Emissions from burning municipal solid waste and wood in domestic heaters

Waste burning is globally important emission source of several toxic compounds. The objective of this study was to acquire emission factors (EF) for PCDD/Fs, HCBs, PAHs, PMx and for several gaseous pollutants from the residential combustion, where wood is burned with municipal solid waste (MSW). In addition to the wood, paper and cardboard waste, people also tend to burn MSW. As the burnable waste content in MSW has changed during the past years, it is important to assess the effect of this factor for air emissions nowadays and in the past. Therefore an attempt was made to derive EF for the past emissions. 18 experiments including samples of firewood and MSW were burned using Estonian most common old type masonry heater, measuring PMx, PCDD/F, HCB, PAH-s and gaseous pollutants.Significant correlation was found between PCDD/F, HCl, HCB and CO and between HCl and HCB in all 18 experiments. In three experiments (years 1990, 1995, 2000), the mean levels of PCDD/F were higher than the legislative limit value for combustion of MSW in waste incineration plants. The mean PCDD/F concentrations during the experiments was 0.0833 (0.0116–0.1550 95% Cl) ng I-TEQ Nm−3 11% O2. Since low chlorine levels in used fuel caused high emissions of PCDD/F and HCB, it indicates that the habit of burning these kinds of waste in residential heaters should be avoided.We can conclude that RWC is significant source of PCDD/F, HCB and PAH. In general, EF measured within this study are in accordance with literature data. There was remarkable difference in EF between different years. EF of PCDD/F and HCB found confirm the trend of development of MSW collection system leading to an increasing usage of MSW recycling. Nevertheless, people's awareness about the negative impacts of waste burning in household heaters, should be raised.