Incinerators

In 2000, France produced an estimated 45.6 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW). As of January 2003, France had 123 municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in operation with a total installed capacity of the order of 12 million tonnes. Over the past 10 years, the performance of French MSWIs has improved considerably to meet the requirements set out in EU directives and to minimize environmental impacts and health risks. Numerous small MSWIs have closed following the implementation of European directives 89/369/EEC and 89/429/EEC governing the incineration of non-hazardous waste (including municipal waste). On the other hand, a new generation of incinerators has emerged. Between 1993 and 2000, 42 MSWIs were constructed or completely refurbished in France at a total cost of €1.9 billion. The incineration of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste in member states is now covered by new legislation, Directive 2000/76/ED, which will be fully implemented by 2005.

Gaseous emissions from the 31 operating MSWIs were analyzed by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) in terms of four levels of performance (see Figure 1). The results of this analysis are given in Figure 2 in terms of numbers of installations and the total tonnage incinerated that reached/did not reach the four performance levels.

All sites achieved the emission limits demanded by directives 89/369/EEC. Figure 2 shows that 55 percent of sites (representing 67 percent of tonnage) were operating in 2001 within the limits for dust and acid gas emissions set by Directive 2000/76/EC. However, flue gas treatment did not appear to have any influence at those plants that had not yet reached these emission levels.

Figure 1.  Levels of Performances Selected for the Analysis of Gaseous Emissions

* As defined by Directive 2000/76/EC

Figure 2.  Analysis of Gaseous Emissions

* As defined by Directive 2000/76/EC

In respect to dioxins, 55 percent of sites (representing 50 percent of tonnage) had emission levels of less than 0.1 ng/Nm³. Emission levels were less than 1 ng/Nm³ in over half the other units. There was a clear difference in terms of performance between the various types of flue gas treatment; over 70% of sites not operating within the 0.1 ng/Nm³ threshold used wet processes. Installing dioxin treatment equipment on dry or semi-wet treatment systems already equipped with a fabric filter is a relatively simple operation and one that had already been performed in the majority of cases.

Three sites – one of which was at the delivery phase in 2001 – were equipped with a nitrogen oxide (NO_x) treatment system.

Comprehensive work was being undertaken to meet the performance levels for 2005 demanded by Directive 2000/76/EC. All the 11 sites under construction have been designed to operate within the Directive’s limits, except for NO_x, for which treatment was not required at the time of the construction. Seven of the 11 sites have, however, been designed to generate NO_x emissions of less than 200 mg/Nm³. In respect to certain other pollutants, guaranteed levels for these new units were well within the requirements of Directive 2000/76/EC.