Statistical Modelling for the Prediction and Control of PCDDs and PCDFs Emissions From Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators

Abstract

The emissions of a full range of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) have become one of the most controversial issues in siting and building new municipal incinerators. The lack of comprehensive evaluation of the PCDDs/PCDFs formation and emission control technologies in earlier times resulted in ambiguity in the decision-making of incineration projects. Until the last decade, several emission tests of municipal solid waste incineration regarding to new combustion criteria, public regulations, and risk assessments were conducted and reported in the literature. However, only a few analyses of statistical prediction and control have been established. This paper presents a series of multiple linear regression models for PCDDs/PCDFs emission prediction and control corresponding to different types of incinerators. The data used in the regression analysis were integrated from several testing programmes held in North America. By applying these regression results, evaluation of various combustion criteria, public regulations, and environmental and health risk assessment can then be achieved. Such evaluation is valuable for some developing countries which do not have sufficient finance or engineering experience to pursue large scale emission tests, but need rapid promulgation of emissions control for municipal solid waste incinerators.