Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 250 - Department of Environmental Management › Chapter 120 - Air Resources › Subchapter 05 - Air Pollution Control › Part 39 - Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators › Section 250-RICR-120-05-39.5 - Definitions

Current through June 14, 2024
A. Unless otherwise expressly defined in this
				  section, the terms used in this regulation shall be defined by reference to
				  Part 0 of this Subchapter (General Definitions). As used in this regulation,
				  the following terms shall, where the context permits, be construed as follows:
1. "Bag leak detection system" means an
				  instrument that is capable of monitoring PM loadings in the exhaust of a fabric
				  filter in order to detect bag failures. A bag leak detection system includes,
				  but is not limited to, an instrument that operates on triboelectric,
				  light-scattering, light-transmittance, or other effects to monitor relative PM
				  loadings.
2. "Batch HMIWI" means an
				  HMIWI that is designed such that neither waste charging nor ash removal can
				  occur during combustion.
3.
				  "Biologicals" means preparations made from living organisms and their products,
				  including vaccines, cultures, etc., intended for use in diagnosing, immunizing,
				  or treating humans or animals or in research pertaining thereto.
4. "Blood products" means any product derived
				  from human blood, including but not limited to blood plasma, platelets, red or
				  white blood corpuscles, and other derived licensed products, such as
				  interferon, etc.
5. "Body fluids"
				  means liquid emanating or derived from humans and limited to blood; dialysate;
				  amniotic, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal and pericardial fluids;
				  and semen and vaginal secretions.
6. "Bypass stack" means a device used for
				  discharging combustion gases to avoid severe damage to the air pollution
				  control device or other equipment.
7. "Chemotherapeutic waste" means waste
				  material resulting from the production or use of antineoplastic agents used for
				  the purpose of stopping or reversing the growth of malignant cells.
8. "Commercial HMIWI" means a HMIWI which
				  offers incineration services for hospital/medical/infectious waste generated
				  offsite by firms unrelated to the firm that owns the HMIWI.
9. "Co-fired combustor" or "Co-fired
				  incinerator" means a unit combusting hospital waste and/or medical/infectious
				  waste with other fuels or wastes and subject to an enforceable requirement
				  limiting the unit to combusting a fuel stream, ten percent 10% or less of the
				  weight of which is comprised, in aggregate, of hospital waste and
				  medical/infectious waste as measured on a calendar quarter basis. For purposes
				  of this definition, pathological waste, chemotherapeutic waste, and low-level
				  radioactive waste are considered "other" wastes when calculating the percentage
				  of hospital waste and medical/infectious waste combusted.
10. "Continuous emission monitoring system"
				  or "CEMS" means a monitoring system for continuously measuring and recording
				  the emissions of a pollutant from an affected facility.
11. "Continuous HMIWI" means an HMIWI that is
				  designed to allow waste charging and ash removal during combustion.
12. "Dioxins/furans" means the combined
				  emissions of tetra- through octa-chlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and
				  dibenzofurans, as measured by EPA
				  40 C.F.R. §
												60 Appendix A-7, Reference Method
				  23.
13. "Dry scrubber" means an
				  add-on air pollution control system that injects dry alkaline sorbent (dry
				  injection) or sprays an alkaline sorbent (spray dryer) to react with and
				  neutralize acid gases in the HMIWI exhaust stream forming a dry powder
				  material.
14. "Fabric filter or
				  baghouse" means an add-on air pollution control system that removes particulate
				  matter (PM) and nonvaporous metals emissions by passing flue gas through filter
				  bags.
15. "Facilities manager"
				  means the individual in charge of purchasing, maintaining, and operating the
				  HMIWI or the owner or operator's representative responsible for the management
				  of the HMIWI. Alternative titles may include director of facilities or vice
				  president of support systems.
16.
				  "High-air phase" means the stage of the batch operating cycle when the primary
				  chamber reaches and maintains maximum operating temperatures.
