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Canada-wide Standards for Emissions Reduction: Achievements, Challenges, and Future Goals

This document outlines the background, progress, and challenges of Canada-wide emission standards. Aiming for harmonized, national standards, it highlights completed standards such as Benzene and upcoming reviews on Ground-Level Ozone. Challenges in various sectors like incinerators and dental amalgam are discussed alongside opportunities for pollution prevention. The text sheds light on current events, compliance strategies, and stakeholder consultations. Future goals include addressing hazardous waste reduction and exploring mercury emission control in municipal waste and medical sectors. Commentary emphasizes the importance of national standards in driving emissions reduction efforts while addressing challenges and opportunities for the future.

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Canada-wide Standards for Emissions Reduction: Achievements, Challenges, and Future Goals

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  1. Canada-wide Standards Ian Smith, Champion

  2. Background • Six (6) initial standards selected • Benzene (Air) - completed, 39% achieved • Dioxins and Furans - winding up • Ground-Level Ozone - review upcoming • Mercury (All Media) • Particulates (Air) - review upcoming • Petroleum Hydrocarbons (Soil) - done • Harmonized, national standards • Delivered by “jurisdiction best placed”

  3. Process for Hg CWS • Setting priorities • Top three (3) major sectors • Emissions = incinerators, smelters, coal power • Use = dental amalgam, lamps, sewage sludge • Approach • Life-cycle management to minimize releases (can use it, but don’t release it) • Consensus based gov’t process with multi-stakeholder consultation

  4. Completed emissions CWSs • Incinerators • Medical, hazardous, municipal and sludge • Emissions limits = 20-70 ug/m3 • Dates variable by sector, compliance by size • Base metal smelters (Zn, Cu, Pb) • Existing units: • Emissions rate = 2 gram/tonne - all types • New facilities - must offset new emissions • Zn, Ni, Pb = 0.2 gram/tonne product • Cu = 1 gram/tonne product

  5. Completed CWSs for “uses” • Fluorescent lamps (~750 kg/yr) • 90% reduction in Hg use by 2010 • Industry voluntary commitment • Lamps = 180 kg/yr emissions, 22% during life • Power = remaining 78% emitted by lamp life-cycle • (Waste) dental amalgam (“0” kg/yr) • 95% “capture rate” by 2005 • 1.9 T/yr released from practice • Apply best practices, ISO separators • MOU with Can. Dental Assn.

  6. Status of current events • Under development • CWS for coal-fired power plants (2.45 T/yr) • Stakeholder consultations completed • Review of biosolids (40 kg/yr) • Background work underway • Electric arc furnaces (~800 kg/yr) • Understand scope of issue, potential actions • Implementation planning

  7. Challenges, P2 opportunities • Hazardous waste ~ 750 kg/yr reduction • Dates for compliance = 2003 • Only three (3) significant facilities in Canada • Compliance strategies • Hg emissions dependant upon “feedstock” • “Pollution prevention” likely strategy • Challenges to incinerator operator • P2 solution may mean less business • Why bother using P2 (Hg) if upgrade/sorbent required for D/F, and do D/F early?

  8. Challenges - 2 • Sewage sludge ~ 100 kg/yr reduction • Dates for compliance for Hg = 2005 • 4/7 currently out of compliance • Compliance strategies • Dental amalgam CWS compliance = 2005 • Amalgam bylaws in Toronto & Montreal • Sludging in sewers/lines will delay recovery • Challenge • Can’t influence “use” of mercury, just disposal • D/F CWS can be met with sorbent, also Hg

  9. Challenges - 3 • Medical waste ~150 kg/yr • Dates for compliance (~110 plants) = 2007 • Size specific implementation • Bulk of Hg emissions for those > 120 T/yr • Larger ones comply with 20 ug/m3 • Smaller ones “pursue” 40 ug/m3 • Path forward: • Ontario closing 45 units • Many medical operations reducing Hg use • Health Care Without Harm, Pollution Probe etc.

  10. Challenges - 4 • Municipal waste ~500 kg/yr • Dates for compliance ~ 75 plants = 2006 • Size specific implementation • Mercury CWS > 120 T/yr = 20 ug/m3 • Smaller ones “pursue” 20 ug/m3 • Federal gov’t implications • Quarantine, agricultural, defense etc. • P2 opportunities???? • Fluorescent lamps, thermometers, cultural uses, yard wastes, etc, etc, etc

  11. Challenges - 5 • (Waste) mercury amalgam ~ “0” kg/yr • Voluntary compliance by 2005 • Educational initiatives under national MOU • Bylaws a growing force for change • Dental volunteerism aimed at avoiding bylaws! • Amalgam separator technology/availability • CWS assumes 100% of dentists = ISO • Early achievers, volunteerism, bylaws likely to produce >80% compliance • Opportunities for P2 limited, ~ zero • Dental health mandates use of hg

  12. Challenges - 6 • Fluorescent lamps ~ 100 kg/yr • Reduced Hg content ~ increased efficiency • 78% of Hg emitted by coal-fired power plants • Adoption of low Hg lamps key • Energy efficiency, CO2 linkages important • Recycling • Feel-good - small part of incinerator loadings • Emissions from land-fills minimal • Optimal strategy = bulb-eaters/landfilling residue where infrastructure exists

  13. Future - 2002 and beyond • Sludge land-application under review • ~350 kg/yr to soils, ~40 kg/yr emitted • review risk of release - could be “non-issue” • Electric arc furnaces (~800 kg) • Cars one focus: • Clean Air Foundation - 50 recyclers signed up • White goods another focus: • Successful pilot in Niagara region • CCME convening workshop on options • Switch “bounty” being discussed

  14. Commentary • CWS = national delivery of priorities • Shared jurisdiction over environment • Local jurisdictions can be more stringent • Competitiveness/level playing field • National drivers in reducing emissions • Easy part is mostly over • Facilities have to install equipment, make changes, demonstrate compliance! • 13% emissions reduction (+BMS) assured • Potential to achieve 23% (+BMS) reduction

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