ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

September 27,

1974

DECATUR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL,

Petitioner,

V.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY,

Respondent.

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD

(by Dr. Odell)

On July 19,

1974,

Decatur Memorial Hos~itai (0MB)

filed

a Petition for

Variance,

seeking relief from Rule 203(e) (3)

of

the Air Pollution Regulations

(Chapter Two),

which limits emissions

of particulate matter from incinerators to no more than 0,2 grains

per standard cubic foot of effluent gases corrected to

12 per cent

carbon dioxide,

In its disposal operations, Petitioner uses

several pathological and hospital waste incinerators.

A Goder

hospital waste incinerator

is used to burn approximately 183 pounds

per day of contaminated waste material generated from the Hospital’s

treatment of patients who suffer from highly contagious diseases such

as tuberculosis, staph aureus, and hepatitis.

The contaminated

waste

is sealed in large bags and hauled to the Hospital’s waste

incinerator.

DMH is a not-for—profit community hospital serving

Decatur and environs.

16,000 patients are admitted yearly; another

90,000 patients are treated annually on an out—patient basis,

Petitioner stated that alternative means were not presently

available to dispose of the waste.

First,

a pathological incinerator

could be utilized but would “present grave dangers of cross—con-

tamination to personnel and the environment.”

Danger would result

from employees having to open the large sealed bags

in order to put

the contaminated waste into the incinerator.

0MB offered no explana-

tion why smaller sealed bags could not be burned in the pathological

incinerator.

Second, hauling the waste to a landfill would create

the possibility of contamination to the public;

this procedure was

strongly condemned by the Macon County Health Department. Petitioner

now is investigating other disposal methods, including incineration,

sterilization, recycling, and compaction.

0MB estimated that what-

ever system is chosen~it can be

operating

by approximately May,

1975.

Petitioner stated that neither odor nor particulate emission com-

plaints have been received from area residents.

The Environmental Protection Agency

(Agency)

filed its

Recommendation on August 22,

1974.

The Agency advised that the

Variance be granted.

The Agency’s investigation revealed that con-

taminated material is collected daily from around the hospital and

taken to the incinerator for burning.

Two years ago, approximately

1500 pounds per day of waste were classified as contaminated and

required incineration.

This has been reduced to

183 pounds.

The

Agency estimated

‘that 0.6 pounds per hour of particulates are

emitted when 183 pounds per day of material are burned.

Allowable

emission rate under Rule

203(e) (3),

as converted,

is

0.44 pounds

per hour.

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The Agency agreed with the Petitioner that

the

alternative

means of disposal presently available

—

pathological incineration

and landfill disposal

-

both create potential health hazards; the

Agency stated that no member of the public objected to the grant

of the Variance.

We grant the Variance.

To deny it would impose an unreason-

able hardship upon the Hospital and expose the public to a health

risk.

Alternative means of compliance are not presently available,

but efforts are underway to bring about

conformity with Rule 203(e)

(3),

Finally,

it appears unlikely that the excess emission of

approximately 0.16 pounds per hour of particulate matter will have

any severe impact on the environment.

ORDER

Decatur Memorial Hospital is granted

a Variance to operate

one of

its existing Goder

incinerators in excess of the standard

set forth in Rule

203(e) (3)

of Chapter Two until May

1,

1975, sub-

ject to the following conditions:

(a)

Petitioner shall burn no more than 183 pounds per day

of contaminated waste in its Goder incinerator unless demanded

by reasons of public health and safety.

(b)

Petitioner shall make attempts to utilize small sealed

bags capable of being burned without opening in its pathological

incinerator.

Such bags should be utilized to enable Petitioner

to

comply with Rule 203(e) (3).

(c)

Within sixty

(60)

days from the adoption of this Order,

Petitioner shall submit to:

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Division of Air Pollution Control

Control Program Coordinator

2200 Churchill Road

Springfield, Illinois 62706

a program and a schedule for purchase of a complying incinerator

or other alternate method of compliance to be instituted at said

hospital by May

1,

1975.

Cd)

Petitioner shall institute proper procedures to insure

the use of the primary burner on

the

Goder incinerator during its

operation.

IT

IS SO ORDERED.

I,

Christan L, Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certify that the above Opinion and Order was adopted

on the~

day

of

,

1974,

by a vote of

to

Christan

L.

Mof

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