National Pollutant Release Inventory: regional synopsis for the Atlantic provinces, chapter 6


Off-site Transfers for Recycling/Recovery

Transfers for recycling or recovery include any transfers to activities that prevent a material normally destined for disposal from becoming a waste.

Recyclable materials may be cleaned, regenerated or reprocessed to their original specifications and reused for their original purpose. They may also be used for an entirely different purpose without any pretreatment or modification. Components may be recovered or reclaimed from the recyclable material or the material may be used as a fuel for energy recovery. The recyclable material may be used in the manufacture of another product. Recycling also includes substances that are sent back to the manufacturer or supplier for reprocessing, repackaging, resale or for credit or payment.

Transfers for recycling or recovery are reported under the following categories:

  • Energy recovery
  • Recovery of solvents
  • Recovery of organic substances (not solvents)
  • Recovery of metals and metal compounds
  • Recovery of inorganic materials (not metals)
  • Recovery of acids or bases
  • Recovery of catalysts
  • Recovery of pollution-abatement residues
  • Refining or reuse of used oil
  • Other

 

Top Ten NPRI Substances Transferred Off-site for Recycling or Recovery in the Largest Quantities (Values in Tonnes)

The ten NPRI pollutants transferred off-site for recycling or recovery in the largest quantities originating from facilities in the Atlantic Provinces are shown below. These transfers include disposals at off-site facilities outside of Atlantic Canada. Pollutants classified as CEPA-toxic or carcinogenic accounted for 3% of the off-site transfers for recycling or recovery.

Substance (Number
of Recycling Reports)
Organic
Recovery
Metals
Recovery
Inorganic
Recovery
Acid
Recovery
Other Total Change
From 1999
Sulphuric acid (5) 0.0 0.0 0.0 19,352.3 270.0 19,622.3 - 2%
Ethylene glycol (3) 5,409.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 5,409.5 NA
Lead and its compounds (2) T 0.0 861.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 861.4 > 100 %
Zinc and its compounds (8) 0.0 51.4 112.0 0.0 11.3 174.6 > 100 %
Nickel and its compounds (7) T 0.0 122.0 2.8 0.0 4.0 128.8 + 52%
Manganese and its compounds (7) 0.0 18.0 17.7 0.0 27.1 62.7 + 59%
Copper and its compounds (5) 0.0 33.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 35.3 + 62%
Arsenic and its compounds (3) T 0.0 0.0 8.8 0.0 5.8 14.6 + 60%
Chromium and its compounds (4) T 0.0 1.7 2.6 0.0 7.8 12.1 > 100 %
Phosphorus - yellow or white (2) 0.0 12.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.1 + 99%

T  denotes CEPA-toxic or carcinogenic pollutant
NA denotes Not Applicable
>  denotes greater than

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