Improvements in dioxin abatement strategies at a municipal waste management plant in Barcelona

This study presents the results of a dioxin abatement programme undertaken in the municipal waste incineration plant of Montcada i Reixac (Barcelona, Spain) after the replacement of an obsolete air cleaning device by a new flue gas treatment system. A number of sampling campaigns were conducted with the aim of characterising stack gas emission levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and to evaluate initial specifications of dioxin stack gas emission values below 0.1 ng I-TEQ/N m3. Preliminary results revealed levels between 44 and 111 ng I-TEQ/N m3 when the gas-cleaning system consisted only of an old electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Decreased levels around 15 ng I-TEQ/N m3 were observed when the semi-dry scrubber began to operate and the ESP was switched off. Again, remarkable dioxin removal was observed after the installation of the fabric filter and levels around 0.3–0.4 ng I-TEQ/N m3 were soon achieved. Nevertheless, the limit of 0.1 ng I-TEQ/N m3 was reached by additional injection of activated carbon which helped to lower PCDD/PCDF levels to around 0.036 ng I-TEQ/N m3. The results also demonstrated a significant change in the dioxin distribution present in combustion-derived materials (stack gas emission, bottom ash and solid waste from gas treatment). The major dioxin fraction was found in gaseous matrices before the flue gas control system was upgraded. After this step, the major dioxin fraction content was observed in solid waste from gas treatment.