Impacts assessment of open field burning of agricultural residues in Mexico

Abstract

This research estimates the number of agricultural residues burned in open field, their pollutant emissions and the energy lost in the 2,476 municipalities that make up Mexico. The emissions of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) and 2.5 (PM2.5), Black Carbon (BC), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Methane Gas (CH4) at the municipal level were estimated. The bioenergy loss was also estimated, in terms of anhydrous ethanol. In addition, the economic value lost was estimated, as well as the amount of gasoline that could have been oxygenated at 6 % volume and the percentage of participation in the national gasoline demand. The results, aggregated at the national level, show that Mexico annually incinerates 4.1 million tons of corn stover which emits 13,662 tons of PM10, 11,178 tons of PM2.5, 787 tons of BC, 7.2 million tons of CO2 and 8,653 tons of CH4 to the atmosphere. If this amount of biomass were used to produce anhydrous ethanol, a volume of 1,106 million liters, worth US$840 million, could be produced, which might also be used to oxygenate 18,425 million liters of gasoline, covering approximately 100 % of the national demand for this biofuel. The results provide empirical evidence on open burning of agricultural residues in Mexico and can be used to design public policies to reduce the country's share of global pollutant emissions.