Improving air quality with CleanSmoke
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new guidelines on air quality after more than 15 years. According to the guidelines, especially particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution should be significantly reduced. Despite legally required exhaust air purification, conventional smokehouses still contribute to high particulate matter emissions. During the smoking process, smoke, ash and fine dust particles are generated by the burning of wood. When smoking with CleanSmoke, the limits for air pollutants are more than met. CleanSmoke is freshly produced from primary smoke condensate by means of compressed air. These primary smoke products are cleaned of undesirable substances such as ash, soot, tar and PAHs. This is achieved in a multi-stage filter process.
Even at low concentrations, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide can endanger health. The limit value for nitrogen dioxide now recommended by the WHO is ten micrograms per cubic meter of air. According to the old guidelines from 2005, it was 40 micrograms. This is also the legally binding limit prescribed by the European Union (EU). The EU now wants to discuss possible changes to the limits by fall 2022.
Less particulate emissions when smoking with CleanSmoke
CleanSmoke can reduce fine dust emissions in smokehouses by 87 percent. Also emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are reduced by 64 percent. This was the result of analyses carried out as part of the European Eco-innovation Action Plan (EcoAP).
When smoking with CleanSmoke, there is no open fire or embers. This is why no pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides or carbon monoxide are produced. Air pollution is too high with these pollutants, especially in urban areas. “For conventionally smoking businesses in areas with residential development, switching to pollutant-free smoking with CleanSmoke would be like life insurance,” says Uwe Vogel, chairman of the CleanSmoke Coalition (CSC). The CSC is a joint initiative of primary smoke product manufacturers, food producers and retailers.
CleanSmoke contributes to climate protection
But not only particulate matter and nitrogen oxide can be reduced by consistent use of the CleanSmoke technology: CO2 emissions would also be significantly reduced. Compared to classic smoking methods – by around 80 percent, according to studies conducted as part of EcoAP. Specifically, according to the life cycle assessment of the German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL), around 50 percent of energy and – based on the current German energy mix – around 30 percent of climate gas emissions can be saved compared to traditional smoking. In Germany alone, this would mean potential savings of around 600 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy. Thus around 72,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year could be saved. This is one of the reasons why the EU has designated the CleanSmoke process as “Best Available Technique” (BAT).