Polyvinyl Chloride Plastics in Municipal Solid Waste Combustion: Impact Upon Dioxin Emissions - A Synthesis of Views

This report examines the issue of whether the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics content of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a significant contributor to emissions of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (dioxins) that are associated with MSW combustion. Indications based on a consideration of this issue are developed through a syrithesis of available information. While there is convincing experimentalevidence that various conditions can cause production of dioxins when PVC is thermally treated, a fundamental issue that remains to be solved is how these findings relate to operating conditions that are characteristic of well designed, maintained and operated MSW combustion facilities, equipped with modern air pollution controls. These findings largely have been derived from laboratory or pilotscale experimentation and from full-scale studies that have been carried out at facilities of varying design and purpose.