Effects framework
AQ26 treats incineration and other source classes as evidence questions across time, not as pre-set conclusions. The same framework can be applied to traffic, ports, industry, landfill, agriculture, domestic burning and construction.
Timescale discipline
| Timescale | AQ26 examines | AQ26 must not overclaim |
|---|---|---|
| Short term | episodes, exceedances, abnormal operation, traffic, odour/noise, visible plume, weather windows | Do not claim a single episode caused illness without exposure and clinical/public-health evidence. |
| Medium term | permit compliance, waste contracts, recycling displacement, ash/APC residue routing, monitoring gaps | Do not infer local harm from proximity alone or from an unsuitable monitor. |
| Long term | CO₂, cumulative emissions, persistent pollutants, metals, POPs/PFAS watchlist, environmental justice, circular-economy lock-in | Do not make cancer, mortality, legal breach or source-attribution determinations without expert review. |
Mass-balance question
For every combustion or waste facility, AQ26 should ask: what was accepted, what was emitted, what was captured, what became bottom ash, what became APC residue, where did residues go, and which parts are visible to the public record?