Study on Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Control and Reduction Potential in the Pesticide Industry in China

Abstract

The pesticide industry is one of the primary industries with large and complex VOC emissions. The present study examined the emission characteristics and whole-process control of VOCs in the pesticide industry in China by reviewing pollutant discharge permits, questionnaires, and site investigations. After evaluating the effectiveness of current treatment technologies, the potential of VOC emission reduction in China was analyzed. The results indicate that there are 41 key VOC substances in the pesticide industry that should be given considerable attention. Among treatment facilities, incineration was found to be the most efficient technology, with a removal rate of 53–98% and coverage rate of 23.3%. Multistage absorption–adsorption is a universal technology that had a removal rate of 35–95% and coverage rate of 64.14%. Multistage absorption was used most frequently, with a coverage rate of 71.99%, but its removal rate was between 16 and 85%. Pesticide factories were divided into three levels according to their pollution control capability; the comprehensive removal rates of benchmark, moderate, and poor factories were 81%, 46%, and 8%, respectively, and the emission reduction ratios for high, moderate, and low targets were 41.55%, 32.12%, and 24.32% with corresponding emission reduction costs of $0.653, $0.505, and $0.038 billion/year. The results and prospects from this study will provide support for policy development in industrial VOC emission control in China during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period.