Opinion ID: 1422383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The West Virginia Medical Waste Act

Text: The West Virginia Medical Waste Act, W. Va.Code, 20-5J-1, et seq., was enacted to regulate the generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of medical waste in this State. W. Va.Code, 20-5J-2 [1991], in part. According to W. Va.Code, 20-5J-2 [1991]: The Legislature finds that the proper and environmentally-sound disposal of infectious and noninfectious medical waste is an important issue facing all West Virginians. The Legislature further finds that effective controls for the management of medical waste are necessary to ensure the protection of the public health, safety and welfare, and the environment. .... The Legislature further finds that toxic pollutants emitted by medical waste incinerators are an important public health hazard. .... The Legislature further finds that safe and cost-effective alternatives to the incineration of infectious and noninfectious medical waste should be encouraged. The Legislature further finds that the public interest is best served by: (1) Efforts to reduce the volume of medical waste generated at all levels; (2) On-site separation and treatment of infectious medical waste; [and] (3) Treatment and disposal of infectious medical waste in local infectious medical waste management facilities [.] .... The Legislature further finds that local responsibility for the minimization in volume, and for the treatment and disposal of infectious and noninfectious medical waste is an important part of a sound and rational waste management program. .... The Legislature further finds that noninfectious medical waste should be handled by environmentally-sound disposal technologies, and that alternative disposal technologies promoting safe recycling and limiting the need for incineration should be emphasized, developed and utilized. Id., in relevant part.
The first issue for our review under the West Virginia Medical Waste Act is whether CAMC was required to obtain a permit thereunder prior to construction of the incinerator at issue. Resolution of this issue requires careful analysis of the Act's statutory scheme and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. W.Va.Code, 20-5J-5(b) [1991] provides: On or after [October 1, 1991], no person may own, construct, modify, operate or close any facility or site for the treatment, storage or disposal of infectious medical waste, nor shall any person store, treat or dispose of any such infectious medical waste without first obtaining a permit from the secretary [of the DHHR], unless specifically excluded or exempted by rules promulgated by the secretary. (emphasis added). Similarly, 64 C.S.R. 56-4.1 [1993] and 64 C.S.R. 56-4.2 [1993] provide: 4.1. On or after [October 1, 1991], no person may own, construct, modify or operate an infectious medical waste management facility, nor shall any person store, transport, treat or dispose of any infectious medical waste without first obtaining a permit from the secretary [of the DHHR], unless exempted by Sections 2.1, 2.2 or 4.15 of this rule: Provided, however, That submission of an application for a permit under this rule within [45] days after the effective date of this rule shall be a rebuttable presumption of compliance with this rule until such time as the secretary grants or denies the permit. 4.2. No person shall begin physical construction of a new infectious medical waste management facility without having received a permit. (emphasis added). An infectious medical waste management facility is defined in 64 C.S.R. 56-3.10 [1993] as an infectious medical waste facility which generates, handles, processes, stores, treats or disposes of infectious medical waste, including all land and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements thereon, used for infectious medical waste. (emphasis added). CAMC points out, and petitioners do not dispute, that the regulatory definition of the term facility is derived from federal and West Virginia hazardous waste management regulations. Specifically, 40 C.F.R. § 260.10 [1995], as adopted by reference in 47 C.S.R. 35-2, defines the term facility as: All contiguous land, and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land, used for treating, storing or disposing of hazardous waste. A facility may consist of several treatment, storage, or disposal operational units (e.g., one or more landfills, surface impoundments or combinations of them). Id., in relevant part. CAMC maintains that, according to the above definitions, an incinerator, which treats infectious medical waste, [23] is a component of an infectious medical waste management facility. In addition to an incinerator, such a facility consists of all land and structures, other appurtenances and improvements thereon, which generate, handle, process and store infectious medical waste. Id. [24] The infectious medical waste management facility in this case, therefore, includes not only the incinerator at issue, but also CAMC's hospitals and other structures and improvements where infectious medical waste is generated and stored prior to being treated in the incinerator.
