The aim of this project has been to expand the database of PM2.5 emission rates.

The project “Atmospheric impact of the uncontrolled burning of residual biomass II. Proposal of sustainable corrective measures. OPEN BURN II”, has aimed to expand the database of PM2.5 emission rates for different nationally significant biomasses, chemical profiles of the PM2.5 emitted and improvement yields achieved in controlled burning for both PM2.5 and its chemical components.

The executing entity, the Ceramic Industries Research Association (AICE), was a beneficiary in the 2015 CA with the project “Atmospheric impact of the uncontrolled burning of residual biomass. Proposal for sustainable corrective measures (OPEN BURN II)”, a continuation of the previous one, to which this report refers and which aims to extend the scope of the first phase of the “OPEN BURN” project to provide administrations with experimental and quantified information on PM2.5 emissions produced during the intentional open burning of residual and forest biomass. This project is part of the CA2 Action Programme: Prevention, reduction and control of pollution and promotion of health through the improvement of air quality. The project code is PRCV00332.

After the development of the tool adapted in the “OPEN BURN” project, which allows quantifying and evaluating the real impact of emissions derived from the uncontrolled burning of agroforestry residues, the development of this project has improved the pollutant dispersion model as well as the location of the equipment for measurements, providing the test protocol with greater safety in terms of PM2.5 capture.

In this way, the project has led to the expansion of the database of PM2.5 emission rates for different significant biomasses at the national level, chemical profiles of the PM2.5 emitted and improvement yields achieved in controlled burning for both PM2.5 and its chemical components.

The actions carried out have served to increase knowledge about PM2.5 emissions associated with open air burning of biomass and similar waste, which allows a better understanding of the impact associated with these practices on air quality, which can ultimately be useful to establish optical mitigation strategies in accordance with the objectives set in the AIRE Plan.