Hospital waste incinerators

A number of combustion and chemical production processes contribute to environmental concentrations of PCDD/F. Sources that have traditionally caused the greatest concern include municipal waste incinerators, hospital waste incinerators, bleached chemical wood pulp and paper mills, motor vehicles and wood combustion. We have attempted to represent the most recent data available on PCDD/F emissions from these sources. It should be remembered that the list presented here is by no means exhaustive. Potential sources of TCDD not discussed in the following paragraphs include discharges from metal processing and treatment plants, copper smelting plants and pentachlorophenol production. 

Additionally, since most medical paraphernalia - swabs, syringes, gloves, IV tubes, bed pans, and so on - is made of some variety of PVC, hospital waste incineration delivers other silent dangers into the air. Dioxin, hydrogen chloride, and hydrochloric acid are released and created in the process of combustion. (The incineration and collapse of the World Trade Center, for instance, sent a deadly dioxin plume over all of lower Manhattan.)... 

The principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs) of the waste must be destroyed to the required destruction and removal efficiency. HCl and particulate emissions must comply with state and federal regulations for hospital waste incinerators. 

Since this facility is large compared to traditional hospital waste incinerators, the incinerator may be operated continuously. Controlled-air incinerators are normally operated in batch mode. 

A hospital in the state of Pennsylvania is currently incinerating its waste in a modular incinerator at a temperature of 1800°F and a residence time of 2 s. Regulations for particulate emissions for hospital waste incinerators in Pennsylvania are as follows ... 

Note that the pathological waste in the waste stream in this problem is the most difficult waste to destroy since its heating value is low. Hospital waste incinerators must be designed to destroy pathological and infectious waste, not paper waste alone. The contents of a hospital waste stream are normally more complex than shown in this problem. Other hazardous components may include pentane, diethyl ether, acetone, methyl cellosolve, and other laboratory wastes. 

Each state has its own regulations concerning hospitals. Other regulations must also be complied with in addition to those stated in this problem. The pertinent state agencies should be eontaeted for a list of the detailed regulations for hospital waste incinerators. 

Recently, combustion in suspension and in fluidized beds has been developed [428 31], along with small modular incinerator systems [432]. Small incinerators are used especially in the medical field for hospital waste incineration. 

Hospital, infectious, and medical waste incinerators are subject to NSPS and emission guidelines under CAA... 

While medical waste is not subject to federal RCRA regulation, air emissions from new and existing hospital, infectious, and medical waste incinerators are subject to New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and emission guidelines under CAA. 

On-site disposal is a feasible alternative for hospitals generating two tons or more per day of total solid waste. Common treatment techniques include steam sterilization and incineration. Although other options are available, incineration is currently the preferred method for on-site treatment of hospital waste. 

In many states, regulations only require that hospital incinerators not create a public nuisance usually recognized as odors and smoke opacity. Disposal costs for these medical wastes are becoming stiffer, just as surely as they are for infectious and other hazardous/toxic wastes. This adds another incentive to incinerate. It may be possible that a good deal of hospital waste could be separated, reduced, and recycled. While infectious waste is obviously not recyclable, the amount of waste designated infectious can be greatly reduced by separating materials to avoid excess contamination [74]. 

Incineration has been used extensively in hospitals for disposal of hospital wastes containing infectious and/or hazardous substances. Most hospital incinerators (over 80%), however, are outdated or poorly designed. Modem incineration technology, however, is available for complete destmction of organic hazardous and infectious wastes. In addition, adequate air pollution control facilities, such as scmbbers, secondary combustion chambers, stacks, and so on, are needed to prevent acid gas, dioxin, and metals from being discharged from the incinerators. 

EPA. 1997b. Standards of perfomance for new stationary sources and emission guidelines for existing sources hospital/mcdical/infcctious waste incinerators final rule. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Federal Register. 62 FR 48348. September 15, 1997. 

Dioxins are some of the most toxic chemicals known to science. Dioxins are unwanted by products of a wide range of manufacturing processes including smelting, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp, and the manufacturing of some herbicides and pesticides. In terms of dioxin release into the environment, waste incinerators (solid waste and hospital waste) are often the worst culprits, due to incomplete burning [115]. One of the most toxic chemical in the class is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-/ /Y/-dioxin (TCDD) and probably the most toxic compound ever synthesized by man. 

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators... 

Standards of Performance for Large Municipal Waste Combustors for Which Construction is Commenced after September 20, 1994 or for which Modification of Reconstruction is Commenced after June 19, 1996 Standards of Performance for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators for which Construction Is Commenced after June 20, 1996 Standards of Performance for Portland Cement Plants Standards of Performance for Nitric Acid Plants Standards of Performance for Sulfuric Acid Plants Standards of Performance for Hot Mix Asphalt Facilities Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries... 

Two hospital wastes are received and stored in separate tanks at an incineration facility. The first, a sludge with an net heating value (NHV) of 6000Btu/lb contains 2% Cd by weight. The second, a mercury-contaminated waste with an NHV of 8000Btu/lb, contains 8% Cd by weight. A minimum of lOOOlb/h of each waste is to be incinerated. Because of pump limitations, no more than 5000 Ib/h of each waste can be utilized. 

In addition to the above, an increase in plastics in hospital waste streams has occurred during the last decade. Plastics may account for as much as 30% of a hospital waste stream. Unfortunately, incinerating plastics normally increases the chlorine content of the exiting flue gas. This creates a need for air pollution control devices to remove chlorine compounds. 

Burners for commercial boilers vary considerably on the worldwide market in design, control scheme, and applications ranging from commercial snow melting and municipal solid waste incineration to water and space heating for hospitals, hotels, and restaurants. Most burners may be classified and described in terms of a few basic features or characteristics. Figure 19.2 illustrates the basic boiler burners classification. 

Incineration of hospital waste. J. Air Pollution Control Assoc. 36(1) 829-31. 

Powell, F. C. 1987. Air pollutant emissions from the incineration of hospital wastes the Alberta experience. 7. Air Pollution Control Assoc. 37(1) 836-39. 

C. State-of-the-Art Hospital and Institutional Waste Incineration, Selection, Procurement, and Operations... 

The State plans require comphance by the operators either within one year after EPA has approved the State s Plan or within three years if the State has developed a schedule of steps which win bring the State Plan into compliance during that interval. The schedule must be verifiable. Regardless of the route a State takes, aU existing Hospital/Medical Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWI) must be in compliance with the EPA r ulations within five years after the final rule was published. 

Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators, Federal Register Sept. 15, 1997, Vol. 62, No. 17, p. 48347. 

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