Page last updated : 15/05/2008

Dioxins et furans - PCDD-F

Source : CITEPA / CORALIE SECTEN format - last updated 28 February 2008

Survey period : since 1990

Comments

127 g ITEQ (International Toxic EQuivalent) of dioxins and furans emissions were estimated in 2006. Since 1990, emissions fell sharply (-93%, i.e. -1 636 g ITEQ). The sharp decrease observed since 1990 as a result of considerable improvements in waste incineration and in iron and steel industry.

Still, a slight increase is observed in 2004, especially due to a dysfunction from a waste incinerator closed since then.

The formation of dioxins and furans is driven by complex phenomena with particular operating conditions during combustion which can be met in any sector but occurring more frequently in case of waste incineration, sinter plants and also in other particular processes.

The main sectors emitting dioxins and furans emissions were in 2006 :

The other sectors contributed to less than 2% and even not at all.

Most of the emissions of energy conversion come from waste incineration with energy recovery. Thus, this share has fallen from 97% of the emissions of this sector in 2005 to 77% in 2006 due to reduction techniques following the application of the order of the 20 th September 2002 (EU Directive 2000/76/EC).

Waste incineration without recovery, included in manufacturing industry, accounted for less than 1% of the emissions of this last sector in 2006, whereas it represented 43% in 1990. This drop is a result of improvements and particularly of the increase of energy conversion since 1990 from 69% to 97% of waste incinerated during the period. However, emissions of this sector in 2004 had a sharp increase due to a dysfunction from a waste incinerator which emitted 50 g ITEQ just by itself.