Canada’s Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory Report 2025: chapter 2.10
2.10 Dioxins and Furans
In 2023, emissions of dioxins and furans (D/F) in Canada totaled 77 grams of toxicity equivalent (gTEQ) (Table 2–12). The Incineration and Waste source accounted for the largest share of these emissions at 37% (28 gTEQ), with Waste Incineration accounting for 22% (17 gTEQ) of the national total. Transportation and Mobile Equipment contributed 32% (25 gTEQ) of 2023 dioxins and furans emissions, 25% (20 gTEQ) of which are attributed to Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks and Vehicles. Ore and Mineral Industries accounted for 24% (18 gTEQ) of 2023 dioxins and furans emissions with the Asphalt Paving Industry being the largest sector contributing to this source with 10% (8.0 gTEQ) of total dioxins and furans emissions followed by the Iron Ore Pelletizing sector with 5.5% (4.1 gTEQ) of national emissions.
Between 1990 and 2023, dioxins and furans emissions decreased by 67% (156 gTEQ) (Figure 2–10). This decrease is due to large reductions in emissions from Waste Incineration between 2001 and 2012 resulting from improvements made in incineration technologies and closure of smaller batch incinerators. Ore and Mineral Industries also contributed to the overall dioxins and furans emissions decrease between 1997 and 2009, associated with effective emission controls on coke ovens and coke by-product plants in the Iron and Steel Industry (EC, 2001).
The most significant changes in dioxins and furans emissions from 1990 to 2023 include:
- Incineration and Waste: decrease of 73% (78 gTEQ), with:
- Waste Incineration: decrease of 83% (86 gTEQ)
- Ore and Mineral Industries: decrease of 72% (46 gTEQ), with:
- Iron and Steel Industry: decrease of 89% (31 gTEQ)
Figure 2–10: Trends in Canadian Dioxins and Furans Emissions (1990 to 2023)
Long description for Figure 2-10
Figure 2–10: Trends in Canadian Dioxins and Furans Emissions for 1990 to 2023.
Figure 2–10 is a stacked area graph displaying the four major contributors to national dioxins and furans trends. They are the following: Iron and Steel Industry, Waste Incineration, Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks and Vehicles, and Other. The figure shows that Waste Incineration was the biggest contributor to emissions in all years until 2010, with Other becoming the primary contributor since then. The following table displays the contributions (gTEQ) for the years 1990 to 2023.
| Sector | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 84 | 90 | 86 | 89 | 88 | 85 | 83 | 86 | 82 | 81 | 85 | 86 | 84 | 94 | 82 | 67 | 55 | 52 | 47 | 45 | 48 | 42 | 37 | 35 | 38 | 37 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 39 | 36 | 40 | 37 | 37 |
| Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks and Vehicles | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Waste Incineration | 103 | 105 | 113 | 115 | 115 | 110 | 112 | 111 | 111 | 111 | 113 | 113 | 109 | 97 | 88 | 82 | 78 | 72 | 67 | 58 | 51 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
| Iron and Steel Industry | 35 | 36 | 38 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 35 | 36 | 28 | 19 | 18 | 7.2 | 8.5 | 11 | 9.1 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 7.1 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.0 |
Table 2–12: National Summary of Annual Dioxins and Furans Emissions
| Source | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ore and Mineral Industries | 64 | 54 | 27 | 15 | 20 | 18 | 23 | 17 | 18 |
| Asphalt Paving Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 19 | 21 | 13 | 4.7 | 9.9 | 7.5 | 10 | 6.0 | 8.0 |
| Iron and Steel Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 35 | 18 | 5.0 | 7.1 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Iron Ore Pelletizing (Ore and Mineral Industries) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2.4 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| Other Ore and Mineral Industries Sectors (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 11 | 15 | 9.1 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| Oil and Gas Industry | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Electric Power Generation (Utilities) | 3.0 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0.95 | 0.59 | 0.49 | 0.66 | 0.51 |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 13 | 8.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.7 |
| Transportation and Mobile Equipment | 26 | 31 | 34 | 26 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Domestic Marine Navigation, Fishing and Military (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 13 | 14 | 16 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 3.2 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicles (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 8.3 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 7.1 |
| Rail Transportation (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Other Transportation and Mobile Equipment Sectors (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Agriculture | 0.058 | 0.054 | 0.00 | 0.42 | 0.40 | 0.31 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.27 |
| Commercial/Residential/Institutional | 6.3 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
| Incineration and Waste | 110 | 120 | 89 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 |
| Crematoriums (Incineration and Waste) | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| Waste Incineration (Incineration and Waste) | 100 | 110 | 82 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal (Incineration and Waste) | 1.1 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| Paints and Solvents | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Dust | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Fires | 7.6 | 1.5 | 0.92 | 0.64 | 0.68 | 0.54 | 0.55 | 1.3 | 0.22 |
| Grand Total | 230 | 230 | 170 | 77 | 82 | 73 | 79 | 76 | 77 |
Notes:
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
0.00 Indicates emissions were truncated due to rounding.
NA Indicates no emissions.
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