Date: September 16, 2009
Source: US EPA
The US EPA has established new emission regulations that the agency says will affect "most existing hospital, medical and infectious waste incinerators (HMIWI)." The just-finalized strict new maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standard for medical waste incinerators retains a controversial method for setting air toxics limits that industry officials criticize as a "Frankenstein" approach. On Sept. 16, EPA released its final new source performance standard and emission guidelines saying that some facilities would not require any performance improvements to comply with the standard, even though the rule strengthens existing emission limits for all regulated pollutants emitted by the facilities. The rule is one of several that activists successfully challenged during the Bush administration to force EPA to review, charging that it was too weak and violated the Clean Air Act.
The final rule codifies a proposal issued late last year by the previous administration to set much more stringent standards for nine pollutants than what was contained in an earlier proposal that was remanded back to the agency more than a decade ago. The rule contains a MACT "floor," or a minimum level of stringency that the facilities must achieve.
Industry, including the Utility Air Regulatory Group, criticized the best performing sources approach as a "Franken plant" with emissions standards that they said no single source could ever achieve.
The rule also requires additional stack testing for existing and new sources; imposes additional monitoring requirements for new sources; requires annual inspections of emission controls and a one-time visible emissions test of ash-handling operations; lays out procedures for test data submittal; and revises waste-management plan provisions.
Press Release:
EPA Tightens Air Emissions for Hospital, Medical, and Infectious Waste Incinerators
Release date: 09/16/2009
Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn, milbourn.cathy@epa.gov, 202-564-7849 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON - EPA is setting new limits that will affect most existing hospital, medical, and infectious waste incinerators. This final action will reduce about 390,000 pounds of several pollutants each year including acid gases, nitrogen oxides, and metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. EPA is also finalizing additional testing, monitoring, and inspection requirements.
This final action revises the September 1997 new source performance standards and emission guidelines for these incinerators and responds to the Court remand of the regulations. It also satisfies the Clean Air Act requirement to conduct a review of the standards every five years.
More information on the final rule and amendments is at: www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t1fs.html.
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