Louisiana SIP: LAC 33:III Ch. 25 Section 2511 - Biomedical Waste Incinerators
Regulatory Text:
Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 33 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, Part III Air (LAC 33:III)
Chapter 25. Miscellaneous Incinerator Rules
Subchapter B. Biomedical Waste Incinerators
§2511. Standards of Performance for Biomedical Waste Incinerators
New section adopted in the Louisiana Register October 20, 1994 (LR20:1098 to 1100) (AQ83) and revisions adopted in the Louisiana Register October 20, 1994 (AQ83); October 20, 1995 (AQ125); December 20, 1996 (AQ145); July 20, 1998 (AQ171*); and October 20, 2005 (OS65).
Approved by EPA July 5, 2011 (76 FR 38977) effective August 4, 2011 (LAd34) LA021.
Regulations.gov docket EPA-R06-OAR-2007-0924
§2511.C.1 and §2511.L as approved by EPA January 28, 2016 (81 FR 04891) effective
February 29, 2016 (LAd47), Regulations.gov docket EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0434 [LA039].
Unless otherwise indicated, all definitions and paragraphs in this section are as adopted
in the Louisiana Register October 20, 1994 (LR 20:1098 to 1100) (AQ083)(LA021.03).
AQ083 §2511;LAd34;LA021.03;AQ083;LR20:1098 to 1100(10/20/1994)
A. Applicability
1. This Subchapter applies to all incinerators installed and
operated in Louisiana for the purpose of reducing potentially
infectious medical waste generated in all health and medical
care facilities as defined herein.
2. Crematories are exempt from this Subchapter.
AQ171* §2511.B.Introductory paragraph;LAd34;LA021.05;AQ171*;LR24:1286(7/20/1998)
B. Definitions. The words and terms used in this
Subchapter are defined in LAC 33:III.Chapter 51, and
LAC 33:III.111 and 40 CFR 60.2, as incorporated by
reference in LAC 33:III.Chapter 30, unless otherwise
specifically defined as follows:
Antineoplastic Agents--that portion of potentially
infectious medical waste containing chemicals that are
administered to deter the growth of abnormal cells and/or
tumors.
Biomedical Waste Incinerator--any incinerator operated
for reducing potentially infectious medical waste generated by
health and medical care facilities.
Chemotherapeutic Waste--that portion of potentially
infectious medical waste containing chemical substances that
are administered in the treatment of diseases, especially
cancer, and diseases caused by parasites.
Crematory--any furnace or incinerator used in the process
of burning Type IV waste for the purpose of reducing the
volume of the waste· by removing combustible matter and
vaporizing moisture through the application of heat.
Health and Medical Care Facilities--shall include, but not
be limited to, hospitals, clinics, dialysis facilities, birthing
centers, emergency medical services, physicians' offices,
outpatient clinics, nursing homes, extended care facilities,
podiatry offices, dental offices and clinics, medical research
and diagnostic laboratories, home health care services,
mortuaries, blood and plasma centers, blood collection mobile
units, and veterinary medical centers.
InfectiousWaste--that portion of potentially infectious
waste which contains pathogens with sufficient virulence and
quantity so lliat exposure to a susceptible host could result in
contracting a disease.
Medical Waste--that portion of potentially infectious waste
generated by operation of programs and offices in health and
medical care facilities.
Potentially Infectious Medical Waste--a mixture of
infectious waste, medical waste, and other waste which may
potentially be infectious due to its physical characteristics or
by how it was generated in the health care facilities. This
includes, but is not limited to, the following types of waste:
a. cultures and stocks of infectious agents from
laboratories;
b. pathological waste, including human tissue, organs,
body parts, and fluids removed during surgery or autopsy;
c. blood, serum, blood collection bags, tubes, and vials;
d. needles, scalpels, syringes, pipettes, and other sharp
objects used in health care or laboratory settings;
e. bandages, diapers, and other disposable materials
that have been in contact with infected wounds or
contaminated by patients isolated to prevent the spread of
infectious diseases; and
f. any other refuse that has been in contact with any
potentially infectious medical waste.
PM10--particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter
less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers as measured
by the method in 40 CFR Part 50, Appendix J.
PM10 Emissions--finely divided solid or liquid material
with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal
10 micrometers emitted to the ambient air as measured by the
methods specified in 40 CFR Part 52.
Type IV Waste--human and/or animal remains consisting
of corpses, carcasses, organs, and solid organic wastes
consisting of up to 85 percent moisture and 5 percent
incombustible solids.
C. Registration
§2511.C.1 SIP effective to February 28, 2016.OS065 §2511.C;LAd34;LA021.11;OS065;LR31:2443(10/20/2005) 1. Within 90 days after adoption of these regulations, all facilities operating incinerators designed or operated for the purpose of burning potentially infectious medical waste, shall submit a supplemental incinerator data form (SID-1) to the Office of Environmental Compliance, Emergency and Radiological Services Division, Single Point of Contact (SPOC).
§2511.C.1 as submitted to EPA August 14, 2009 [LA039.03] and resubmitted
to EPA October 2015 [LA039.05], MM002 LR 33:2089 (October 20, 2007).
Approved by EPA January 28, 2016 (81 FR 04891) effective February 29, 2016 (LAd47),
Regulations.gov docket EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0434 [LA039].
1. Within 90 days after adoption of these regulations,
all facilities operating incinerators designed or operated for
the purpose of burning potentially infectious medical waste,
shall submit a supplemental incinerator data form (SID-1) to
SPOC.
2. All facilities operating unpermitted incinerators
designed or operated for the purpose of burning potentially
infectious medical waste, shall submit an Application for
Approval of Emissions and Emissions Inventory Questionnaire
with appropriate permitting information on or before October
20, 1994.
D. Incinerator Design Requirements
1. All biomedical waste incinerators (BWIs) shall be
multi-chambered units with burners capable of maintaining
minimum temperatures of I500°F in the primary chamber and
1800°F in the secondary chamber. Units burning
chemotherapeutic waste, antineoplastic agents, and/or
potentially infectious medical waste ·generated off-site shall
require burners capable of maintaining minimum temperatures
of 1500°F in the primary chamber and 2000°F in the
secondary chamber. Design capacity shall be based on 8500
BTU per pound of waste incinerated. A temperature indicator
and/or recorder shall be installed to monitor gas temperatures
at the exit of the primary chamber. Internal temperature of
the secondary chamber shall be monitored and continuously
recorded.
2. All BWIs shall have a minimum retention time of 1.5
seconds for gases in the secondary chamber. Incinerators
burning antineoplastic agents, chemotherapeutic waste, and/or
potentially infectious medical waste generated off-site shall
require a minimum of 2.0 seconds retention time.
3. All BWIs shall be equipped with an interlock that
prevents the charge door from opening for 10 minutes after
the secondary burner is ignited, or until the secondary
chamber exit gases reach 1800°F, whichever occurs first. A
visual warning system shall alert the operator when the
interlock is bypassed for service or cleaning.
E. Restrictions on Emissions
1. All BWIs designed for less than 500 pounds-per-hour
charging rate shall not emit PM10 in excess of 0.08 grains per
dry standard cubic foot of flue gas corrected to 7 percent
oxygen. BWIs designed for 500 pounds-per-hour or greater
charging rate shall not emit in excess of 0.04 grains of PM10
per dry standard cubic foot of flue gas corrected to 7 percent
oxygen.
2. Emission limits for all BWIs shall include:
a. hydrogen chloride (HCl) - no more than four
pounds-per-hour, unless controlled through an acid gas
scrubber or other control device which achieves a 98 percent
reduction of HCI:
i. incinerators designed for 500 pounds-per-hour or
greater charging rate shall be equipped with an acid gas
control device or shall continuously monitor flue gas to show
compliance with HCl emission limits; and
ii. all BWIs which bum waste generated off-site shall
be equipped with an acid gas control device of 98 percent
efficiency;
b. sulfur dioxide - 100 ppmv (dry basis) at seven
percent oxygen or 70 percent reduction through an acid gas
control device;
c. carbon monoxide (one hour rolling average) - 100
ppmv (dry basis) at 7 percent oxygen;
d. nitrogen oxide- 250 ppmv (dry basis) at 7 percent
oxygen;
e. speciated hydrocarbons and heavy metals emissions
must meet the requirements of LAC 33:III.Chapter 51;
f. opacity of stack gases shall not exceed 10 percent;
and
g. excess oxygen in flue gas - two percent minimum by
volume (dry basis).
3. All BWIs designed for 500 pounds-per-hour or greater
charging rate shall have a continuous monitoring and recording
system installed for oxygen and carbon monoxide.
