Citation:
M.P.M. Taha, G.H. Drew, A. Tamer, G. Hewings, G.M. Jordinson, P.J. Longhurst and
S.J.T Pollard, Improving bioaerosol exposure assessments of composting
facilities - Comparative modelling of emissions from different compost ages and
processing activities, Atmospheric Environment, Volume 41, Issue 21, July 2007,
Pages 4504-4519.
Abstract:
We present bioaerosol source term concentrations from passive and active
composting sources and compare emissions from green waste compost aged 1, 2, 4,
6, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Results reveal that the age of compost has little effect
on the bioaerosol concentrations emitted for passive windrow sources. However
emissions from turning compost during the early stages may be higher than during
the later stages of the composting process. The bioaerosol emissions from
passive sources were in the range of 103–104 cfu m−3, with releases from active
sources typically 1-log higher. We propose improvements to current risk
assessment methodologies by examining emission rates and the differences between
two air dispersion models for the prediction of downwind bioaerosol
concentrations at off-site points of exposure. The SCREEN3 model provides a more
precautionary estimate of the source depletion curves of bioaerosol emissions in
comparison to ADMS 3.3. The results from both models predict that bioaerosol
concentrations decrease to below typical background concentrations before 250 m,
the distance at which the regulator in England and Wales may require a risk
assessment to be comple
