ARNIKA suggests stricter measures for treatment of ashes – the final place for most of dioxins
More than two-thirds of Czech waste incinerators were unable to fulfill E.U. limits for toxic chemicals, as proved by measurements of exhalations made in 2002 and 2003. Large part of the incinerators has not been able to comply with the E.U. requirements till today so that some of them were forced to quit their operation, others just interrupted work and built new filters for pollutants or the equipment for continual measurement of the pollutants.
The most common reason for not having fulfilled the limits was exceeding emission concentrations of dioxins. By the end of 2003, two cement works did not comply with the limit 0,1 ng TEQ/m3 dioxins, together with 14 hazardous waste incinerators and 10 medical waste incinerators. The second largest problem are the limits for emissions of hydrogen chloride (in 16 cases) and for emissions of heavy metals of the second and third group (in 15 cases). Parliamentary deputies of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) legalized contamination of atmosphere by dioxins because of the waste incinerators two years ago even though it was in contradiction with the European legislation.
Association ARNIKA has made a top-ten list of 10 worst incinerators or cement works which burn waste. The order was made with the respect to quantity of released dioxins. In 2002, the worst 3 plants were cement works Radotín, Čížkovice and Prachovice. In 2003, first 3 ranks of the list were occupied by hazardous waste incinerators: Synthesia Pardubice, ČKD-DIZ Prague 9 and KOH-I-NOOR České Budějovice. As for the highest single concentrations of dioxins in 2002: incinerator in Benešov (in the Hospital of Rudolph and Stephanie), KOH-I-NOOR České Budějovice and in University Hospital in Hradec Králové. In 2003: incinerator ICN in Roztoky u Prahy, KOH-I-NOOR České Budějovice and ČKD-DIZ in Prague 9. According to the available information, the last 3 listed plants ended their work.
Waste incinerators belong to the most significant sources of dioxins in environment. Beside the exhalations, much higher quantity of dioxins ends in ashes where their concentrations are not permanently observed. The ashes also often travel through the Czech Republic uncontrolled. That is why ARNIKA will push on stricter treatment of ashes in the National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention. It is also one of points required in the Petition Toxic Free Future II. which already has more than 1,500 signatories.
Most of dioxins end in the ashes but our-of-date incinerators also release them to atmosphere in high concentrations. Big differences among particular measurements in incinerators show that individual measurements cannot record real dioxin emissions. „Concentrations are very low in case of individually made measurement. But when samples have been taken continually as required by Belgian laws, average emissions are 30 to 50 times higher and annual difference achieves grams of dioxins, which is very much when we talk about POPs,“ said Jindřich Petrlík, head of ARNIKA´s program Toxics and Waste. As he added, only the individual measurement is taken into account in the Czech Republic, but only a small number of incinerators would fulfill the limits if continual measurement was taken into respect.
Dioxins are extremely poisonous pollutants created in the process of incinerating the waste with the content of chlorinated chemicals or as by-products in chemical production of chlorinated chemicals (for example in production of pesticides or during chlorine bleaching paper). They are dangerous even in trace quantities and accumulate in human body. Dioxins damage hormonal and immunity systems of humans and animals.
Top-ten of the worst incinerators in respect to dioxin concentrations in smoke gases in 2002 (the limit is 0,1 ng TEQ/m3)
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement Dioxins in ng TEQ/m3
1. Benešov u Prahy Hospital of Rudolph and Stephanie 1.10.2002 16,055
2.x České Budějovice KOH-I-NOOR HARDMUTH,a.s. 16-17.5. 2002 11,6
3. Hradec Králové University Hospital 30.9.2002 8,982
4. Trutnov Town Hospital Trutnov 24.6.2002 8,4
5. Prague 5 – Motol University Hospital Motol 11.6.2002 7,156
x České Budějovice KOH-I-NOOR HARDMUTH,a.s. 15.-16.10 2002 6,9
6. Znojmo Regional Hospital Znojmo 19.3.2002 5,39
7.x Prague 8 Public Health Service Bulovka 9.1.2002 4,35
