Mercury in waste and its behaviour during incineration

Summary

Even today, despite a clear reduction in mercury emissions in most sectors of activity, this pollutant still represents a major issue for global environmental and health policies. This study has provided an up-to-date review of the mercury issue in the waste incineration sector. It will also be of interest to other combustion sectors. The work details: - the sources of mercury in incinerated waste, - the fate of mercury and its speciation within the various compartments of the incinerator, - the possibilities and limits of analysis in effluents (continuous measurements, chemical forms measured, etc.). Several case studies are discussed. Examples of incinerators abroad, particularly in Germany, with emission regulation systems are studied (regulation of emission peaks). The outlook for this work highlights the need for further work to better understand and address the complex issue of mercury emissions during waste incineration.