Key findings Biomonitoring Pilsen region, 2021-2022:
The complexity of the chemical content of today’s household and industrial waste presents a challenge for turning modern waste into energy in (WtE) waste incinerators. Even with the application of the most developed air pollution control devices (APCD), it is still a huge challenge to eliminate the multitude of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste incinerator residues and flue gases. Chotíkov, near Pilsen (Czech: Plzeň) is the location of the fourth municipal WtE waste incinerator in the Czech Republic: ZEVO Chotíkov or ZEVO Plzeň. The WtE incinerator receives about 12,369 tons of waste per hour, with an annual load of 95,000 tons of waste. The region of Pilsen shows an environment under threat by contamination of substances of very high concern in eggs of backyard chicken, pine needles, and mosses. This biomonitoring gives a warning signal for contamination of the environment with serious toxic substances such as dioxins (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PCBs, PAHs and PFAS.
