Incinerators still a burning issue
While waiting for the desk research promised, there are a number of good summary research articles on incineration with references to recent reviews and to government standards and controls. A summary of potential problems with proposed incinerators is discussed where the findings are:
Lack of toxicity data on unidentified organic emissions.
Unavoidability of hazardous metal emissions as particles and volatiles.
Inefficient stack operation resulting in unknown amounts of increased emissions.
Formation in the stack of highly toxic dioxins and furans, especially under inefficient conditions, and their build-up in the environment and in human tissue.
The lack of adequate disposal techniques for incinerator fly ash and waste water.
The contribution of emitted gases such as NO2, SO2 and HCL to smog, acid rain, and the formation of ozone, and the deleterious effects of these on human respiratory systems.
The effects and build-up in human tissue of other emitted organics such as benzene, toluene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), alkanes, alcohols, and phenols.
The lack of pollution control and real time efficiency monitoring equipment in existing installations.
The outcome of the desk review of research into incineration and human health will probably not have an answer. It will not tell us it is safe and it will not tell us it is unsafe. Ireland will have to trust in the inability of regulatory bodies historically to ensure compliance with emission standards while the lack of political trust leaves people believing it is inadvisable to engage in building an incinerator with the present level of knowledge and conditions.
Michael McKeon,
Louth Green Party,
8 Rosevale,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
