The scope of this project includes: 1) Monitoring of dioxins and heavy metal from stationary emissions and in the ambient environment.; 2) Establishing and updating of the emission inventory; 3)Assisting the control, reduction and emergency response of dioxins and heavy metal emission. Each will be further discussed below.
1) Monitoring of dioxins and heavy metal from stationary emissions and in the ambient environment.
Complete dioxin emission monitoring on EAF and Catalyst regeneration process. Complete heavy metal and particulate matter emission monitoring on EAF, oil-burned boiler, wood-burning boiler, secondary copper smelting process, secondary lead smelting process. These results can be used as emission factors for estimating dioxin and heavy metals emission inventory.
The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) of provides that the industry can choose either particulate matter, total heavy metals or individual heavy metal concentrations to be in line with an emission standard. In order to understand the correlation between heavy metals and particulate matters, the sintering furnace and coal-fired power generation boiler were tested in this project. The results will be used as a reference for future regulation purposes.
The dioxin and heavy metal emission from open burning of straws and agricultural wastes accounted for a significant proportion of total emissions. In order to enhance the reliability of the emission factor of open burring, three burning tests, one in the western region and two in the eastern region, on two kinds of agricultural wastes were conducted for emission factor this year.
This year the ambient dioxin monitoring is targeted on the general monitoring stations. The monitored average concentration of dioxin in 2017 is 0.033 pg I-TEQ/m3. The average air quality concentration of dioxin in this year are lower the previous year except for May.
The monitoring of ambient heavy metal showed that the average concentrations of lead, cadmium, nickel and selenium are all under the ambient air quality standards published by the EU. After compiling the air quality stations’ historical data of heavy metal distribution in particulate matters. It can be seen that the elements related to crust and dust are significantly higher at each station. There are also obvious changes in traffic-related emission elements, indicating that traffic and dust are the major heavy metal sources.
Regarding to the control of VOCs, we selected Linyuan High School Station and Zhongyun Elementary School near Linyuan Industrial Park in Kaohsiung to set up a temporary fixed continuous monitoring station. We found the possible sources of HAPs such as benzene, 1,3-butadiene and VCM from the monitoring results and wind direction. Using this project’s tracing method, we successfully identified the leak of storage tank and process area, and prompted the manufacturers to improve.
2) Establishing and updating of the emission inventory
The total dioxin emission in Taiwan is estimated to be 52.1 g I-TEQ/year in 2016. As for the heavy metal emissions in 2016, the total lead emission is 33.3 metric tons/year, cadmium emission is 0.974 metric tons/year, mercury emission is 1.989 metric tons/year, and arsenic emission is 4.87 metric tons/year. Major emission sources include coal-burning furnaces, cement kilns, steel-making industries, incinerators, and open furnings.
3) Control and reduction of dioxins and heavy metal emission
In this project assisted EPA in handling the dioxin egg incident in Changhua County. Eventually found that high dioxin feed is the main reason for dioxin egg. This project also assisted the EPA to coordinate with local EPBs and competent authorities in regard with 2 dioxins standards on small incinerators and stationary emissions. This project further assists EPA with the preparation of the dioxin air quality standards using risk estimation.
