Canada’s Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory Report 2022: annex 2.7
A2.7 Estimation methodologies for Incineration and Waste by sector/subsector
Crematoriums
Description
Crematoriums cover emissions from the combustion of caskets and human bodies.
The combustion of fuel associated with the operation of a crematorium furnace or crematory fire is excluded from the sector. Fuel combustion emissions from cremations are captured under Commercial and Institutional Fuel Combustion. In-house estimates do not cover animal cremation, as these emissions are reported through the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI).
General inventory method
Pollutant(s) estimated:
TPM, PM10, PM2.5, SOx, NOx, CO, Pb, Cd, Hg, dioxins/furans, B[a]p, B[b]f, B[k]f, I(cd)p, HCB
Number of human cremations per year by province and territory is multiplied by pollutant-specific emission factors. Mercury (Hg) from dental amalgams comes from the Hg in Products model (see section A2.11)
Activity data
Activity data for the years 2002 to 2020 are obtained from annual reports produced by the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). The CANA Annual Statistics Report 2012: Executive Summary (CANA, 2013) covers 2002 to 2007 and the CANA Annual Statistics Report (CANA, 2021) includes data from 2008 to 2020. Given the unavailability of data for some years, emission estimates are calculated using linear interpolation for all provinces/territories for the years 2001 to 2002, and for Quebec for the years 2002 to 2007.
Emission factors (EF)
TPM, PM10, PM2.5: U.S. EPA (2014)
VOCs, HCB: EEA (2013)
SOx, NOx, CO: EEA (2009)
Hg: Reindl (2012)
Cd, Pb: U.S. EPA (2014)
Dioxins/furans: U.S. EPA (2014)
B[a]p, B[b]f, B[k]f, I(cd)p: U.S. EPA (2014)
An average weight per body and casing of approximately 150 lbs. is assumed.
Waste Incineration
Description
Incineration of municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, hazardous waste, clinical waste and other incineration.
General inventory method
Pollutant(s) estimated:
TPM, PM10, PM2.5, SOx, NOx, VOCs, CO, NH3, Pb, Cd, Hg, dioxins/furans, B[a]p, B[b]f, B[k]f, I(cd)p
Where NPRI facility data is not available, the volume of incinerated waste is multiplied by technology-specific or default emission factors.
Activity data
Activity data is developed based on Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) surveys (ECCC, 2020) as well as (ECCC, 2003).
Emission factors (EF)
EEA (2019)
Residential Waste Burning (under Waste Incineration)
Description
Emissions from Residential Waste Burning are related to on-site burning of residential waste materials in backyard barrels or to open-pit burning in rural areas.
General inventory method
Pollutant(s) estimated:
TPM, PM10, PM2.5, SOx, NOx, VOCs, CO, NH3, dioxins/furans, B[a]p, B[b]f, B[k]f, I(cd)p, HCB
The quantity of residential waste burned in either barrels or open pits is combined with the appropriate emission factors for the applicable pollutants.
Activity data
The quantity of residential waste burned in either open pits or barrels is calculated by combining the residential waste generation rate, rural population, and percent of rural population burning their waste, the percent of waste that is burned, and the percent of the population using either barrels or open pits. The residential waste generation rate is calculated by taking the total amount of waste that is disposed of and adding back in the waste that is diverted from disposal.
Emission factors (EF)
TPM, PM10, PM2.5, SOx, NOX, VOC, CO are default emission factors from Table 2.5-1 of U.S. EPA (1992).
NH3 comes from Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD): BCMELP (2003).
Dioxins and furans use an emission factor of 72.8 ng 1-TEQW/kg of residential waste (Gartner Lee Limited, 2003)
Landfills (under Waste Treatment and Disposal)
Description
Landfills include emissions from bulk non-hazardous waste disposed of in landfills across Canada. Materials deposited in landfills are covered daily with soil to prevent scattering of litter by wind, scavenging by animals, and odours. Dust (PM) emissions occur due to wind erosion, the movement of heavy vehicles and the dumping of waste.
VOC emissions are emitted as a component of landfill gas (LFG) generated by the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste within the landfill, mostly in the form of CH4.
General inventory method
Pollutant(s) estimated:
TPM, PM10, PM2.5, VOCs
The quantity of waste landfilled for each province and territory is multiplied by PM emission factors to determine the amount of PM released.
VOC emissions are calculated from the total CH4 in landfill gas released, as calculated in Canada’s NIR.
Activity data
The tonnage of waste landfilled is calculated on the basis of the total amount of waste disposed by province as reported by Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada, n.d.), the amount of waste exported out of the province, and the amount of waste incinerated. Landfilled waste is assumed to be any disposed waste that is not exported or incinerated. All landfill data available directly from provincial and territorial sources are integrated into the activity dataset.
The provincial CH4 emissions calculated for Canada’s National Inventory Report (NIR) are used to estimate VOC emissions for the APEI. CH4 emissions are calculated using a first order decay model, as described in the NIR.
