Why is medical-waste incineration hazardous to human health?
High temperature incineration of medical waste produces air emissions including highly toxic dioxins and other particulate matter that are an inhalation hazard. A number of emission studies have also documented heavy metal pollutants from medical-waste incineration. These air emission studies have led to tighter emission standards imposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to a decline in the number of medical-waste incinerators in the United States over the past decade. For more information regarding EPA’s air emission regulations for hospital medical waste incineration, see “Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators”, Air Toxics Website, Technology Transfer Network, United States Environmental Protection Agency.
