Air modeling analysis for Lime Factory in Tisovec, Slovakia : environmental action program support project -- project no. DHR-0039-C-00-5034-00

The factory emits a variety of potentially hazardous substances including sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The Vapenka emissions have dramatically fluctuated over time as a function of (1) the type of source fuel used for the furnace (coal or coke); and (2) overall plant utilization (e.g,. currently, only one of four furnaces are operating). Human health impacts are much more difficult to measure, since some health problems are very short-- term and potentially reversible (upper respiratory disease), while others, like lung cancer, are associated with long (10-20 years) latency periods and other sources (smoking). One method of analyzing the current and future health impacts of Vapenka is to utilize risk assessment techniques. Through a well-established series of technical steps, risk assessment attempts to calculate the different types of human and ecological health impacts associated with certain levels of pollutants. Risk assessment techniques can be applied to Vapenka by analyzing the existing conditions downwind from the factory and calculating the contribution to the baseline from Vapenka. The Vapenka pollution contribution is based on actual stack and fugitive emissions for SO2 and PM. Actual stack emission rates are transformed into downwind ambient air concentrations through a series of air modeling techniques. This type of analysis demonstrates that Vapenka probably accounts for a significant portion of the S02 levels in Hnust`a; however, total Vapenka PM contribution is considerably lower at distances greater than 500 meters from the factory. Based on these results, it is easy to see that Vapenka is a major contributor to regional pollutant levels. From a human health perspective, both SOx and PM can have short- and long-term health impacts, particularly for children less than 6 years old and adults over 65 years old. The combination of SOx and PM probably act in synergistic fashion; however, the current medical literature implicates elevated PM levels as a greater problem. Vapenka is a significant contributor to regional SOx levels; however, based on air modeling, Vapenka is not a major regional source of PM. If Vapenka changes its fuel source, a major reduction in SOx emissions would be expected; however, regional PM levels would not be expected to significantly improve unless other industrial and regional sources are controlled. (Author abstract)