8. Vyškov EKOTERMEX (MP 150) 3.-4.6. 2002 4,31
Prague 5 – Motol University Hospital Motol 7.10.2002 2,75
Hradec Králové University Hospital 19.12.2002 2,68
9. Plzeň Incinerator Spalovna Plzeň, s. r. o. 3.12.2002 2,559
10. Strakonice Rumpold 5.12.2002 2,398
Top-ten of the worst incinerators in respect to dioxin concentrations in smoke gases in 2003 (the limit is 0,1 ng TEQ/m3)
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement Dioxins in ng TEQ/m3
1.x Roztoky u Prahy ICN Czech Republic 13.1.2003 8,593
2.x České Budějovice KOH-I-NOOR HARDMUTH,a.s. 9.10.2003 8,2
3.x Prague 9 – Vysočany ČKD PRAGUE DIZ 1.7.2003 5,241
x České Budějovice KOH-I-NOOR HARDMUTH,a.s. 4.6.2003 5,1
4. Trutnov Town Hospital Trutnov 24.4.2003 4,534
5. Prague 5 – Motol University Hospital Motol 14.-15.7.2003 4,393
6. Kolín LZ-DRASLOVKA 16.12.2003 4,385
7. Plzeň Incinerator Spalovna Plzeň Ltd. 17.12.2003 2,841
8. Vyškov EKOTERMEX (Hoval) 13.11.2003 2,5
9. Nový Jičín VOP 025 Nový Jičín 9.9.2003 2,378
10. Olomouc SITA 25.11.2003 1,903
Top-ten of the worst incinerators in respect to concentrations of mercury in smoke gases in 2002 (limit is 0.1 for hazardous waste incinerators, 0.08 for municipal waste incinerator and 0.05 mg/m3 for cement works)
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement Mercury in mg/m3
1. Strakonice Rumpold 4.12.2002 0,186
2. Ostrava ECOTECHNIEK -EAST Ltd. (SITA) 4.-5.6. 2002 0,151
3. Ústí nad Labem DEKONTA 14.-15.11. 2002 0,0277
4. Mokrá Cement works Mokrá 28.-29.5. 2002 0,01788
5. Prague 5- Radotín cement works Českomoravský cement 24.-27.9. 2002 0,0148
Prague 5- Radotín cement works Českomoravský cement 24.-27.9. 2002 0,0148
6. Luže Medical Institution Hamzova 14.6.2002 0,00718
7. Kolín MOGUL SERVIS 18.-19.7. 2002 0,004
8. Ústí nad Labem Spolchemie department Epitetra 19.-20.12. 2002 0,003
9. Králův Dvůr cement works Českomoravský cement 4.-5.9.2002 0,0029
10. Břeclav Town Hospital Břeclav 17.12.2002 0,00254
Top-ten of the worst incinerators in respect to mercury concentrations in smoke gases in 2003 (limit is 0.1 for hazardous waste incinerators, 0.08 for municipal waste incinerator and 0.05 mg/m3 for cement works)
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement Mercury in mg/m3
1. Vyškov EKOTERMEX 20.5.2003 0,139
2. Olomouc SITA Moravia 25.11.2003 0,1
3. Hranice Cement Hranice 25.-26.11.2003 0,0475
4.x České Budějovice KOH-I-NOOR HARDMUNTH,a.s. 4.6.2003 0,046
5. Ústí nad Labem DEKONTA 2.6.2003 0,043
6. Ústí nad Orlicí Hospital 10.7.2003 0,04
7. Benešov u Prahy Hospital of Rudolph and Stephanie 23.5.2003 0,0378
8.x Roztoky u Prahy ICN Czech Republic 13.1.2003 0,0343
9. Kolín MOGUL SERVIS 24.6.2003 0,033
10. Znojmo Hospital Znojmo 25.2.2003 0,03
Top-ten of the worst incinerators in respect to hydrogen chloride concentrations (HCl) in smoke gases in 2002 (limit is 10 mg/m3 for hazardous waste incinerators and 30 mg/m3 for municipal waste incinerators)
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement HCl v mg/m3
1. Valašské Meziříčí DEZA 26.-27.6. 2002 24,7
2. Vyškov EKOTERMEX (MP 150) 3.-4.6. 2002 22
3.x Prague 4 IKEM 18.11.2002 21,84
4. Hradec Králové University Hospital 30.9.2002 16,3
5. Vyškov EKOTERMEX 5.6.2002 15
6. Plzeň Incinerator Spalovna Plzeň Ltd. 2.12.2002 13,3
7. Prague 5 – Motol University Hospital in Motol 7.10.2002 12,7
8. Strakonice Rumpold 4.12.2002 12,1
9. Trutnov Hospital Trutnov 22.3.2002 10
10. Brno – Líšeň SAKO BRNO 25. -27.9. 2002 9,2
13 worst incinerators in respect to hydrogen chloride concentrations (HCl) in smoke gases in 2003 (limit is 10 mg/m3 for hazardous waste incinerators and 30 mg/m3 for municipal waste incinerators). Limits for the hydrogen chloride were exceeded in all plants.
Town/city Incinerator Date of measurement HCl v mg/m3
1.x Roztoky u Prahy ICN Czech Republic 13.1.2003 573,1
2. Luže Medical Institution Hamzova 20.11.2003 29,59
3. Prostějov MEGAWEST -EKOTERM Ltd. 30.12.2003 29,2
4. Pardubice Hospital Pardubice 17.7.2003 25
5. Olomouc SITA Moravia 25.11.2003 24
6. Hradec Králové University Hospital 14.8.2003 23,3
7. Nový Jičín VOP 025 Nový Jičín 9.9.2003 21,56
8. Liberec Hospital Liberec 27.11.2003 17,6
9. Prague 5 – Motol University Hospital Motol 14.-15.7.2003 15,4
Liberec Hospital Liberec 26.6.2003 14,4
10. Zlín EMSEKO Ltd. 22.5.2003 14,2
11. Znojmo Hospital Znojmo 25.2.2003 14
12. Plzeň Incinerator Spalovna Plzeň Ltd. 17.12.2003 13,1
13.x Jihlava MOTORPAL Jihlava 25.6.2003 12
Plants marked with x ended their work.
