{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2019-2010/annex/division-1/division-1.5/division-1.5.2/division-1.5.2.5",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2019-2010/annex/division-1/division-1.5/division-1.5.2/division-1.5.2.5.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2019/2010",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2010 of 12 November 2019 establishing the best available techniques (BAT) conclusions, under Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, for waste incineration (notified under document C(2019) 7987) (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2019-2010",
  "path": "annex/division/1/division/1.5/division/1.5.2/division/1.5.2.5",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "1.5.2.5",
  "heading": "Emissions of mercury",
  "text": "BAT 31. In order to reduce channelled mercury emissions to air (including mercury emission peaks) from the incineration of waste, BAT is to use one or a combination of the techniques given below.\nTechnique\nDescription\nApplicability\n(a)\nWet scrubber\n(low pH)\nSee Section 2.2.\nA wet scrubber operated at a pH value around 1.\nThe mercury removal rate of the technique can be enhanced by adding reagents and/or adsorbents to the scrubbing liquor, e.g.:\noxidants such as hydrogen peroxide to transform elemental mercury to a water-soluble oxidised form;\nsulphur compounds to form stable complexes or salts with mercury;\ncarbon sorbent to adsorb mercury, including elemental mercury.\nWhen designed for a sufficiently high buffer capacity for mercury capture, the technique effectively prevents the occurrence of mercury emission peaks.\nThere may be applicability restrictions due to low water availability, e.g. in arid areas.\n(b)\nDry sorbent injection\nSee Section 2.2.\nAdsorption by injection of activated carbon or other reagents, generally combined with a bag filter where a reaction layer is created in the filter cake and the solids generated are removed.\nGenerally applicable.\n(c)\nInjection of special, highly reactive activated carbon\nInjection of highly reactive activated carbon doped with sulphur or other reagents to enhance the reactivity with mercury.\nUsually, the injection of this special activated carbon is not continuous but only takes place when a mercury peak is detected. For this purpose, the technique can be used in combination with the continuous monitoring of mercury in the raw flue-gas.\nMay not be applicable to plants dedicated to the incineration of sewage sludge.\n(d)\nBoiler bromine addition\nBromide added to the waste or injected into the furnace is converted at high temperatures to elemental bromine, which oxidises elemental mercury to the water-soluble and highly adsorbable HgBr2.\nThe technique is used in combination with a downstream abatement technique such as a wet scrubber or an activated carbon injection system.\nUsually, the injection of bromide is not continuous but only takes place when a mercury peak is detected. For this purpose, the technique can be used in combination with the continuous monitoring of mercury in the raw flue-gas.\nGenerally applicable.\n(e)\nFixed- or moving-bed adsorption\nSee Section 2.2.\nWhen designed for a sufficiently high adsorption capacity, the technique effectively prevents the occurrence of mercury emission peaks.\nThe applicability may be limited by the overall pressure drop associated with the FGC system. In the case of existing plants, the applicability may be limited by a lack of space.\nTable 8\nBAT-associated emission levels (BAT-AELs) for channelled mercury emissions to air from the incineration of waste\nEither the BAT-AEL for daily average or average over the sampling period or the BAT-AEL for long-term sampling period applies. The BAT-AEL for long-term sampling may apply in the case of plants incinerating waste with a proven low and stable mercury content (e.g. mono-streams of waste of a controlled composition).\nThe lower end of the BAT-AEL ranges may be achieved when:\nincinerating wastes with a proven low and stable mercury content (e.g. mono-streams of waste of a controlled composition), or\nusing specific techniques to prevent or reduce the occurrence of mercury peak emissions while incinerating non-hazardous waste.\nThe higher end of the BAT-AEL ranges may be associated with the use of dry sorbent injection.\n(µg/Nm3)\nParameter\nBAT-AEL\nAveraging period\nNew plant\nExisting plant\nHg\n< 5–20\n< 5–20\nDaily average or\naverage over the sampling period\n1–10\n1–10\nLong-term sampling period\nAs an indication, the half-hourly average mercury emission levels will generally be:\n< 15–40 µg/Nm3 for existing plants;\n< 15–35 µg/Nm3 for new plants.\nThe associated monitoring is in BAT 4.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Either the BAT-AEL for daily average or average over the sampling period or the BAT-AEL for long-term sampling period applies. The BAT-AEL for long-term sampling may apply in the case of plants incinerating waste with a proven low and stable mercury content (e.g. mono-streams of waste of a controlled composition)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "The lower end of the BAT-AEL ranges may be achieved when: incinerating wastes with a proven low and stable mercury content (e.g. mono-streams of waste of a controlled composition), or using specific techniques to prevent or reduce the occurrence of mercury peak emissions while incinerating non-hazardous waste. The higher end of the BAT-AEL ranges may be associated with the use of dry sorbent injection."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2019/2010/annex/division/1/division/1.5/division/1.5.2/division/1.5.2.5",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:12:29.772187+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}