Emission factors of PCDD/DF and PBDE by landfill fire simulation

Laboratory-scale experiments simulating landfill fires were conducted to obtain emission factors for dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). The two types of waste fuel used were refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from municipal waste and RDF with 3 types of brominated flame-retardants. Two 15 cm stainless steels were filled with 15 kg of soil and 3 kg of RDF, and 15 kg of soil with 3 kg of RDF and flame retardants. The bowls were then covered with hoods and tents. Sampling of the flue gases was started 12 minutes after ignition. The emission factors to the flue gas and to the ash residues were then calculated. Emission factors of PCDD/Fs per mass burned were 23/46 ng-TEQ/kg for the flue gas, 170/120 ng-TEQ/kg for the residue, and 190/160 ng-TEQ/kg overall. Approximately 70 to 90 per cent of the PCDD/Fs were partitioned to the residue. The emission factor of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) to the flue gas was 9.1 per cent. Results also showed that the PBDEs were the single dominant congener in the flue gas. It was concluded that the emission factor of PBDEs obtained in the study were approximately 1000 times higher than emission factors used in the PBDE inventory used by Denmark's environmental protection agency. 4 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs.