SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY UNIFIED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT
RULE 7031 - DIOXIN - MEDICAL WASTE INCINERATORS
(Adopted December 19, 1991, Amended December 17, 1992)
1.0 Purpose
The purpose of this rule is to limit emissions of dioxins from the incineration of medical wastes. Monitoring
and recordkeeping requirements and test methods for determining emissions are specified. A compliance schedule
is also included.
2.0 Applicability
The requirements of this rule shall apply to any person who owns or operates a medical waste incinerator.
3.0 Definitions
3.1 Dioxins: Dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans chlorinated in 2, 3, 7, and 8 positions and containing 4, 5,
6, or 7 chlorine atoms and expressed as 2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxin equivalents using current
California Department of Health Services toxic equivalency factors.
3.2 Facility: Every building, structure, appurtenances, installation, or improvement located on land which is
under the same or common ownership or operation and is on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties.
3.3 Medical Facilities: Medical and dental offices, clinics and hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, research
facilities, research laboratories, clinical laboratories, all unlicensed and licensed medical facilities, clinics
and hospitals, surgery centers, diagnostic laboratories, and other providers of health care.
3.4 Medical Waste Incinerators: All of the furnaces or other closed fire chambers that are located at a medical
facility .
3.5 Uncontrolled Emissions: The dioxin emissions measured from the incinerator at a location downstream of the
last combustion chamber, but prior to the air pollution control equipment.
3.6 Waste: All discarded putrescible and nonputrescible solid, semi-solid, and liquid materials, including garbage,
trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, food, ashes, plastics, industrial wastes, demolition and construction wastes, equipment,
instruments, utensils, appliances, manure, and human or animal solid and semi-solid wastes.
4.0 Exemptions
4.1 This rule shall not apply to those incinerators which are exclusively crematoria of human or animal remains.
4.2 If control equipment is required solely to comply with the requirements of this rule, such equipment shall
not be subject to Rule 2201 (New and Modified Stationary Source Review) provided the system includes Best Available
Control Technology (BACT).
5.0 Requirements
5.1 No person shall operate a medical waste incinerator unless:
5.1.1 The bottom ash, fly ash and scrubber residuals are handled and stored in a manner that prevents entrainment
into the atmosphere.
5.1.2 Equipment is maintained for determining and recording the weight of waste charged to the incinerator.
5.1.3 Each individual who operates or maintains the incinerator obtains either a certificate of training in
medical waste incineration issued by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers within nine (9) months of the
commencement of the training program, or equivalent training as determined by the APCO. Copies of the training
certificates for the operators and maintenance engineers shall be submitted to the District.
5.2 For medical waste incinerators that incinerate more than ten (10) but less that 25 tons of waste per year,
a source test, including dioxins, shall be conducted by January 1, 1993.
5.3 For medical waste incinerators that incinerate more than 25 tons of waste per year:
5.3.1 The dioxin emissions shall be reduced by:
5.3.1.1 99% or more of the uncontrolled emissions, or
5.3.1.2 reduced to ten (10) nanograms or less per kilogram of waste burned.
5.3.2 The flue gas temperature at the outlet of the control equipment shall not exceed 300oF, unless
it has been demonstrated to and approved in writing by both the ARB and the APCO that lower emissions are achieved
at a higher outlet temperature, and:
5.3.2.1 for a single chamber incinerator, the combustion chamber shall be maintained at no less than 1600oF.
5.3.2.2 for a multiple chamber incinerator, the primary combustion chamber shall be maintained at no less than
1400oF, and the secondary chamber shall be maintained at no less than 1600oF. The furnace
design shall provide for a residence time for combustion gas of at least one second. Residence time shall be calculated
using the following equation:
Where:
V = The volume (ft3) from the point in the incinerator where the maximum temperature has been reached
until the point where the temperature has dropped to 1600oF.
Q = The combustion gas flow through V (ft3/sec), as determined with ARB Text Method 2. The volumetric
flow rate shall be corrected to the maximum combustion chamber temperature and chamber pressure.
5.3.3 Maintain a continuous data recording system which provides for each day of operation continuous recording
of:
5.3.3.1 the primary and secondary combustion chamber temperatures,
5.3.3.2 carbon monoxide emissions,
5.3.3.3 the hourly waste charging rates,
5.3.3.4 the opacity of stack emissions,
5.3.3.5 key operating parameters of the air pollution control equipment.
5.3.4 Any violation, malfunction, or upset condition on the incinerator, the air pollution control equipment,
or the continuous data recording system shall be reported to the District in accordance with Rule 1100 (Equipment
Breakdown).
6.0 Administrative Requirements
6.1 Record Keeping
The owner or operator of a medical waste incinerator shall maintain maximum records of the incinerator, control
equipment, monitoring equipment, and calibration records for the monitoring equipment. Records shall be retained
by the facility for two (2) years and made available to District inspectors upon request.
6.2 Test Methods
6.2.1 Dioxin emissions shall be determined using the high resolution mass spectrometry option of ARB Text Method
428.
6.2.2 Stack gas flow rate shall be determined using ARB Test Method 2.
6.3 Monitoring
Any person subject to Section 5.3 shall conduct an annual source test to demonstrate compliance. A source test
report shall be submitted to the ARB at the same time it is submitted to the District. The source test shall be
conducted in the following manner:
6.3.1 Emissions shall be sampled:
6.3.1.1 simultaneously from the flue at a location downstream of the last combustion chamber, but prior to the
air pollution control device and from the stack to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.3.1 of this rule, or
6.3.1.2 from the stack to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.3.2.
6.3.2 Incinerator shall be firing at ± ten (10) percent of the maximum firing rate allowed by District
permit.
6.3.3 The feed rate and composition (moisture content and amount of the total waste that is infectious, pathological,
hazardous, or radioactive) of the waste charged during the source test shall be recorded and included in the source
test report.
6.3.4 Annual source testing may be discontinued, when two (2) consecutive test demonstrate compliance with Section
5.3.1 of this rule. The frequency of future source tests shall be determined by the APCO.
7.0 Compliance Schedule
7.1 The owner or operator of a medical waste incinerator who intends to permanently shut down operation of the
incinerator shall notify the District of their intention to shut down by April 1, 1992. The shut-down date shall
be no later than July 1, 1992.
7.2 The owner or operator of a medical waste incinerator that incinerates 25 tons or less of waste per year
who intends to remain in operation shall apply for a Permit to Operate with the District by April 1, 1992. These
facilities shall be in full compliance with the requirements by April 1, 1993.
7.3 The owner or operator of a medical waste incinerator that incinerates more than 25 tons of waste per year
shall submit an application for an Authority to Construct for the equipment necessary to meet the requirements
of this rule by April 1, 1992. These facilities shall be in full compliance with the requirements by April 1, 1993.
7.4 The owner or operator of a medical waste incinerator which is subject to the requirements of this rule and
shall be in full compliance with the requirements of this rule at the time of initial operation.