Government tightens controls on dioxin emissions from incinerators

The new maximum levels, of one part per billion, is part of the European Waste Incineration Directive. It will apply to 950 incinerators and co-incinerators, including large facilities such as cement kilns and the UK’s 13 municipal waste incinerators, and smaller facilities such as clinical waste incinerators.

Incinerators are already subject to tight regulation with regard to their emissions, which has resulted in a reduction of dioxin emissions from incinerators to less than 2% of the 1997 level, said Environment Minister Michael Meacher. “This also means that these emissions are now less than 15% of those derived from road transport,” he added.