Losses to the environment from the multilevel cycle of anthropogenic lead.
As a component of a multi-level study of the anthropogenic lead cycle for year 2000 (52 countries, 8 regions, and the planet), we have estimated the lead flows in seven emission streams: tailings, slag, fabrication and manufacturing, dissipation from use, hibernation, landfilling, and dispersion following product discard. For every 1 kg of lead put into end use, 0.5 kg is lost to the environment, largely due to landfilling and dissipation from use. From the standpoint of the receiving media, 1/3 of the losses are to uncontained solids on land and 48% of the losses are to containment facilities on land. On a country basis, the largest losses occur in the United States and China, which between them are responsible for about 32% of total global lead losses. On a per capita basis, the highest lead losses occurred in the United Kingdom, Belgium-Luxembourg, and Ireland.
Mao
J S
JS
State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
Cao
J
J
Graedel
T E
TE
D000569:Americas; D001208:Asia; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005060:Europe; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry; D018505:Waste Management
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead