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Substance Flow Analysis for Dioxin 2002

Preface

The issue of dioxins continues to create attention in modern society. Although significant efforts already have been and still are being invested in developing a thorough understanding of the sources and the implications of dioxin, there is still a long way to go. And new knowledge continues to push for further efforts both with respect to developments in our understanding of the toxicological aspects and recognition of new sources for emission to the environment.

The overall objective of this investigation has been to integrate the present knowledge of dioxins related to Denmark into the framework of substance flow analysis, aiming at obtaining a better understanding of the flow of dioxins in society.

More specifically the objective of the study has been to collect the new Danish knowledge from 2000 – 2002 and incorporate the knowledge in the substance flow analysis for dioxin earlier made. The new Danish knowledge is primarily new analyses from The National Environmental Research Institute on air, water, deposition and residues as well as measurements from industry and waste combustion plants. This report is therefore an update of the substance flow analysis from 2000 /Hansen, 2000/ and the update is made as additions to the report from 2000. As a consequence the report also has the objective to narrow the intervals that have so far been reported from Denmark with respect to the significant amount of knowledge made internationally available during the recent years. The international knowledge is still essential to the subsance flow analysis, because many sources still exist where Danish data are minimal or absent.

Thus the report has tried to develop a complete picture – to the extent possible – of the dioxin circulation in Denmark and have inter alia tried to develop estimates for sources like accidental fires and uses of PCP that due to a very high level of uncertainty are often not included in dioxin surveys.

With the described objective the report is a contribution to meet the obligations in article 5 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The article describes the demands on a national action plan, which shall among other things include an evaluation of current and projected releases, including the development and maintenance of source inventories and release estimates /Stockholm Convention, 2001/.

The report has been financed by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and has during its preparation been supervised by a steering committee consisting of:

Helle Petersen, Danish EPA (Chair)
Mikala Klint, Danish EPA
Erik Thomsen, Danish EPA
Ulrik Torp, Danish EPA
Svend Erik Jepsen, Danish EPA
Lea Frimann Hansen, Danish EPA
Jørgen Vikelsøe, Danish National Environmental Research Institute
Ole Schleicher, dk-TEKNIK ENERGY and ENVIRONMENT
Jacob Hartmann, Greenpeace
Arne Buchert, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

The report has been prepared by:

Erik Hansen, COWI A/S
Charlotte Libak Hansen, COWI A/S