Mercury control technologies for MWC's: The unanswered questions

摘要

It is now clear that stricter control of mercury emissions from municipal waste combustors (MWCs) and possibly medical waste incinerators (MWIs) at both the state and federal level is imminent or certain. While some facilities may meet these new standards without additional controls (e.g. refuse derived fuel (RDF) combustors), most will not. This paper will look at the available air pollution control (APC) technologies that lend themselves to retrofit for mercury capture and will suggest that questions remain as to effectivity, interference with other APC devices, and environmental impact. Regulatory considerations are reviewed and research priorities will be suggested.