Hospital incinerator at TUTH

Incineration is a high-temperature dry oxidation process that reduces organic and combustible waste to inorganic, incombustible matter and results in a very significant reduction of waste volume and weight. This process is usually selected to treat wastes that cannot be recycled, reused, or disposed of in a landfill site. 

The combustion of organic compounds produces mainly gaseous emissions, including steam, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and certain toxic substances (e.g. metals, halogenic acids), and particulate matter, plus solid residues in the form of ashes. If the conditions of combustion are not properly controlled, toxic carbon monoxide will also be produced. The ash and wastewater produced by the process also contain toxic compounds, which have to be treated to avoid adverse effects on health and the environment.  

Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat. The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste, and may take the form of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases must be cleaned of gaseous and particulate pollutants before they are dispersed into the atmosphere.   

Incineration is unquestionably effective but it is associated with serious air quality concerns. Because atmospheric oxygen is used as the reagent, a large volume of air must constantly pass through the system. Unless the exhaust air passes through a control device, all substances that are volatile at the operating temperature of the system will be emitted with the exhaust stream. For example, hospital incinerators were once significant sources of environmental mercury contamination. In addition, the operating conditions inside incinerators can lead to the formation of organochlorine compounds such as dioxins. 

The location of an incinerator can significantly affect dispersion of the plume from the chimney,  which in turn affects ambient concentrations, deposition and exposures to workers and the community.  In addition to addressing the physical factors affecting dispersion, siting must also address issues of permissions/ownership, access, convenience, etc. Best practices siting has the goal of finding a location for the incinerator that minimizes potential risks to public health and the environment (EPA 

1997). 

This can be achieved by: 

• Minimizing ambient air concentrations and deposition of pollutants to soils, foods, and other 

surfaces, e.g., 

1- Open fields or hilltops without trees or tall vegetation are preferable. Siting within 

     forested areas is not advisable as dispersion will be significantly impaired. 

2- Valleys, areas near ridges, wooded areas should be avoided as these tend to channel 

    winds and/or plumes tend to impinge on elevated surfaces or downwash under some 

    conditions. 

• Minimizing the number of people potentially exposed, e.g., 

1- Areas near the incinerator should not be populated, e.g., containing housing, athletic 

    fields, markets or other areas where people congregate. 

2- Areas near the incinerators should not be used for agriculture purposes, e.g., leafy 

    crops, grasses or grains for animals. 

The following picture is of a incinerator located at the Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. The picture was taken from the pediatric ward of the hospital. On multiple occasions i have experienced the thick plume from the chimney make its way into the pediatric ward, at which point the nurses and the relatives of the patients close the windows. Its unfortunate the incinerator is not ideally located and the children at the pediatric ward are those that suffer the most. I urge the hospital administration to address this issue swiftly and decisively. 

References-

1- 'Treatment and disposal technologies for health-care waste’, www.who.int

2- www.hercenter.org