German scientists discovered in 1987 that dioxin levels in medical waste incinerator ash could be two orders of magnitude higher than in municipal incinerator ash. There are a number of reasons why medical waste incinerators release such high levels of dioxin. Second, medical waste incinerators tend to have less pollution control equipment and less trained operating staff. Attempts to reduce dioxin formation in medical waste incinerators through removing all PVC prior to burning, installing expensive air pollution equipment and better training staff will never eliminate dioxin formation and greatly increases the cost of incineration. Dioxin is only one of many environmental problems associated with incineration.
Incinerators also emit heavy metals and produce toxic ash which requires special handling.
These technologies, which are already in widespread use in industrialized countries, include first shredding hospital waste for volume reduction and to avoid reuse and then sterilizing the material, usually with either high-temperature steam, microwaving or chemical disinfection. Stopping the Bank's dioxin plans Apparently, the Indian government and World Bank officials responsible for the project were unaware of the extensive literature documenting the relationship between incinerators and dioxin. The project was not even subjected to review by the Bank's Environment Department. World Bank policy requires an environmental impact assessment be done for any project likely to have an adverse environmental impact. The project would enhance medical waste disposal at health facilities where necessary.