Health and Environmental Effects of Landfilling and Incineration

1,44

MB

of Waste – A Literature Review

292

stron

4261

ID

Health Research Board

2003

rok

Contents

Contributors iii

Executive Summary 1

Irish waste – the scale of the problem 2

The effects of landfilling and incineration on the environment 3

The effects of landfilling and incineration on public health 4

Knowledge and perceptions of waste management options 6

Summary of research and development needs identified in this report 8

References 9

Chapter One: Introduction 11

References 14

Chapter Two: Solid Wastes in Ireland 15

Definition and categories of waste 16

Waste flows in Ireland 18

Variability of municipal solid waste (MSW) flow and composition with time and space 18

Composition of municipal solid waste 21

Methods of solid waste treatment in Ireland 21

References 24

Chapter Three: Landfill Emissions 25

Introduction 26

Design considerations 26

Possible emissions from landfills 27

Processes of degradation 28

Landfill gas (LFG) 28

Landfill leachate 34

Protection of groundwater and surface water 39

Future directions for landfills 42

Summary 42

References 42

Chapter Four: Incineration of Waste 47

Introduction 48

Waste incineration 50

Hazardous waste incineration 57

Air pollution control 58

Siting of incinerators 60

Regulation of incineration 62

Proposed incinerators 67

Miscellaneous combustion processes 68

Non-incineration technologies 70

Summary 71

References 72

Chapter Five: The Environmental Effects of Landfilling and Incineration 77

Introduction 78

Waste management facilities, EIA and the environment 82

Impact on ecosystems 85

Impact of gaseous emissions 93

Impact of trace metals 99

Summary 108

References 110

Chapter Six: Methods of Human Health Risk Assessment 121

Introduction 122

Risk assessment 122

Interpretation of epidemiological evidence 128

Methodological issues in environmental epidemiology research 129

Dose–response assessment 131

Exposure assessment 132

Risk characterisation 135

Risk management 135

Sources of uncertainty in risk assessment and risk management 138

Risk perception and the social construction of risk 139

Risk communication 144

Summary 146

References 147

Chapter Seven: Health Effects of Landfilling and Incineration of Waste 153

Introduction 154

Characteristics of specific pollutants identified in emissions from landfill and incineration 154

Literature review of the health effects of landfilling and incineration 167

Public health risk assessments 180

Summary 185

References 187

Chapter Eight: Knowledge and Perceptions of Waste Management Options and their Associated

Effects 197

Introduction 198

Results for service providers and industry 198

Results for the environmental health officers 219

Results for the general public 222

Submissions received 228

Summary and conclusions 231

Appendix A: Study Protocol 234

Appendix B: Glossary 245

Appendix C: Table C1 Compounds Found in Fresh Kills (US) Landfill Gas 263

Appendix D: Topic Guides, List of Participants and Advertisement for Submissions 269

Appendix E: Relevant EU Legislation 275

Waste framework 276

Specific wastes 276

Processes and facilities 276

Transport, import and export 276

Summary of inter-relationships between legislation in the waste management sector and other

relevant EU legislation 277

Appendix F: The Powers and Functions of the Environmental Protection Agency 279