17. "Hospital" means any facility which has
				  an organized medical staff, maintains at least six (6) inpatient beds, and
				  where the primary function of the institution is to provide diagnostic and
				  therapeutic patient services and continuous nursing care primarily to human
				  patients who are not related and who stay on average in excess of twenty-four
				  (24) hours per admission. This definition does not include facilities
				  maintained for the sole purpose of providing nursing or convalescent care to
				  human patients who generally are not acutely ill but who require continuing
				  medical supervision.
18.
				  "Hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerator" or "HMIWI" or "HMIWI unit"
				  means any device that combusts any amount of hospital waste and/or
				  medical/infectious waste.
19.
				  "Hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerator operator" or "HMIWI" operator"
				  means any person who operates, controls or supervises the day-to-day operation
				  of an HMIWI.
20. "Hospital waste"
				  means discards generated at a hospital, except unused items returned to the
				  manufacturer. The definition of hospital waste does not include human corpses,
				  remains, and anatomical parts that are intended for interment or
				  cremation.
21. "Infectious agent"
				  means any organism (such as a virus or bacteria) that is capable of being
				  communicated by invasion and multiplication in body tissues and capable of
				  causing disease or adverse health impacts in humans.
22. "Intermittent HMIWI" means an HMIWI that
				  is designed to allow waste charging, but not ash removal, during
				  combustion.
23. "Large HMIWI" means
				  an HMIWI whose maximum design waste burning capacity is more than five hundred
				  (500) pounds per hour; or
a. A continuous or
				  intermittent HMIWI whose maximum charge rate is more than five hundred (500)
				  pounds per hour; or
b. A batch
				  HMIWI whose maximum charge rate is more than four thousand (4,000) pounds per
				  day.
24. "Low-level
				  radioactive waste" means waste material which contains radioactive nuclides
				  emitting primarily beta or gamma radiation, or both, in concentrations or
				  quantities that exceed applicable federal or State standards for unrestricted
				  release. Low-level radioactive waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent
				  nuclear fuel, or by-product material as defined by the
				  42 U.S.C. §
												2014(e)(2) (Atomic Energy
				  Act of 1954).
25. "Malfunction"
				  means any sudden, infrequent, and not reasonably preventable failure of air
				  pollution control equipment, process equipment, or a process to operate in a
				  normal or usual manner. Failures that are caused, in part, by poor maintenance
				  or careless operation are not malfunctions.
26. "Maximum charge rate" means:
a. For continuous and intermittent HMIWI, one
				  hundred ten percent (110%) of the lowest 3-hour average charge rate measured
				  during the most recent performance test demonstrating compliance with all
				  applicable emission limits.
b. For
				  batch HMIWI, one hundred ten percent (110%) of the lowest daily charge rate
				  measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating compliance with
				  all applicable emission limits.
27. "Maximum design waste burning capacity"
				  means:
a. For intermittent and continuous
				  HMIWI
C = Pv x 15,000/8,500
Where:
C = HMIWI capacity, lb/hr
Pv = primary chamber volume,
					 ft3
15,000 = primary chamber heat release factor,
					 Btu/ft3/hr
8,500 = standard waste heating value,
					 Btu/lb;
b. For batch HMIWI
C = Pv x 4.5/8
Where:
C = HMIWI capacity, lb/hr
Pv = primary chamber volume,
					 ft3
4.5 = waste density,
					 lb/ft3
8 = typical hours of operation of a batch HMIWI,
					 hours.
28.
				  "Maximum fabric filter inlet temperature" means one hundred ten percent (110%)
				  of the lowest 3-hour average temperature at the inlet to the fabric filter
				  (taken, at a minimum, once every minute) measured during the most recent
				  performance test demonstrating compliance with the dioxin/furan emission
				  limit.
29. "Maximum flue gas
				  temperature" means one hundred ten percent (110%) of the lowest 3-hour average
				  temperature at the outlet from the wet scrubber (taken, at a minimum, once
				  every minute) measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating
				  compliance with the mercury (Hg) emission limit.
30. "Medical/infectious waste" means any of
				  the following waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or
				  immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in
				  the production or testing of biologicals:
a.
