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CHARACTERIZATION OF AIR EMISSIONS AND RESIDUAL ASH FROM OPEN BURNING OF ELECTRONIC WASTES DURING SIMULATED RUDIMENTALRY RECYCLING OPERATIONS
Citation:
GULLETT, B. K., W. P. LINAK, A. TOUATI, S. GATICA, C. J. KING, AND S. J. WASSON. CHARACTERIZATION OF AIR EMISSIONS AND RESIDUAL ASH FROM OPEN BURNING OF ELECTRONIC WASTES DURING SIMULATED RUDIMENTALRY RECYCLING OPERATIONS. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management. Springer Japan KK, Tokyo, Japan, 9(1):69-79, (2007).
Description:
Air emissions and residual ash measurements were made from open, uncontrolled combustion of electronic waste (e-waste) during simulations of practices associated with rudimentary e-waste recycling operations. Circuit boards and insulated wires were separately burned to simulate processes associated with waste disposal and metal recovery. Average emissions of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs) were 92 (N = 2, rsd = 98%) and 11,900 (N = 3, rsd = 50%) ng toxic equivalency (TEQ)/kg of initial mass for the circuit boards and insulted wire, respectively. The value for insulated wire is about 100 times higher than that for backyard barrel burning of domestic waste. Emission concentrations of polybromiated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/PBDFs) from the combustion of circuit board are 100 times higher than their polychlorinated counterparts. Particulate matter (PM) sampling of the fly ash emissions indicate PM emission factors of approximately 15 and 17 g/kg of initial mass for the circuit boards and insulated wire, respectively. Fly ash samples from both types of e-waste contained considerable amounts of several metallic elements and halogens; lead concentrations were over 200 times the U.S. regulatory limits for municipal waste combustors. Leaching tests of the residual bottom ash showed that both lead and cadmium concentrations solution exceeded U.S. EPA landfill limits.