Olympic Peninsula Biomass Incinerators

This map shows the locations of existing, proposed, and expanding wood burning biomass incinerators, on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. These locations are compared to the year 2000 census blockpopulation data. Each red dot on the map represents 50 people. Each incinerator is represented with a smoke stack symbol and a pie chart. The pie charts show the relative amounts of four types of pollution thatwill be emitted by these biomass incinerators. Biomass incinerators emit many different types of harmful pollution, including dioxins; for simplicity only four types of pollution have been charted here. Each pie chart is numbered for cross reference. The following table shows the reference numbers and the raw data that went into each pie chart.

Harmful Pollutants emitted in tons per year

Company / Megawatts
Produced / Particulate
Matter / Nitrogen Oxides / Sulfur Oxides / Carbon Monoxide
1) Adage, NOC1 / 65 / 195 / 248 / 149 / 248
2) Solomon, NOC1 / 31 / 66 / 248 / 147 / 248
3) Simpson, 20033 / 14 / 109 / 60 / 0 / 258
4)Sierra Pacific, 2008 3 / 18 / 8 / 114 / 38 / 314
5) Grays Harbor Paper 4 / 18 / 105 / 246 / 3 / 570
6) Quileute Valley 2 / 0.75 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 3
7) Clallam County 2 / 5 / 21 / 19 / 30 / 59
8) Nippon, NOC1 / 20 / 36 / 184 / 152 / 643
9) PT Paper, Boiler NOC1 / 15+25=40 / 178 / 494 / 80 / 841

Red=proposed incinerators, Purple=existing Incinerators, Orange= expanding incinerators

Sources

1 ORCAA or Ecology Notice of Construction

2 Modeled from ADAGE projections

3 ORCAA Actual emissions

4NAAQS 1996 Boiler only

These numbers only include pollution that will be, or is, emitted from biomass combustion. These numbers do not include pollution from the pulp mills and saw mills that hostbiomass incinerators.

The projected pollution numbers for incinerators that have not been built came from the companies who want to build the incinerators, and their numbers may be lower than what will actually be released. The following chart graphs the emissions projected to be released by ADAGE (1) and Solomon (2). Note that the ADAGE incinerator will be over twice as big as the Solomon incinerator, but ADAGE and Solomon both say they will release the same amounts of NOX, SO2, and CO, and those levels are just below the level that would require a more stringent permitting process.

“It is very interesting to note the discrepancies in the amounts of pollutants between the SREC[Solomon] and the Adage applications. The SREC facility is roughly half the size of the Adage proposed facility yet the numbers achieved via the “modeling” of the plants are extremely different in terms of the ratios when you account for the factor of 2. Both will utilize identical fuel sources and both will employ very similar pollution control technology”. -Dr. Greg Helms in his letter to the City of Shelton Planning department.

Six criteria air pollutants have been identified by the EPA, as the most serious, they are: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate matter, and lead. All of these pollutants are released in the process of biomass incineration. This map only examines four of the six most serious pollutants.

Fine Particulate Matter:

“Particles of special concern to the protection of lung health are those known as fine particles, less than 2.5 microns in diameter. (For comparison, a human hair is about 75 microns in diameter.) Fine particles are easily inhaled deeply into the lungs where they can be absorbed into the bloodstream or remain embedded for long periods of time. A recent study showed a 17% increase in mortality risk in areas with higher concentrations of small particles.”

“Particulate matter air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Exposure to particulate air pollution can trigger asthma attacks and cause wheezing, coughing, and respiratory irritation in individuals with sensitive airways.”

“Recent research has also linked exposure to relatively low concentrations of particulate matter with premature death. Those at greatest risk are the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory or heart disease.”

Source, American Lung Association

Nitrogen Oxides:

“Certain members of this group of pollutants, especially nitrogen dioxide (NO2), are known to be highly toxic to various animals as well as to humans. High levels may be fatal, while lower levels affect the delicate structure of lung tissue. In experimental animals this leads to a lung disease that resembles emphysema in humans. Long-term exposure to nitrogen oxides makes animals more susceptible to respiratory infections. Nitrogen dioxide exposure lowers the resistance of animals to such diseases as pneumonia and influenza. Humans exposed to high concentrations suffer lung irritation and potentially lung damage. Increased respiratory disease has been associated with lower level exposures.”

“Also, NOx is a precursor to acidic precipitation, which may affect both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.”

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Sulfur Oxides:

“Current scientific evidence links short-term exposures to SO2, ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours, with an array of adverse respiratory effects including bronchoconstriction and increased asthma symptoms. These effects are particularly important for asthmatics at elevated ventilation rates (e.g., while exercising or playing.)

Studies also show a connection between short-term exposure and increased visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses, particularly in at-risk populations including children, the elderly, and asthmatics.”

“EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard for SO2 is designed to protect against exposure to the entire group of sulfur oxides (SOx). SO2 is the component of greatest concern and is used as the indicator for the larger group of gaseous sulfur oxides (SOx). Other gaseous sulfur oxides (e.g. SO3) are found in the atmosphere at concentrations much lower than SO2.”

“SOx can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles. These particles penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death. EPA’s NAAQS for particulate matter (PM) are designed to provide protection against these health effects.”

Source:Environmental Protection Agency

Carbon Monoxide:
“The main issue with Carbon Monoxide is its health effects. It is capable of binding to the chemicals in our blood, called hemoglobin. It does so far more effectively than oxygen and also stays bound to the hemoglobin for far longer than oxygen does. The effect is that the blood is starved of oxygen, which then affects the rest of the body. The ability of CO to bind so strongly to the hemoglobin means that even when CO is in low concentrations it can rapidly build up in the blood. Initial symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches and dizziness due to lack of oxygen in the brain.”

Source: Green Planet

carbon-monoxide-pollution.html

Conclusion:

Woody biomass incinerators produce large amounts of harmful pollution and all of the incinerators, existing, expanding, and proposed, are sited in high populationareas. These incinerators represent a major health threat for people who live on the Olympic Peninsula.