Air Pollution from Medical Waste Incinerators



Air Pollution from Medical Waste Incinerators

Introduction

Every single day, tons and tons of domestic waste ranging from fish bones to huge pieces of rubbish such as unused refrigerator. If all these wastes are not disposed of properly, the damage they can do to the environment and humankind can be extremely devastating.

While waste collected from homes, offices and industries may be recycled or burnt in incinerators, a large amount of rubbish is neither burnt nor recycled but is left in certain areas marked by the government as dumping grounds. With the rising standards of living, we throw away more things and there is an increase in the quantity of solid waste. This has given rise to problems as new dumping grounds have to be found. This paper discusses air pollution from medical waste incinerators in a concise and comprehensive way.

Discussion

Medical waste came into the public spotlight in the late 1980's, when used syringes and other hazardous solid waste turned up on the beaches of New Jersey. Public concern and outcry arose over why this waste found its way into the lives of the public. Both the public and elected officials raised concerns regarding the disposal practices that permitted such waste to turn up anywhere. In quick response, new regulations and requirements were developed for the handling and treatment of the medical waste stream. Although these regulations calmed the public, medical facilities were left with trying to comply with new requirements. These new requirements focused on preventing contact between the public and infectious waste and, as a result, many facilities chose to put much, if not all, their waste into incinerators. This strategy was not only a quick and easy decision for them, it also significantly reduced their waste volume going to landfills, seemingly saving money. Thus, the waste was completely sterilized, the volume reduced, the syringes kept off the beaches, and the public was satisfied.

Unfortunately, incineration is not a clean process. Emissions of heavy metals and organic pollutants from these facilities cause significant environmental harm. The chief environmental contaminants of concern in the emissions are mercury and dioxin. Mercury results from the disposal of metallic material (e.g. small equipment, supplies, etc.) containing mercury, or paints and coatings containing mercury. The dioxin in the emissions is formed from organic material, mostly plastic, reacting at a high temperature with chlorinated material (such as PVC plastic) or chlorine in another form (liquid bleach). Certain conditions in the incineration — high temperature, organic matter, source of chlorine, metals to act as chemical catalysts — make for an ideal environment for dioxin formation.

Medical waste incinerators (MWIs) have been identified as a major contributor of dioxin to the environment. The increasing use of chlorinated plastics, particularly PVC, in medical products may play a role in MWIs' position as a top dioxin emitter. The dioxins present in the emissions of medical waste incinerators have been shown to be threats to both human health and the environment. Among the list of dioxins being released are ...