Research Continues Thanks To Improved Incinerator Controls
Issue: By September 2000 all facilities with a Hospital Infections Medical Waste Incinerator (HIMWI) were required to apply for a Title V Permit. Shutting down the HIMWI (as all other facilities in TN did) was not an option for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The hospital contacted Pickering to become compliant.
Approach: After completing the Title V permit application, Pickering recommended performing a pre-test of emissions from the incinerator to determine if St. Jude's incinerator was ready to meet the performance standards that would soon take effect. The pre-test identified a poorly sized wet-scrubber that was not controlling pollutants to the new limits. Through research, Pickering identified a dry-scrubber and baghouse technology that would not only meet the air emission limits, but eliminate the need for a process water discharge agreement with the City of Memphis. Pickering's in-house engineers prepared design documents and Pickering's environmental specialists provided construction oversight.
Tasks: The following tasks have been performed for St. Jude to date:
- Title V Permit preparation
- Stack pre-test coordination
- Control technology analysis, recommendation, design and construction oversight
- Regulatory coordination
- Performance test coordination and oversight
- Draft Title V review
- Monitoring data averaging program development
- Periodic system and data oversight
- Preparing Periodic report
- Preparing Medical Waste Management Plan
Result: St. Jude was issued a Title V air permit for its facility to include the only HIMWI in Tennessee. Performance tests showed it was in compliance with stringent emission limits for HCl, dioxins/furans and mercury, as well as all other measured pollutants. Pickering also ensured St. Jude had software to easily prepare required averaging and compliance reports for the incinerator as well as the 5 industrial boilers for their hospital complex. Pickering is supplying on-going assistance, inspecting the incinerator monitoring records and preparing periodic reports. All work was completed with constant coordination and agreement with the local air pollution regulatory authority.