Energy from waste in the 21st century: When garbage in is not equal to garbage out

摘要

This paper provides an overview of the typical components of a modern Energy from Waste (EfW) facility, including the abatement technologies employed (Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction, Activated Carbon / Lime Injection, Fabric Filtration, etc) to target atmospheric pollution control. The paper introduces the concept of the constant outlet concentration systems and how these differ from the definition of an efficiency device in terms of atmospheric pollution abatement. This differentiation is important to understand in the context that modern EfW facilities can operate across a wide and variable fuel mix without materially impacting the post-abatement emission profile. The paper makes reference to case studies of EfW projects in the Australian planning system specifically in relation to the air assessments and implications for human health impacts. The paper discusses the concept of reference facilities and how these are best defined from an air quality perspective.