Air pollutant emissions

Each year, EPA pubHshes a summary of air pollution emissions and air quaUty trends for the criteria pollutants (4). Table 1 contains the summary for 1989. U.S. emissions estimates for these pollutants are available back to 1940 (5). 

Table 1. Nationwide Air Pollutant Emissions Estimates for the United States in 1989 ...

National Air Pollutant Emissions Estimates 1940—1986, Pub. No. EPA-450/4-87-024, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, N.C., 1988. 

Compilation ofi Air Pollution Emission Factors, Vol. 1, Stationay Point and Area Sources, AP-42, 4th ed., Suppl. E, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washiagton, D.C., 1993. 

Emission Standards. In order to have a nationwide basis for air pollution emission controls and to set a minimum emission limit, the EPA developed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). The NSPS set specific poUutant emission limits or describe the best available control technology (BACT) that should be appUed at that source. The EPA has issued NSPS, which apply to new constmction as weU as to large modifications, for many different sources. Sources in the chemical industry include the foUowing. 

The energy release and air pollution emissions from personal sources in the United States are greater than those from industry and utilities combined. In any major city in the United States, the mass of pollutants emitted... 

Production of the large quantihes of inorganic chemicals necessary for modern industrial processes can result in air pollutant emissions as undesirable by-products. Table 6-2 lists some of the more common inorganic chemi-... 

Miscellaneous Inorganic Chemicals and Associated Air Pollution Emissions... 

Inorganic chemical produced Major air pollution emissions... 

To develop an emission inventory for an area, one must (1) list the types of sources for the area, such as cupolas, automobiles, and home fireplaces (2) determine the type of air pollutant emission from each of the listed sources, such as particulates and SO2 (3) examine the literature (9) to find valid emission factors for each of the pollutants of concern (e.g., "particulate emissions for open burning of tree limbs and brush are 10 kg per ton of residue consumed") (4) through an actual count, or by means of some estimating technique, determine the number and size of specific sources in the area (the number of steelmaking furnaces can be counted, but the number of home fireplaces will probably have to be estimated) and (5) multiply the appropriate numbers from (3) and (4) to obtain the total emissions and then sum the similar emissions to obtain the total for the area. 

For many industrialized countries, efforts to improve the outdoor air quality have been under way for the majority of this century. In many locations around the world, significant improvements have taken place. Air quality in many major cities such as London, New York, and Chicago has improved from the conditions present in the first half of the twentieth century. Mechanisms and control programs are in place in the developed countries to continue the improvement of ambient air quality. Considerable effort and energy have been expended to characterize, evaluate, and control air pollution emissions to the atmosphere. 

Choose. a representative area (a city, county, region, etc.) and prepare a table slimving the change in air pollution emission if natural gas were used as a fuel instead of ii coal. 

Air Pollution Emissions and Controls Inorganic Acid Manufacture... 

Acid Manufacturing process Air pollutant emissions Control methods in use... 

Air Pollution Emissions from Primary Zinc Processing... 

Air Pollution Emissions from Miscellaneous Nonferrous Metallurgical Processes... 

Air Pollution Emission Factors for Agricultural Field Burning... 

In addition to chemicals covered under TRI, many other chemicals are released. For example, the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards has compiled air pollutant emission factors for determining the total air emissions of priority pollutants (e.g., VOCs, SO, NO, CO, particulates, etc.) from many refinery sources. The EPA Office of Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS) contains a wide range of information related to stationary sources of air pollution, including the emissions of a number of air pollutants which may be of concern within a particular industry. With the exception of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), there is little overlap with the TRI chemicals reported above. 

Chapter 7 of EPA s Compilation Of Air Pollutant Emission Factors (AP-42). Click the filename to download the file. 

EPA, 1997. U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, "Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors. Volume I, Fifth Edition, Research Triangle Park, NC., October. 

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