The Dioxin, PCBs, and Waste WG of IPEN report demonstrate that waste incineration residues represent a serious threat to both the local and global environment as they contain high quantities of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (U-POPs) listed under Annex C of the Stockholm Convention (dioxins, PCBs and hexachlorobenzene). This study also shows that especially waste incineration fly ash and APC residues contain also high levels of other POPs not listed under the Stockholm Convention (for example polychlorinated naphthalenes or polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans etc.).
It summarizes studies showing the leachability of dioxins from fly ashes under conditions they are disposed of. Hot spots case studies show that levels of dioxins in ashes from waste incineration below the level established as a provisional limit for low POPs content in wastes are too high to prevent serious contamination of the environment by U-POPs.
Authors: Jindřich Petrlik, Ralph Anthony Ryder, Arne Schoevers, Milan Havel
Number of pages: 65
Publication date: re-print from April 2005
