Abstract: Municipal solid waste incineration and landfilling are among the main sources of unintentional emerging pollutants (EPs). A comparative analysis was conducted on the types list, distribution patterns, concentrations and generation amounts of EPs from incineration and landfilling. The research results showed that both incineration and landfilling would produce various EPs such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and microplastics (MPs). Brominated dioxins (PBDD/Fs) and fluorinated dioxins (PFDD/Fs) were generated by waste incineration, while antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were generated by waste landfilling. The EPs produced by incineration showed three different distribution patterns in incineration plant products: dioxins (PCDD/Fs) , polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were mainly distributed in fly ash, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), and MPs were mainly distributed in bottom ash, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), phthalates (PAEs), and antibiotics were mainly distributed in leachate. The concentrations of most POPs in incineration plant leachate were higher than those in landfill leachate or were equivalent to the upper limit of landfill leachate concentrations, while the concentrations of most antibiotics were lower than those in landfill leachate. The generation amounts of PCDD/Fs, PBDEs, SCCPs, PAHs, PCBs， PFASs, and MPs from incineration were greater than those from landfilling; the generation amounts of quinolones (QNs), sulfonamides (SAs), tetracyclines (TCs), macrolides (MLs), and PAEs from landfilling were greater than those from incineration. Overall, incineration tended to produce EPs with persistence and bioaccumulation (PBT or vPvB), while landfilling tended to produce EPs with persistence and mobility (PMT or vPvM). The comparison results had certain uncertainties due to the influence of data sample size, landfill age, sampling season (rainfall), and boundary conditions. The research results suggested that measures such as waste classification, treatment of existing landfill waste, chelation and solidification of incineration fly ash followed by landfilling, and re-spraying of leachate/leach solution to incineration, could effectively reduce the generation of EPs in waste disposal.

Key words: waste incineration, waste landfilling, unintentional emerging pollutants