NEW FEDERAL LAW WILL REDUCE AIR POLLUTION
December 6, 2008, by Jeffrey J. Kroll
Under a new federal law, medical incinerators will have to reduce emissions of mercury, dioxins and other pollutants by at least a factor of 10. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this rule will cut air pollution by up to 1.5 million pounds a year.
While most hospitals stopped burning their medical waste several years ago, there remain a few medical incinerators in existence, including one at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. The hospital is currently reviewing how the rule will affect its incinerator and exploring other ways to dispose of medical waste it would otherwise dump into the incinerator.
