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Burning of biomedical waste-cause for concern?
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Alyre Chiasson
Apr 7, 1994, 9:23:48 AM4/7/94
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Our local city is to be host to a center about 6 km away that is to burn
biomedical wastes for a large region that amount to several tons per
year. The proponents of the project point out that they will be using
double stacks and scrubbers and claim it will be the best facility of its
kind in Canada.
biomedical wastes for a large region that amount to several tons per
year. The proponents of the project point out that they will be using
double stacks and scrubbers and claim it will be the best facility of its
kind in Canada.
I know little about this and am wondering if I would have justiable
concerns over release of heavy metals and dangerous byproducts from the
plastics. Is it possible that at very high temperatures and with
scrubbers these problems do not exist?
Any pointers to current documented studies would be helpful.
Thanks
Alyre Chiasson
CHI...@UMONCTON.CA
Eric Anders Hempel
Apr 7, 1994, 7:16:59 PM4/7/94
to
Alyre-
Right now I am involved in a similar situation with a high capacity
"state-of-the-art" med waste incinerator in the city of St. Louis, MO.
You said that the proponents say that it will be the best of its
kind in Canada. Well, this is not saying much. Incineration is a nasty
business. The emissions from the stack may be reduced, but this does
not mean that they disappear. The dioxins (carcinogens), which are
in fact created by the high temperatures involved in the incineration
procedure, and the toxic heavy metals persist in the collected fly ash and
are later deposited in a landfill, meaning we still
have to deal with it, and in a more concentrated form.
You definitely have justifiable concerns regarding the toxic emissions
from the process of incineration.
Whether the heavy metals, etc. are in the emissions from the stack or
they are counted in the ash disposed of in the landfill, they are still
products of the nasty business of incineration and highly toxic.
The two stacks that the proponents speak of, may not be as
good as they sound. the percentage of plasics in medical waste
is very high and this really is the main problem with the
incineration of Med-waste. Anyway, they create problems when
they burn at a temperature that exceeds the capability of the
incinerator. Now the entire facility is at risk of exploding.
In order to fix this situation, the hot gases are released
through what is referred to in the trade as a "dump stack."
This stack has absolutely NO emission control devices on it. I
repeat, this may not be the second stack that the proponents of
the project are referring to, but I wouldn't doubt it too much.
A great source of information that I know of is the Citizens
Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste at PO Box 6806, Falls Church,
Virginia, 22040 (703/237-2249). If you'd like to talk more
about this I am more than happy to share what I know.
Right now I am involved in a similar situation with a high capacity
"state-of-the-art" med waste incinerator in the city of St. Louis, MO.
You said that the proponents say that it will be the best of its
kind in Canada. Well, this is not saying much. Incineration is a nasty
business. The emissions from the stack may be reduced, but this does
not mean that they disappear. The dioxins (carcinogens), which are
in fact created by the high temperatures involved in the incineration
procedure, and the toxic heavy metals persist in the collected fly ash and
are later deposited in a landfill, meaning we still
have to deal with it, and in a more concentrated form.
You definitely have justifiable concerns regarding the toxic emissions
from the process of incineration.
Whether the heavy metals, etc. are in the emissions from the stack or
they are counted in the ash disposed of in the landfill, they are still
products of the nasty business of incineration and highly toxic.
The two stacks that the proponents speak of, may not be as
good as they sound. the percentage of plasics in medical waste
is very high and this really is the main problem with the
incineration of Med-waste. Anyway, they create problems when
they burn at a temperature that exceeds the capability of the
incinerator. Now the entire facility is at risk of exploding.
In order to fix this situation, the hot gases are released
through what is referred to in the trade as a "dump stack."
This stack has absolutely NO emission control devices on it. I
repeat, this may not be the second stack that the proponents of
the project are referring to, but I wouldn't doubt it too much.
A great source of information that I know of is the Citizens
Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste at PO Box 6806, Falls Church,
Virginia, 22040 (703/237-2249). If you'd like to talk more
about this I am more than happy to share what I know.
_eric hempel_
eahe...@artsci.wustl.edu
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