SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 27


 The Effects of Peat Mining on Air Quality

 This discussion is taken primarily from a study of environmental issues
associated with peat mining prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy
by King, et al. (1980).
 The mining and storage of peat, as well as its processing for energy
purposes, will produce certain air quality impacts. Expected major air
quality concerns are related to fugitive emission factors from large-scale
mining and storage operations. Overall particulate emission problems are
generated during dry mining, transportation and storage of peat. Small
and moderate scale peat-fired power plants are expected to produce less
air quality impacts than equivalent coal burning plants. Airborne emis-
sions associated with a large synthetic natural gas plant can only be
discussed on a generalized basis. Table 6 lists a number of air quality
issues in order of their projected importance (King, et al., 1980).
 Milled and sod peat mining methods both require that peat be drained
previous to mining and also dried on the ground. Drying peat may be
suspended by wind or mechanical action. After peat is dried, it must be
collected, stored, transported and restored. All of these steps may result
in loss of peat to the atmosphere (King, et al., 1980).
 Carbon monoxide will be emitted from the direct combustion of peat.
Carbon monoxide is not easily collected in air scrubbers and emissions
may be improved only by improving the combustion process (King, et al.,
1980).
 Nitrogen oxides are formed when fuels are burned in air. Emission of
nitrogen oxides from direct combustion of peat fuel may exceed allowa-
ble levels.
 Various sulfur oxides (SO,) may be emitted when peat is burned. Peat
is relatively low in sulfur and, thus, may not result in severe emission
problems (King, et al., 1980). A. Cohen (personal communication, 1984)
notes that sulfur must be determined on a site specific basis and further
comments that it may especially be a problem in coastal areas.
 The strong affinity of emitted SO2 and SO3 for water causes formation
of droplets in the emissions plume. The long distance transport of these
emission products can result in acid rains in areas remote to the plant site
(King, et al., 1980).
 King, et al. (1980) report that direct combustion of various forms of
peat fuel may generate particulate matter including sulfate, heavy
metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and some particles in the
submicron range.
 Non-methane hydrocarbons resulting from incomplete combustion of
peat may react in the atmosphere to form photochemical oxidants
(ozone). Non-methane hydrocarbons include polynuclear aromatic hydro-
carbons which are carcinogenic at very low levels and stable in the envi-
ronment. Most control strategies for ambient ozone involve emission
controls on non-methane hydrocarbons (King, et al., 1980).
 Photochemical oxidants (ozone) may be derived from direct burning of