CAS Number
7440-43-9
Properties
- toxic heavy metal
Main sources
- waste incineration
- steelworks (founding of metal waste)
- industrial boilers (coal combustion)
- corrosion protection work
- treatment of cadmium-containing products (e.g. pigments, stabilisers, batteries, alloys)
Thresholds for the reporting requirement of facilities in accordance with Annex 2 PRTRO
(Ordinance on the Register relating to Pollutant Release and the Transfer of Waste and of Pollutants in Waste Water)
- Air 10 kg/year
- Water 5 kg/year
- Soil 5 kg/year
Impacts
- toxic to humans and animals if exposure is chronic (accumulates in body)
- carcinogenic in bioavailable form
- toxic to plants and microorganisms
- reduces soil fertility
Ambient limit values
In particulate matter (PM10) 1.5 ng/m3 annual mean (arithmetic mean)
In dust fall out 2 µg/m2 day annual mean (arithmetic mean)
Measures
- flue gas cleaning system
- cadmium is removed from many products
Status and changes
Cadmium emissions still make up around one-fifth of the highest values (1970). Cadmium levels in particulate matter have been cut in half since 1991. Cadmium levels in dust fall out have also declined. As a rule, the measured heavy metal loads are way below the limit values of the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control.
