Hydrogen chloride emission estimates

HCl is an acidic gas primarily released to air from combustion of fuels which contain trace amounts of chloride. This results in the emissions of HCl being dominated by the combustion of solid fuel.

Table 5.5 and Figure 5.8 summarise the UK emissions of hydrogen chloride. Emissions have fallen by 71% 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 for all years since 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

1999

1999%

BY UN/ECE CATEGORY1

Comb. in Energy Prod.

Public Power

222.3

257.8

239.4

237.9

223.9

187.7

170.5

133.2

109.4

74.5

76.7

82.2

84%

Petroleum Refining Plants

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0%

Other Comb. & Trans.

4.5

1.6

0.3

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0%

Comb. in Comm/Inst/Res

Residential Plant

47.3

21.0

10.0

11.2

9.8

10.9

9.2

6.3

6.4

6.1

5.6

6.3

6%

Comm/Pub/Agri Comb.

9.9

4.3

2.9

2.7

2.2

2.0

1.7

1.2

1.4

1.5

0.9

0.8

1%

Combustion in Industry

Iron & Steel Comb.

2.0

0.4

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0%

Other Ind. Comb.

38.9

13.3

13.7

15.2

17.1

16.2

15.1

14.0

11.8

10.8

8.6

8.4

9%

Production Processes

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0%

Road Transport

0.4

0.4

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0%

Other Trans/Mach2

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0%

Waste

10.6

10.6

8.8

8.8

8.4

7.6

5.0

5.2

4.9

0.0

0.1

0.1

0%

By FUEL TYPE

Solid

324.0

297.8

264.0

265.0

250.5

213.2

190.6

148.5

122.8

91.7

90.6

96.7

99%

Petroleum

0.7

0.6

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0%

Gas

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0%

Non-Fuel

11.3

11.2

11.3

11.2

11.2

11.3

11.2

11.7

11.2

1.4

1.5

1.3

1%

TOTAL

336

310

275

276

262

225

202

160

134

93

92

98

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 Emissions Profile for Hydrogen Chloride

 

Figure 5.9, Spatially Disaggregated UK Emissions of HCl