Dioxin Regulations and the Introduction of Gasification Melting Furnaces

Dioxin Regulations and the Introduction of Gasification Melting Furnaces
Prior to the application of dioxin control standards scheduled for December 2002, many municipalities are required to rebuild or reconstruct waste incinerators. In this context, gasification melting furnaces are attracting particular attention as candidates for new furnace introduction.

Mechanism and Advantages of Gasification Melting Furnaces
Unlike conventional high-temperature incinerators, gasification melting furnaces first heat waste materials to approximately 500-600°C under low oxygen concentration and break them down into pyrolysis gas and residue. Next, these are burned at a high temperature of approximately 1400°C or higher, rendering the gases harmless and converting the residue into a glassy, inorganic sand (slag). This provides the following advantages

Effective use of heat: Energy efficiency is increased because the heat generated by the waste itself and residual heat can be utilized.
Volume reduction and recycling: Melting the ash significantly reduces the volume of the waste and further promotes recycling.
Toxic substance control: Generation of hazardous substances such as dioxin can be significantly reduced.
Another significant feature not found in conventional high-temperature incinerators is the ability to recover metals such as iron, copper, and aluminum from the residue in their unoxidized state through pyrolysis at low temperatures.

Trends in Legislation
The following six trends in legal developments have been observed in recent years.

Tighter regulation of anti-pollution laws: Laws introduced to prevent pollution are being tightened.
Environmental Preservation and Pollution Prevention: Regulations regarding environmental preservation and pollution prevention are being strengthened.
Chemical Substance Management: Regulations regarding the management of chemical substances are becoming stricter.
Energy laws: Laws are in place to promote the efficient use of energy.
Recycling laws: Laws related to recycling are being enhanced to promote a resource-recycling society.
Addressing Global Environmental Issues: Regulations are being strengthened to address global environmental issues.
These laws are being developed based on the three pillars of environmental conservation through chemical substance management, the creation of a sustainable recycling-oriented society, and global environmental conservation.

Diffusion and Expectations for Gasification Melting Furnaces
The introduction of gasification melting furnaces is expected to be an innovative approach to municipal waste treatment. In particular, their introduction is urgently needed as a technology to control the generation of hazardous substances in accordance with stricter dioxin regulations. In addition, many municipalities are considering this technology because of its advantages such as recovery of metals in their unoxidized state and improved energy efficiency.

The widespread use of gasification and melting furnaces will contribute to the realization of a sustainable, recycling-oriented society by reducing the environmental burden and promoting the effective use of resources in local communities. This is expected to further strengthen efforts for environmental conservation as well as improve the efficiency of waste disposal by each municipality.