Estimation of Emission Rate, Social Cost, and Ecological Footprint of Greenhouse Pollutants Caused by Fossil Fuel Consumption in an Industrial Company

Introduction: Air pollution has been raised as one of the most important risk factors contributing to citizens᾽ health and the emergence of environmental problems in recent years. Determining the emission rate and the costs imposed by fossil fuel pollutants on human health is an effective approach that can provide a financial estimation from harmful effects of these compounds for urbanized and industrial managers. This study considered the estimation of emissions, external costs, and ecological footprints of NOx, SO2, SO3, CO, SPM, CO2, CH4, and N2O resulting from the consumption of three types of fossil fuels including natural gas, gasoline, and diesel in an industrial company. Material and Methods: The scope of study includes an industrial company in the west of Tehran, Iran. Firstly, data about the consumption of fossil fuels was collected in the main consumer sectors such as engine rooms, private and industrial vehicles in 1401. Next, the emission rate of the pollutants was estimated by using the energy balance sheet notified by the Ministry of Energy and Electricity Deputy in 1399. By having the amount of fuel consumed from each source and considering basic amount of the social cost of each pollutant, initial estimation of the social cost of pollutants was calculated. Subsequently, correction factors were assigned and the costs were updated (based on constant prices in 1381). Ultimately, ecological footprint was computed with regard to the total amount of fossil fuels consumed in 1401. Results and Discussion: According to the results, 1943880.64 cubic meters of natural gas were consumed in the engine room sector. Furthermore, 64435 liters of gasoline and 461482 liters of diesel were utilized by private and heavy industrial vehicles, respectively. In 1400, the emission rate of NOx, SO2, SO3, CO, SPM, CO2, CH4 and N2O was 17278.68, 7694.17, 90.34, 25972.46, 6400.79, 88860.01, 187.43, and 78.81, respectively. CO2 pollutant with 4088860.01 kg took into account the highest and SO3 pollutant with 90.34 kg had the lowest emission rate in the year. Based on the emission coefficient obtained from the Iran energy balance in 1399, the social cost for NOx, SO2, CO, SPM, CO2, CH4 were calculated 437081507, 592005417, 205312306, 1160386931, 1722935861, 1659463 Rials per year, respectively, which shows CO2 and CH4 gases impose the highest and lowest social cost to the environment, respectively. Moreover, total social cost based on the exchange rate and inflation rate approach was calculated about 4119381486 and 16383725983 billion Rials, respectively (after the coefficient factor was considered for constant prices in 1381). The calculations related to the estimation of the ecological footprint indicate that gasoline with 22.87 and natural gas with 9.33 hectares have created the greatest and the least ecological footprint. In addition, the total ecological footprint was calculated approximately 50.93 hectares. Conclusion: The social cost of pollutants in this study showed different results based on the volume of their emission. While the engine room had the largest share in greenhouse gas emissions with the amount of 26655364.69 Kg, the forklift trucks imposed the largest social cost with the amount of 1808115554 Rials due to the high emission rate of NOx, SPM and SO2 pollutants and also, the higher social cost of these three pollutants compared to the other ones. This method can be used as a model in calculating the social costs of released pollutants within industrial companies and the results can be monitored in the context of their environmental planning so that by identifying the centers of pollution and prioritizing them, correct budgeting should be set to reduce the amount of emissions and social cost of pollutants.