Municipal Waste Combustion Study: Assessment of Health Risks Associated with Municipal Waste Combustion Emissions

摘要

The report is an analysis of potential human health risks and environmental effects associated with pollutants emitted to the air from both existing as well as planned municipal waste combustors in the U.S. Quantitative cancer risk assessment was restricted to direct inhalation of organic and metal emissions. Limited analysis of indirect exposure pathways, e.g., ingestion and dermal absorption, was performed to qualitatively determine the importance of this exposure relative to direct inhalation. Potential welfare effects were also evaluated. This effort was in support of a regulatory determination of municipal waste combustor emissions under the Clean Air Act. Pollutants considered in the analysis included: polychlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans, chlorophenols, chlorobenzenes, formaldehyde, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, and hydrogen chloride.