				  Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including:
				  cultures from medical and pathological laboratories; cultures and stocks of
				  infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories; wastes from the
				  production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines; and culture
				  dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix cultures;
b. Human pathological waste, including
				  tissues, organs, and body parts and body fluids that are removed during surgery
				  or autopsy, or other medical procedures, and specimens of body fluids and their
				  containers;
c. Human blood and
				  blood products including:
(1) Liquid waste
				  human blood;
(2) Products of
				  blood;
(3) Items saturated and/or
				  dripping with human blood; or
(4)
				  Items that were saturated and/or dripping with human blood that are now caked
				  with dried human blood; including serum, plasma, and other blood components,
				  and their containers, which were used or intended for use in either patient
				  care, testing and laboratory analysis or the development of pharmaceuticals.
				  Intravenous bags are also included in this category;
d. Sharps that have been used in animal or
				  human patient care or treatment or in medical, research, or industrial
				  laboratories, including hypodermic needles, syringes (with or without the
				  attached needle), Pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, blood vials, needles with
				  attached tubing, and culture dishes (regardless of presence of infectious
				  agents). Also included are other types of broken or unbroken glassware that
				  were in contact with infectious agents, such as used slides and cover
				  slips;
e. Animal waste including
				  contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, and bedding of animals that were
				  known to have been exposed to infectious agents during research (including
				  research in veterinary hospitals), production of biologicals or testing of
				  pharmaceuticals;
f. Isolation
				  wastes including biological waste and discarded materials contaminated with
				  blood, excretions, exudates, or secretions from humans who are isolated to
				  protect others from certain highly communicable diseases, or isolated animals
				  known to be infected with highly communicable diseases; and
g. Unused sharps including the following
				  unused, discarded sharps: hypodermic needles, suture needles, syringes, and
				  scalpel blades.
31.
				  "Medium HMIWI" means:
a. A HMIWI whose
				  maximum design waste burning capacity is more than two hundred (200) pounds per
				  hour but less than or equal to five hundred (500) pounds per hour; or
b. A continuous or intermittent HMIWI whose
				  maximum charge rate is more than two hundred (200) pounds per hour but less
				  than or equal to five hundred (500) pounds per hour; or
c. A batch HMIWI whose maximum charge rate is
				  more than one thousand six hundred (1,600) pounds per day but less than or
				  equal to four thousand (4,000) pounds per day.
32. "Minimum dioxin/furan sorbent flow" means
				  ninety percent (90%) of the highest 3-hour average dioxin/furan sorbent flow
				  rate (taken, at a minimum, once every hour) measured during the most recent
				  performance test demonstrating compliance with the dioxin/furan emission
				  limit.
33. "Minimum mercury (Hg)
				  sorbent flow rate" means ninety percent (90%) of the highest 3-hour average Hg
				  sorbent flow rate (taken, at a minimum, once every hour) measured during the
				  most recent performance test demonstrating compliance with the Hg emission
				  limit.
34. "Minimum hydrogen
				  chloride (HCl) sorbent flow rate" means ninety percent (90%) of the highest
				  3-hour average HCl sorbent flow rate (taken, at a minimum, once every hour)
				  measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating compliance with
				  the HCl emission limit.
35.
				  "Minimum horsepower or amperage" means ninety percent (90%) of the highest
				  3-hour average horsepower or amperage to the wet scrubber (taken, at a minimum,
				  once every minute) measured during the most recent performance test
				  demonstrating compliance with all applicable emission limits.
36. "Minimum pressure drop across the wet
				  scrubber" means ninety percent (90%) of the highest 3-hour average pressure
				  drop across the wet scrubber PM control device (taken, at a minimum, once every
				  minute) measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating
				  compliance with the PM emission limit.
37. "Minimum reagent flow rate" means ninety
				  percent (90%) of the highest 3hour average reagent flow rate at the inlet to
				  the selective noncatalytic reduction technology (taken, at a minimum, once
				  every minute) measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating
				  compliance with the NOx emissions limit.
38. "Minimum scrubber liquor flow rate" means
				  ninety percent (90%) of the highest 3-hour average liquor flow rate at the
				  inlet to the wet scrubber (taken, at a minimum, once every minute) measured
				  during the most recent performance test demonstrating compliance with all
				  applicable emission limits.
