How can different industries reduce PM pollution?

Many industries produce particulate matter (PM) – tiny airborne particles and droplets that are very harmful to human health. In this blog, we take a quick look at particulate matter in four key sectors. We give examples of pollution-reducing strategies for each industry and discuss how PM monitoring can be instrumental to these.

Waste incineration

Waste incinerators remain a large part of local authorities’ waste management strategies, with it reported in December that 41 new incinerators have been given planning permission. Over half already have environmental permits and some are already under construction. Energy-from-waste currently contributes around 3% to the UK’s energy generation capacity.

It is standard practice for waste incinerators to have filtration systems to control their emissions. Bag filters are specifically designed to remove particulate matter from flue gases and can have a collection efficiency of 99%. One study found that areas surrounding UK incinerators had lower PM10 levels after bag filters were fitted. They were required under the 2000 EU Waste Incineration Directive (now part of the 2010 EU Industrial Emissions Directive).

However, waste incinerators can often face public opposition over perceived pollution. Ambient air quality monitoring with the bettair® PM-only node can enable facilities to demonstrate to local communities that pollution is being suitably managed – helping to promote transparency and avoid accusations of greenwashing. In a 2016 case, residents living near a planned waste incinerator requested legal cost payments to be spent on air quality monitoring – showing the importance of monitoring to communities, too. The bettair® PM-only node’s specially-designed data mapping and visualisation software makes it an ideal tool for community engagement.

Quarrying

There are over 2000 mines and quarries operating in the UK, producing a range of critical construction and industrial materials. Particulate matter is produced throughout the quarrying process: during soil handling, mineral extraction, transport, processing, and storage. PM poses a serious risk to the health of quarry workers, and can lead to silicosis,  cancer, and COPD. Larger, visible dust can also become a nuisance for local residents.

Water suppression is a key way to manage PM in quarries. This approach is used by a site in Surrey, whose managers see it as their “duty as a responsible neighbour to control dust around [their] operations”. They were able to reduce the amount of water used for dust suppression by commissioning bespoke plant that atomises water into a fine mist – dampening, rather than unnecessarily soaking, high-PM areas. As water stress becomes increasingly common, synthetic water additives and alternatives have been developed to make supplies go even further.

With budgets and water resources potentially stretched, and with pressure from communities, it is highly valuable to understand trends in PM levels and whether mitigation measures are effective. In this case study, monitoring around the perimeter boundary of a North Leeds quarry revealed that it was actually the quarry’s vehicles that led to the highest PM readings. This enabled the facility to adapt their operations accordingly. The bettair® PM-only node is ideal for making data-informed, operational decisions such as this.

Transport

Shipping ports are essential to a country’s economy. They support the movement of goods, logistical operations, fishing, and the popular cruise industry. However, Transport & Environment, a European sustainable transport organisation, reported last year that UK ports produce levels of air pollution comparable to the millions of cars registered in their areas. While industry representatives disputed this finding, they support moves to reduce pollution. Indeed, with road vehicles having long been an air quality focus, shipping and ports are now being required to play a larger role in delivering the Government’s clean air goals.

There are a number of ways ports can reduce pollution, from cleaner fuels to shore-side electricity that allows ships to plug in and switch off their engines. However, one strategy that involves no infrastructure changes has been adopted as part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Clean Vessel Incentive Program. Operators are given financial incentives for initiatives including Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR), where vessels must travel at 10 knots or less from 20 nautical miles outside of the Territorial Sea Line. Cruising at a lower speed is more fuel-efficient and results in less pollution. With behavioural changes such as this, it makes a difference if individuals know that their actions are having an effect. The bettair® PM-only node can confirm this.

Construction

While many other sectors have cut emissions in recent decades, the construction industry’s share has increased. For example, in London, construction contributes to 30% of PM pollution, with levels particularly high during the demolition phase of a project. However, in Spain, authorities and a construction company demonstrated the successful implementation of an Air Quality Self-Control Plan during the demolition of Madrid’s Mahou-Calderón Stadium, spotlighting it as a model for similar projects.

The plan involved installation of stations for monitoring PM10 and other pollutants around the site. A daily PM10 limit was decided – with real-time alerts, and work was paused when wind speeds exceeded 20 km/h, particularly if it blew from the west, as this would send pollution into the most sensitive areas (containing playgrounds and schools). For any project managers wishing to replicate this approach, the bettair® PM-only node is the ideal instrument to use. We discussed how the bettair® PM-only node is cost-effective for authorities and organisations managing limited budgets and complex projects in our PM monitoring challenges blog.

There are many more ways than this that companies can reduce PM pollution and contribute to better public and environmental health. PM-monitoring is invaluable to these efforts, allowing businesses to:

• Select the best PM-reduction strategy(s) for their operations.
• Confirm and demonstrate to stakeholders that measures are effective.
• Adapt to variations in pollution caused by changes in processes, activities, or weather and climate conditions.

Get in touch with Paul Norman to learn more about the bettair® PM-only node, or any of our other air quality monitoring solutions.

Read more about the new PM-only version of the bettair® node:

• How it can tackle common PM monitoring challenges.
• The importance of monitoring PM continuously.