[Pharmwaste] Federal Incineration Reg

Mon Sep 13 12:17:23 EDT 2010

Unfortunately,  in order to maintain the high level temperature, maintenance and enforcement is extremely important which varies from state to state, city to city and administration to adminstration.

Pamela Ortner, MS, RN, CHPN, COHN-S
Quality Outcomes/Education Coordinator
Angela Hospice
14100 Newburgh Rd.
Livonia, Michigan 48154
(734) 953-6040

"Willing is not enough, we must act.  Knowing is not enough, we must do."
                                                                                                     Goethe                             

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Popichak, Robert 
  To: Sue Dayton ; 'Al White' ; 'gressitt' ; 'Holcomb, Sarah, NMENV' 
  Cc: Hyatt, Thomas ; Michael Stepaniak ; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 6:42 AM
  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
  www.depweb.state.pa.us 

  This message is intended for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error, please E-mail a response to this address and delete the E-mail sent to you.

  P Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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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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