4. (Reserved)
AQ125 §2511.E.5;LAd34;LA021.03;AQ125;LR21:1081(10/20/1995)
5. All BWIs shall be designed with a stack emission
point that controls to the maximum extent possible the
discharge of air contaminants and which does not
adversely impact air quality in the local area. All
incinerator stack heights must be approved by the
administrative authority.
6. All BWIs with a design charging rate in excess of 250
pounds per-hour shall conduct emission tests to verify
compliance with this Subsection for PM10 and HCI. In
addition, BWIs with a design charging rate of 500 pounds or
more per hour shall conduct emission tests to verify
compliance with the standards for the following pollutants
using. the test methods from 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A:
AQ145 §2511.E.6.a to E.6.d;LAd34;LA021.02;AQ145;LR22:1212p23(12/20/1996)
a. Method 5 -Determination of Particulate Emissions from
Stationary Sources (40 CFR part 60, appendix A, as incorporated
by reference at LAC 33:III.3003);
b. Method 6 - Determination of Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from
Stationary Sources (40 CFR part 60, appendix A, as incorporated by
reference at LAC 33:III.3003);
c. Method 7 - Determination of Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from
Stationary Sources (40 CFR part 60, appendix A, as incorporated by
reference at LAC 33:III.3003);
d. Method 26 - Determination of Hydrogen Chloride Emissions
from· Stationary Sources (40 CFR part 60, appendix A, as incorporated
by reference at LAC 33:III.3003); and/or
AQ083 §2511;LAd34;LA021.03;AQ083;LR20:1099(10/20/1994)
e. other tests which may be added at pretest meetings.
7. A copy of all monitoring and tests results shall be
submitted to the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality, Air Quality Division, Engineering Section, for review
and approval within 45 days of completion of testing.
F. Radioactive Materials. Incineration of radioactive
materials shall comply with the requirements of LAC
33:XV.436.
G. Ash Removal and Disposal. The removal, handling,
storage, and transportation of ashes from the BWIs shall not
allow controllable particulate matter to become airborne in
amounts that will cause a public nuisance or cause ambient air
quality standards to be violated.
H. Maintenance of Equipment. The BWI, auxiliary
equipment, accessories, pollution control devices, and
monitoring instruments shall be maintained in proper working
order and operated according to manufacturer's instructions at
all times that the incinerator is in operation.
I. Restrictions. All batteries and chemotherapeutic waste
listed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 40
CFR 261.33(f), shall be removed from the waste feed stream
prior to incineration:
J. Circumvention. No owner or operator subject to the
provisions of this Chapter shall build, install, erect, or use any
machine, equipment, process, or method, the use of which
conceals an emission that would otherwise constitute a
violation of an applicable standard. Such concealment
includes, but is not limited to, the use of gaseous diluents to
achieve compliance with an emissions standard and the
installation of more than one incinerator to avoid coverage by
a standard that applies only to incinerators with greater design
charging capacities.
K. Prohibited Activities. No owner or operator shall
operate any source subject to this standard in violation of the
standards after October 20, 1994.
§2511.L SIP effective to February 28, 2016. L. Recordkeeping/Reporting. The owner or operator of any BWI shall keep a daily record of the hours the unit was in operation and the amount of waste incinerated. A separate record shall be kept of all chemotherapeutic waste incinerated that is not listed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 40 CFR 261.33(f). This record shall show the name of the material, date and time incinerated, and amount burned. Records shall .be submitted to the Air Quality Compliance Division by March 31 for the previous calendar year.
§2511.L as submitted to EPA August 14, 2009 [LA039.03] and resubmitted
to EPA October 2015 [LA039.05], MM002 LR 33:2089 (October 20, 2007).
Approved by EPA January 28, 2016 (81 FR 04891) effective February 29, 2016 (LAd47),
Regulations.gov docket EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0434 [LA039].
L. Recordkeeping/Reporting. The owner or operator of
any BWI shall keep a daily record of the hours the unit was
in operation and the amount of waste incinerated. A separate
record shall be kept of all chemotherapeutic waste
incinerated that is not listed under the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, 40 CFR 261.33(f). This
record shall show the name of the material, date and time
incinerated, and amount burned. Records shall be submitted
to the Office of Environmental Compliance by March 31 for
the previous calendar year.