Process Description
Incineration is the process by which materials are burned, producing combustion gases and non-combustible ash residue. The combustion gases are either vented directly to the atmosphere, or to the atmosphere after treatment in air pollution control (APC) equipment. The non-combustible ash residue is removed from the incineration system or air pollution control equipment for disposal.
Medical waste incineration involves the burning of wastes produced by hospitals, veterinary facilities, and medical research facilities. These wastes include both infectious (“red bag”) medical wastes as well as non-infectious, general housekeeping wastes. The emission factors presented here represent emissions when both types of these wastes are combusted rather than just infectious wastes.
Three main types of incinerators are used: controlled air, excess air, and rotary kiln. Of the incinerators identified in this study, the majority (>95 percent) are controlled air units. A small percentage (<2 percent) are excess air. Less than 1 percent were identified as rotary kiln.
In general terms the Incineration process can be separated into the following key Steps
1. Waste preparation and storage;
2. Waste charging (i.e. transfer of waste and loading of wastes to incinerator);
3. Waste combustion (including use of supplementary fuel for start-up and maintaining combustion conditions);
4. Treatment of combustion gases and by products (ie APC equipment); and
5. Residue handling and disposal (this includes the handling and disposal of furnace bottom ash, material collected in air pollution control (APC) equipment, and other materials used/consumed in the process eg. Scrubber liquor).
