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1.2 Pollutants and Emission Sources 21

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areas, 5 million m³ of drinking water is transported into the area eery year because ,
groundwater is no longer potable.

1.2 POLLUTANTS AND EMISSION SOURCES

Considerable information about pollutants, emission sources, and treatment techniques has
been given in the reference document on best available techniques (BATs) in common waste-
water and waste gas treatment released by the European Commission in 2003 (EC, 2003).

1.2.1 Air

The sources of air emissions can be divided into two cate gories:

• mobile sources, such as vehicles and ships
• stationary sources, such as chemical industries.

The exhaust air emissions are classified as

• ducted emissions—process emissions released through a pipe
• diffuse emissions—emissions that are not released via specific emission points (e.g.
emissions during filling storage equipment, emissions from agriculture)
• fugitive emissions—emissions due to leaks

It is easily understood that whereas ducted emissions can be rather easily treated, the
other two kinds of emissions can only be preented or minimized. For e agricul- xample,
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tural emissions are very dificult to control. The main air pollutants are the follo f wing.
• Carbon Dio xide
Description: It is a nontoxic gas and the final product of complete comb , Actually ustion.
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it is the desirable and inevitable product of combustion. Ho it is recognized as the
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main greenhouse gas, whose increased leels in the atmosphere play a large role in global v
warming.
Source: Any combustion of fossil fuels. Combustion installations are responsible for
955 10 6 t/yr released into the air and 64.9% of the total emissions from industry in
Europe.
Impact: arming, Global w climate change.
• Sulfur Oxides and other sulfur compounds (H 2 S, CS 2 , COS)
Description: Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is a gas resulting from the combustion of coal, mainly
in power plants, and certain types of liquid fuels that contain sulfur. In addition, it is pro-
duced during the manufacture of paper and smelting of metals. It may cause respiratory
problems and permanent damage to the lungs when inhaled at high levels. It plays a major
role in the production of acid rain (EPA site). Carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) has many industrial