[Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

Tue Jul 13 15:02:04 EDT 2010

Bob:

Incineration of hazardous waste is not allowed here in NC. I wonder why? I
personally am not a big fan of incinerators (as you may have guessed). The
two medical waste incinerators we have here in NC are not an efficient way
to get rid of waste, especially when they result in the dangerous formation
of dioxins. Incinerators do not always operate properly, a major drawback
being the uncontrolled releases of emissions also known as by-pass events.
Scrubbers and filters can only remove so much. 

I understand that autoclaves and microwaves sterilize medical waste that can
then be shredded and landfilled. However, pathological waste is required to
be incinerated in our state. However, what by-product constituents in pharms
escape in the incineration process and how do we know when we do not even
test for them?

Sue 

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
-  Martin Luther King Jr.

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Popichak,
Robert
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 6:42 AM
To: Sue Dayton; 'Al White'; 'gressitt'; 'Holcomb, Sarah, NMENV'
Cc: Hyatt, Thomas; Michael Stepaniak; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

Good Morning, all-greetings from Pittsburgh!

        As a chemist, I had to jump in and correct a huge
misconception-microwave and autoclave treatment are sterilization
methods-they do not chemically destroy the compounds in question as would a
PROPERLY OPERATING, MAINTAINED, AND MONITORED high-temperature hazardous
waste incinerator.  The air pollution control devices are orders of
magnitude more efficient than either of the aforementioned methods, which
essentially have little to none.  W2E furnaces NORMALLY are less efficiently
destructive due to lower temperature and dwell times.

        Hope this helps and we compare McIntosh to Gala and not bananas to
coconuts!

        Have a great Tuesday!

Bob 

Robert Popichak | Environmental Chemist I
Department of Environmental Protection
Southwest Regional Office
400 Waterfront Drive | Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745
Phone: 412.442.4160 | Fax: 412.442.4194 
rpopichak at state.pa.us
 <http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/> www.depweb.state.pa.us 

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From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Sue Dayton
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 6:04 AM
To: 'Al White'; 'gressitt'; 'Holcomb, Sarah, NMENV'
Cc: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

Hello Al:

We are currently "fighting" two medical waste incinerators here in NC:
Stericycle and BMWNC (Healthcare Waste Solutions). Our goal is to convince
them to switch to more environmentally-friendly methods of disposal, (i.e.),
microwaving or autoclaving. Both incinerators are located next to schools
and residential neighborhoods. Both have continued violations. Both are out
of compliance with the new air standards for air pollutants under the new
EPA rules for medical waste incinerators promulgated in 2009. Both burn
paper and plastics as a means to fuel the incinerators - a method to reduce
fuel costs, but a monstrous and absolutely needless disposal method that
results in the formation of dioxins. 

There is no regulation or testing required for the zillions of
pharmaceuticals being incinerated: we do not know what is going in nor do we
know what is going out. Haz pharms are supposed to be separated from non-haz
pharms in our state (NC does not incinerate haz waste); however, questions
remain if the two are actually being efficiently and effectively segregated.

The new EPA rules include (in addition to better recycling and waste
segregation, increased monitoring/testing and removal of the exemption for
uncontrolled emissions from "by-pass" events) stricter standards for air
pollutants for medical waste incinerators. We are pushing to have our NC
implement the new rules two years earlier than the EPA's compliance date of
2014. 

Pharms disposal continues to be a wild card and must somehow be better
regulated, tested and dealt with regarding their potential impacts to public
health and the environment. 

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
-  Martin Luther King Jr.

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Al White
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 4:26 AM
To: 'gressitt'; 'Holcomb, Sarah, NMENV'
Cc: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

Sarah/ Stevan:

Incineration is a very cost intensive, non-sustainable practice,
Additionally and most importantly it must be performed properly under strict
monitoring conditions. The un-intended by-product "Dioxin" et.al. will be
produced and released If the pharm compounds are not raised to proper
temperatures and maintained for prescribed time intervals under prescribed
containment conditions. This is not a simple task. I am amazed that this
practice is even permitted.

Al White

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of gressitt
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 6:08 PM
To: Holcomb, Sarah, NMENV
Cc: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

I  would ask them to provide the reg. It is not true in Maine.

Stevan Gressitt, M.D.
Faculty Associate, University of Maine Center on Aging
Founding Director
Maine Institute for Safe Medicine
University of New England, College of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences 
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine
716 Stevens Avenue 
Portland, Maine 04103
gressitt at gmail.com 
Cell: 207-441-0291 

---- On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:57:25 -0400 Sarah, NMENV Holcomb
<sarah.holcomb at state.nm.us> wrote ---- 

Hi all - 

Does anyone know of a federal regulation that prohibits the incineration of
controlled substances? This is information I heard this morning, but the
person I spoke with didn't have any more information than this. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah Holcomb

Environmental Scientist/Specialist

Surface Water Quality Bureau

New Mexico Environment Department

5500 San Antonio NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

505-222-9587

P  Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail 

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