Emission factors (EF)
TPM: BCMELP (1997)
PM10, PM2.5: GVRD and FVRD (2003). The EFPM10 is calculated using a distribution percentage of 8% of the EFTPM. The EFPM2.5 is calculated using a distribution percentage of 2% of the EFTPM.
VOCs: U.S. EPA (1995). The default concentration of VOC in landfill gas is 835 ppmv.
Composting (under Biological Treatment of Waste, under Waste Treatment and Disposal)
Description
Emissions from Composting are related to on-site process emissions from municipal and commercial facilities. Home composting is not accounted for in our inventory due to the lack of available data at this time.
General inventory method
Pollutant(s) estimated:
NH3, VOCs
Activity data
Municipal and commercial facility level inventory compiled from industry surveys, annual reports or facility based websites (ECCC, 2020).
Emission factors (EF)
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) methodology for composting facilities is applied and modified for Canadian use (CARB, 2015). Only emissions from the composting process are estimated; storage and stockpiling emissions are not accounted due to a lack of available data in Canada.
The CARB method provides emission factors for green and food waste as well as green waste co-composted with biosolids or manure. For the green waste and food waste emission factor, the CARB method assumes that only 15% of food waste is co-composted with green waste. However, in Canada this emission factor has been applied to facilities that accept any volume of food waste and/or paper waste. According to the San Joaquin method (used in the development of the CARB method), there is no stand-alone food waste emission factor available. The CARB method emission factor for co-composting of green waste and biosolids or manure is used for any type of yard waste such as brown wastes. This emission factor is also applied to composting facilities that use food and paper waste with biosolids or manure and yard waste. This is done as the method does not provide an option for mixtures of all waste types together at this time. The control efficiencies published by CARB are averaged and used to meet the level of detail available for Canadian facilities control use. CARB suggests that fully enclosed systems (e.g., in-vessel systems) and indoor facilities can achieve an emissions reduction level of 80% or more; emission reduction rates are adapted to reflect the information available in Canada.
References, Annex 2.7, Estimation methodologies for Incineration and Waste by sector/subsector
[BCMELP] British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 1997. British Columbia inventory of common air contaminants emitted in 1995 from miscellaneous area sources outside of the Lower Fraser Valley. Victoria (BC): BCMELP.
[BCMELP] British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 2003. 2000 British Columbia inventory for the Canadian portion of the Lower Fraser Valley airshed. Victoria (BC): BCMELP.
[CANA] Cremation Association of North America. 2013. Annual CANA statistics report 2012: Executive summary Unpublished report.
[CANA] Cremation Association of North America. 2021. Annual CANA statistics report.
[CARB] California Air Resources Board. 2015. ARB emissions inventory methodology for composting facilities. California (US): CARB.
[ECCC] Environment Canada. 2013. Municipal solid waste incineration in Canada: An update on operations 1999-2001. Prepared by A.J. Chandler & Associates in conjunction with Compass Environmental Inc. for Environment Canada.
[ECCC] Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2018. Waste incineration in Canada 1990-2018 - A summary of findings from surveys conducted in 2006-2018. Unpublished report. Gatineau (QC): ECCC.
[ECCC] Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2020. Database for municipal and commercial composting facilities in Canada. Unpublished database. Ottawa (ON): Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division.
[EEA] European Environment Agency. 2009. EMEP/EEA Air pollutant emission inventory guidebook 2009, technical guidance to prepare national emission inventories. Part B: Sectoral guidance chapters. Report No. 9/200. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
[EEA] European Environment Agency. 2013. EMEP/EEA Air pollutant emission inventory guidebook 2013, Technical guidance to prepare national emission inventories. Report No. 12/2013. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
[EEA] European Environment Agency. 2019. EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory Guidebook 2019. Technical Guidance to Prepare National Emission Inventories. Report No. 13/2019. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Gartner Lee Limited. 2003. Dioxin/Furan emissions from on-site residential waste combustion in Canada. Catalogue No. GLL 22-745. Gartner Lee Limited.
[GVRD] Greater Vancouver Regional District, [FVRD] Fraser Valley Regional District. 2003. 2000 emission inventory for the Canadian portion of the Lower Fraser Valley airshed – detailed listing of results and methodology. Burnaby (BC): Greater Vancouver Regional District.
Reindl J. (2012). Summary of References on Mercury Emissions from Crematoria. Madison (WI): Dane County Department of Public Works. [PDF]
Statistics Canada. No date. Table 38-10-0032-01 (formerly CANSIM 153-0041) Disposal of waste, by source, Canada, provinces and territories, every 2 years (tonnes) (database). [accessed 2017 Oct].
[U.S. EPA] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1991. Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, Volume I: Stationary Point and Area Sources. Research Triangle Park (NC): Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. [PDF]
[U.S. EPA] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1992. Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, Volume I: Stationary Point and Area Sources. Research Triangle Park (NC): Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. [PDF]
[U.S. EPA] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, Volume I: Stationary Point and Area Sources, 5th Edition. Research Triangle Park (NC): Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[U.S. EPA] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2014. WebFIRE (database). Durham (NC): Technology Transfer Network Clearinghouse for Inventories & Emissions Factors.
Page details
- Date modified: