Inventory of chlorinated dioxin and furan sources and releases in Potchefstroom, South Africa : research in action

South Africa ratified the StockholmConvention on Persistent Organic Pollutantsin 2002, and has to formulate anational implementation plan that includesan inventory of sources and releases of thesechemicals. An investigation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin, polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was conducted in the Potchefstroom area, using the UNEP Toolkit. These sources, on which negligible information was available, were identified by means of questionnaires and interviews, and the releases quantified using default emission factors. The total estimated release of PCDD/Fs in the study area was calculated as 0.396 g TEQ(toxic equivalency quotient)/yr. The highest amounts were generated from sewage and sewage treatment (0.120 g TEQ/yr) and waste incineration (0.111 g TEQ/yr). This is the first such inventory conducted in this country, and has identified potential sources for which emission factors could be refined under South African conditions.