Air pollutant emissions from rice straw open field burning in India, Thailand and the Philippines.
Rice is a widely grown crop in Asia. China (30%) and India (21%) contribute to about half of the world's total rice production. In this study, three major rice-producing countries in Asia are considered, India, Thailand and the Philippines (the later two contributing 4% and 2% of the world's rice production). Rice straw is one of the main field based residues produced along with this commodity and its applications vary widely in the region. Although rice production practises vary from one country to another, open burning of straw is a common practice in these countries. In this study, an approach was followed aiming at (a) determining the quantity of rice straw being subject to open field burning in those countries, (b) congregating pollutant specific emissions factors for rice straw burning, and (c) quantifying the resulting air pollutant emissions. Uncertainties in the results obtained as compared to a global approach are also discussed.
Gadde
Butchaiah
B
The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthit Rd., Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand. bgadde@gmail.com
Bonnet
Sébastien
S
Menke
Christoph
C
Garivait
Savitri
S
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D017745:Incineration; D007194:India; D012275:Oryza; D010679:Philippines; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D013785:Thailand