The principal pollutant emitted from secondary copper smelting activities is particulate matter.
As is characteristic of secondary metallurgical industries, pyrometallurgical processes used to separate
or refine the desired metal, such as the burning of insulation from copper wire, result in emissions of
metal oxides and unburned insulation. Similarly, drying of chips and borings to remove excess oils
and cutting fluids can cause discharges of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and products of
incomplete combustion.
Furnace burner emissions are usually separated from process emissions.