Estimation of multimedia environmental contamination of 2,3,7,8‐TCDD emissions from municipal waste incinerators

Abstract

Abstract2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo–p–dioxin (2,3,7,8–TCDD) is known to be most toxic among congeners of polychlorinated dibenzo–p–dioxins (CDD), and is known to cause cancer to humans upon prolonged exposure—even at extremely low dosag. The municipal waste incinerator is one of the combustion devices where literature test result have shown the presence of 2,3,7,8‐TCDD or CDDs in flue gas or ash. A recent report compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [13] also lists other combustion devices such as smelters, sewage sludge incinerators, wire reclamation incinerators, and drum and barrel furnaces. In addition, Sheffield [11] mentions forest fires and several types of chemical production facilities as sources. Des rosier and Lee [2] cite PCB transformer fires as a potential source of 2,3,7,8–TCDD formation. The primary focus of this paper is to present the potential of environmental contamination due to emissions of 2,3,7,8‐TCDD and disposal of fly ash generated from the incineration of municipal waste. Example assessments for municipal incinerators presented in this paper are based on presently available estimation techniques and hence represent estimates for environmental concentrations. exposures and health risks. Although actual emission data are used, uncertainties associated with the estimates cannot be fully assessed until these estimates are compared with some monitoring data, especially concerning environmental concentrations related to indirect exposure pathways.