National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory

Hydrogen chloride emission estimates

Table 5.5 and Figure 5.8 summarise the UK emissions of hydrogen chloride. Emissions have fallen by 73% since 1970. The main source of these emissions is coal combustion so the fall is a result of the decline in coal use and also the installation of flue gas desulphurisation at Drax and Ratcliffe since 1993. The other significant source of hydrogen chloride is waste incineration. Here the commissioning of new incinerators and the closure or upgrading of old plant has resulted in a large decrease from 1996.

 

Table 5.5 UK Emissions of Hydrogen Chloride by UN/ECE Source Category and Fuel (kt)

1970

1980

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1998%

BY UN/ECE CATEGORY1

Comb. in Energy Prod.

Public Power

222.28

257.84

239.48

237.96

223.93

187.77

169.95

132.11

108.61

74.13

75.94

85%

Petroleum Refining Plants

0.04

0.04

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.03

0.03

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.02

0%

Other Comb. & Trans.

4.54

1.56

0.27

0.26

0.19

0.11

0.05

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.02

0%

Comb. in Comm/Inst/Res

Residential Plant

47.34

21.02

9.96

11.23

9.77

10.90

9.17

6.32

6.36

6.08

5.13

6%

Comm/Pub/Agri Comb.

9.88

4.27

2.86

2.70

2.23

1.95

1.71

1.24

1.36

1.53

0.89

1%

Combustion in Industry

Iron & Steel Comb.

1.84

0.39

0.03

0.03

0.02

0.04

0.04

0.03

0.01

0.01

0.02

0%

Other Ind. Comb.

37.91

12.51

12.69

14.15

15.92

14.86

13.47

12.22

9.97

8.39

6.97

8%

Production Processes

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.09

0%

Road Transport

0.36

0.43

0.12

0.11

0.10

0.09

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0%

Other Trans/Mach2

0.01

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0%

Waste

10.57

10.58

8.76

8.74

8.33

7.46

4.11

3.80

3.84

0.05

0.05

0%

By FUEL TYPE

Solid

322.86

296.93

262.84

263.90

249.21

211.83

189.63

147.29

121.67

89.28

88.06

99%

Petroleum

0.67

0.59

0.20

0.19

0.18

0.17

0.15

0.13

0.11

0.10

0.08

0%

Gas

0%

Non-Fuel

11.32

11.20

11.25

11.20

11.22

11.30

8.91

8.49

8.56

0.99

1.04

1%

TOTAL

335

309

274

275

261

223

199

156

130

90

89

100%

1 See Appendix 4 for definition of UN/ECE Categories

2 Including railways, shipping, naval vessels, military aircraft and off-road sources

Figure 5.8 Hydrogen chloride emissions 1970 to 1998