURRO- GATE R&D STUDY SUCH AS THIS WOULD RESULT IN SAVING INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT SUBSTANTIAL REVINUES ASSOCIATED WITH EMISSIONS MAY ADVERSELY IMPACT PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE.