September 25, 2009—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is setting new limits that will affect most existing hospital, medical, and infectious waste incinerators. This final action will reportedly 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 available on the EPA Web site.