39.
				  "Minimum scrubber liquor pH" means ninety percent (90%)of the highest 3-hour
				  average liquor pH at the inlet to the wet scrubber (taken, at a minimum, once
				  every minute) measured during the most recent performance test demonstrating
				  compliance with the HCI emission limit.
40. "Minimum secondary chamber temperature"
				  means ninety percent (90%) of the highest 3-hour average secondary chamber
				  temperature (taken, at a minimum, once every minute) measured during the most
				  recent performance test demonstrating compliance with the PM, carbon monoxide
				  (CO), or dioxin/furan emission limits.
41. "Modification" or "Modified HMIWI" means
				  any change to an HMIWI unit after the effective date of this regulation such
				  that:
a. The cumulative costs of the
				  modifications, over the life of the unit, exceed fifty percent (50%) of the
				  original cost of the construction and installation of the unit (not including
				  the cost of any land purchased in connection with such construction or
				  installation) updated to current costs, or
b. The change involves a physical change in
				  or change in the method of operation of the unit which increases the amount of
				  any air pollutant emitted by the unit for which standards have been established
				  under 42 U.S.C. §
													7429 (CAA §129) or
				  42 U.S.C. §
													7411 (CAA §111).
42. "Operating day" means a 24-hour period
				  between 12:00 midnight and the following midnight during which any amount of
				  hospital waste or medical/infectious waste is combusted at any time in the
				  HMIWI.
43. "Operation" means the
				  period during which waste is combusted in the incinerator excluding periods of
				  startup or shutdown.
44.
				  "Particulate matter" or "PM" means the total particulate matter emitted from an
				  HMIWI as measured by 40
				  C.F.R. §
												60 Appendix A-3 Method 5 or
				  40 C.F.R. §
												60 Appendix A-8 Method 29.
45. "Pathological waste" means waste material
				  consisting of only human or animal remains, anatomical parts, and/or tissue,
				  the bags/containers used to collect and transport the waste material, and
				  animal bedding (if applicable).
46.
				  "Primary chamber" means the chamber in an HMIWI that receives waste material,
				  in which the waste is ignited, and from which ash is removed.
47. "Pyrolysis" means the endothermic
				  gasification of hospital waste and/or medical/infectious waste using external
				  energy.
48. "Secondary chamber"
				  means a component of the HMIWI that receives combustion gases from the primary
				  chamber and in which the combustion process is completed.
49. "Shutdown" means the period of time after
				  all waste has been combusted in the primary chamber. For continuous HMIWI,
				  shutdown shall commence no less than two (2) hours after the last charge to the
				  incinerator. For intermittent HMIWI, shutdown shall commence no less than four
				  (4) hours after the last charge to the incinerator. For batch HMIWI, shutdown
				  shall commence no less than five (5) hours after the high-air phase of
				  combustion has been completed.
50.
				  "Small HMIWI" means an HMIWI whose maximum design waste burning capacity is
				  less than or equal to two hundred (200) pounds per hour and which has a maximum
				  charge rate less than or equal to two hundred (200) pounds per hour for
				  continuous or intermittent HMIWI and less than or equal to one thousand six
				  hundred (1,600) pounds per day for batch HMIWI.
51. "Standard conditions" means a temperature
				  of twenty degrees Celsius (20°C) and a pressure of 101.3
				  kilopascals.
52. "Startup" means
				  the period of time between the activation of the system and the first charge to
				  the unit. For batch HMIWI, startup means the period of time between activation
				  of the system and ignition of the waste.
53. "Total dioxin/furan" means the sum of the
				  emissions of all tetra- through octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and
				  dibenzofurans, as measured by
				  40 C.F.R. §
												60 Appendix A-7 Method 23.
54. "Toxic equivalent quantity" or "TEQ"
				  means the emissions of those congeners weighted according to international
				  toxic equivalency factors and then summed.
55. "Wet scrubber" means an add-on air
				  pollution control device that utilizes an alkaline scrubbing liquor to collect
				  particulate matter (including nonvaporous metals and condensed organics) and/or
				  to absorb and neutralize acid gases.