Evaluation of Paper Industry Compliance with Air Quality Emissions.

Air pollution has become a serious concern throughout the world and countries are implementing measures to reduce air pollution. This study evaluated the compliance of emissions such as sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, by a paper industry. The ambient concentrations resulting from these emissions with the minimum emissions limits and ambient air quality standards stipulated by the environmental agency were also studied. Stack sampling and testing were conducted to quantify the emissions while dispersion modelling principles were used to predict ambient concentrations. It was found from the simulation of the modelling results that compliance with minimum emissions limits was very poor with regards to particulate matter and also proving to be worse when tighter limits become effective in 2016. However, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions were found to comply currently but sulphur dioxide compliance will likely drop to less than 40% when the new limit becomes effective. With regards to ambient concentrations of these pollutants, it was found that full compliance can be attained during the day but when the wind speed drops at night, to below 4 m/s, the particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide respectively, compliance with ambient air quality standards will drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]