Influence of waste plastic incineration on unintentional formation of organohalogen compounds

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H04353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64010:Environmental load and risk assessment-related
• Research Institution: Ryukoku University (2021-2022); Kyoto University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Fujimori Takashi 龍谷大学, 先端理工学部, 准教授 (20583248)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 三宅 祐一 横浜国立大学, 大学院環境情報研究院, 准教授 (40425731) ; 江口 哲史 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 講師 (70595826)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: プラスチック / 焼却 / ダイオキシン類 / 有機ハロゲン化合物 / 無機塩素 / 銅

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some of the plastics disposed of in Japan are incinerated in the form of energy recovery or incineration. Because inorganic chlorine, including sodium chloride, is present in waste incineration, even chlorine-free plastic incineration does not necessarily result in the generation of organic halogenated compounds (OHCs) such as dioxins. In this study, we found that OHCs are generated from chlorine-free plastics as a result of exhaustive and systematic incineration of plastics with inorganic chlorine and trace copper. It was shown that the amount of OHCs generated and the chlorination tendency differed greatly depending on the type of plastic, and that plastics with benzene rings bonded to the polymer main chain were particularly strongly affected.

Free Research Field

環境影響評価

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

無機塩素や微量の銅を含んだ実際の廃棄物焼却を模したプラスチック焼却実験を行うことで、ダイオキシン類等の有機ハロゲン化合物（OHCs）の生成影響を評価することができる。プラスチックの種類別に比較・評価が可能なOHCsの排出特性データは、廃プラスチックの適正な焼却処分を行う上で必須の定量的知見となる。広義では、OHCsの非意図的生成に寄与する、注意すべきプラスチック構造中の因子を同定し、焼却以外の処理をも含めた今後の統合的な廃プラスチック管理に貢献する。