Colombian inventory of dioxin and furan release vectors and sources for 2002

Abstract

This paper reports the main results of a project to establish a Colombian inventory of dioxin and furan release vectors and sources during 2002. The project followed the methodology proposed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in the ‘Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases’, Toolkit, first issued in May 2003. The country specific, dioxin and furan emitting sources were identified, according to the sources stated in the guide material and their releases were quantified from the information gathered for each one of the processes and using default emission factors proposed in the Toolkit. The total emissions were, 945.42 g TEQ/a (grams of toxic equivalent per year). The main sources are uncontrolled combustion estimated as 46.06% of the total emissions and waste incineration as 30.05%. The most important emissions vectors are air at 52.07% and residues at 39.43% of total. Some limitations were encountered in data gathering. There are no official records for some of the subcategories that are intended to be taken into account. The per capita emission rate in Colombia is relatively low, compared to other countries with similar levels of industrial development.

Keywords:

• Dioxins and furans
• Inventory
• Emission sources
• Toolkit

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all the participants in the project, especially the Coordinating Team of the Ministry of Environment, Household and Territorial Development of Colombia, the technical consulting team from the INAMCO Ltda. Corporation, to which the authors belong, the Implementing Agencies of the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).