Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 9 6 2009 10.5194/acpd-9-27195-2009 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/27195/2009/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/27195/2009/acpd-9-27195-2009.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/27195/2009/acpd-9-27195-2009.pdf 27195 27214 2009-12-16 Mercury emission from crematories in Japan M. Takaoka K. Oshita N. Takeda S. Morisawa Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan Anthropogenic sources of mercury emissions have a significant impact on global pollution. Therefore, finding uncharacterised sources and assessing the emissions from these sources are important. However, limited data are available worldwide on mercury emissions from crematories. In Japan, 99.9% of dead bodies are cremated, which is the highest percentage in the world, and more than 1600 crematories are in operation. We thus focused on emissions from crematories in Japan. The number of targeted facilities was seven, and we used continuous emission monitoring to measure the mercury concentrations and investigate mercury behaviour. The total mercury concentrations in stack gases were a few μg/Nm³ (normal cubic meters). Considering the time profile of mercury and its species in cremations, the findings confirmed that the mercury in stack gas originated from dental amalgam. The amount of mercury emissions was calculated using the total concentration and gas flow rate. Furthermore, the annual amount of mercury emission from crematories in Japan was estimated by using the total number of corpses. The emission amount was considerably lower than that estimated in the UK. From statistical analyses on population demographics and measurements, future total emissions from crematories were also predicted. As a result, the amount of mercury emitted by crematories will likely increase by 2.6-fold from 2007 to 2037. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and UNEP Chemicals: Technical Background Report to the Global Atmospheric Mercury Assessment, 2008. ASTM D6784-02: Standard test method for elemental, oxidized, particle-bound and total mercury in flue gas generated from coal-fired stationary sources (Ontario Hydro Method), 2008. Chua, A., Tanida, K., Takaoka, M., and Noda, N.: Development of mercury CEMs for emission gases. Proc. of 18th International Low-Rank Fuels Symposium, 1–9, 2003. Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs(DEFRA), UK: Mercury emissions from crematoria Second consultation, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Welsh Assembly Government, Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Dept., available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/crematoria-two/consultation.pdf , 2004. Edwards, P.: Reviews of Emissions from Crematoria in the UK Volume A- Emissions, Measurements, AEA Technology Report, Resurgam, 44, 81–128 and Pharos International, 67, 3, 2001. Fitzgerald, W. F., Engstrom, D. R., Mason, R. P., and Nater, E. A.: The case for atmospheric mercury contamination in remote areas, Environ. Sci. Technol., 32, 1–7, 1998. Hogland, W.: Usefulness of selenium for the reduction of mercury emissions from crematoria, J. Environ. Qual., 23, 1364–1366, 1994. Kida, A., Sakai, S., Takaoka, M., Hirai, Y., Moritomi, H., and Yasuda, K.: Study on air emission inventory of mercury including waste management processes and emission reduction measures (K1940), 2008 (in Japanese). Mills, A.: Mercury and crematorium chimneys, Nature, 346(6285), p 615, 1990. National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (NIPSSR): Statistics of Population Projection, 2008. Rahill, P.: Mercury Emissions and the Cremation Process – 2008, available at: http://www.matthewscremation.com/pdf/Mercury/Emissions&/Crem/Process.pdf, 2008. Skare, I.: Mass balance and systemic uptake of mercury released from dental amalgam fillings, Water Air Soil Poll., 80, 59–67, 1995. Takaoka, M., Takeda, N., Fujiwara, T., Kurata, M., and Kimura, T.: Control of mercury emission from a municipal solid waste incinerator in Japan, J. Air Waste Manage., 52, 931–940, 2002. Takaoka, M.: Behavior and control of mercury in the waste combustion process, Waste Manage. Res., 16, 213–222, 2005 (in Japanese). The Chemical Society of Japan, Mercury, Maruzen Co., Ltd., 1977. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): Vital Statistics, 2008b. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): Public Health Administration Report, 2008a. UNEP Chemicals: Global Mercury Assessment, 2002. UNEP Chemicals: Tool kit for the identification and quantification of mercury releases, 2005. US EPA: Mercury Study Report to Congress, US EPA, Dec 1997, available at: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/report.htm, 1997.