64 C.S.R. 56-4.4 [1993] sets forth the permit application requirements for infectious medical waste management facilities under the Medical Waste Act: 4.4 An application for a permit shall be submitted to the secretary in duplicate on forms prescribed by the secretary and shall include the following: 4.4.1. The name, mailing address, and location of the facility for which the application is submitted; 4.4.2. The name, address and telephone number of the owners of the facility; 4.4.3. The name, address, and telephone number of the manager of the facility, if different from the owner; and 4.4.4. A proposed infectious medical waste management plan as required by Section 5 of this rule. Pursuant to 64 C.S.R. 56-4.5 [1993], permit applications for new infectious medical waste management facilities are required to include the following detailed information, in addition to the requirements set forth in 64 C.S.R. 56-4.4 [1993], above: 4.5 For new infectious medical waste management facilities, the application shall be accompanied by two (2) copies of a topographic map showing the facility and the area one thousand (1,000) feet around the facility site, which clearly shows the following: 4.5.1. The map scale and date; 4.5.2. Land uses (e.g., residential, commercial, agricultural, recreational); 4.5.3. The orientation of the map (north arrow); 4.5.4. The legal boundaries of the facility site; 4.5.5. Access control (fences, gates); and 4.5.6. Buildings to be used for treatment, storage, and disposal operations and other structures (e.g. recreation areas, run-off control systems, access and internal roads, storm, sanitary, and process sewerage systems, loading and unloading areas, fire control facilities). As previously discussed, CAMC was an infectious medical waste management facility already in existence when the Medical Waste Act was enacted. In 1992, it applied for a permit under the Medical Waste Act, pursuant to W. Va.Code, 20-5J-5(b) [1991], 64 C.S.R. 56-4.1 [1993] and 64 C.S.R. 56-4.4 [1993]. Because CAMC was not a new infectious medical waste management facility when it applied for a permit in 1992, it was not required, in its permit application, to submit the detailed information set forth in 64 C.S.R. 56-4.5 [1993], above.
In 1992, when CAMC originally applied for a permit under the Medical Waste Act, CAMC requested and was granted a waiver as to three incinerator operation requirements, pursuant to 64 C.S.R. 56-10.2.7 [1993] ([f]acilities with incinerators in operation at the time this rule becomes effective may apply ... for a waiver .... [which].... shall be contingent upon submission of plans to upgrade the facility so as to be in full compliance with [64 C.S.R. 56-10.2.2 through 10.2.4] [.] Id., in relevant part. (emphasis added)). This waiver was, according to the language of 64 C.S.R. 56-10.2.7 [1993], granted on the condition that CAMC upgrade its facility, and in particular, its incinerator(s), to comply with the three incinerator operation requirements. [25] See n. 18, supra. When CAMC filed its application to renew its infectious medical waste management facility permit for 1995-96, it submitted an Infectious Medical Waste Management Plan, as required by 64 C.S.R. 56-4.4.4 [1993], [26] as well as a letter, dated August 14, 1995, in which it informed the DHHR, inter alia, that it had been issued a permit by the DEP-OAQ to construct the incinerator at issue. In the August 14, 1995 letter, CAMC, by Safety Director Morris, asked the DHHR to advise it as to CAMC's specific requirements for application applicable to this project. Safety Director Morris referred specifically to 64 C.S.R. 56-4.1 [1993]'s requirement that no person may own, construct, modify, or operate an infectious medical waste management facility ... without first obtaining a permit[.] Id., in relevant part. As we have already indicated, the circuit court found, in its August 22, 1996 order, that the DHHR informed CAMC that all that would be required for the upgrade [that is, the new incinerator] would be a[n] [Infectious Medical Waste Management Plan] revision to be approved prior to operation. (emphasis added). By application dated April 25, 1996, CAMC applied for renewal of its permit for 1996-97. This application indicated, on its face, that a new incinerator was being constructed at the General Division. As we have already noted, CAMC submitted a revised Infectious Medical Waste Management Plan, on or about August 8, 1996, indicating the changes to its plan when the centralized incinerator currently under construction is operational[,] and seeking approval thereof. [27] See n. 20, supra. Under W. Va.Code, 20-5J-5(b) [1991], supra, and 64 C.S.R. 56-4.1, supra, no person may own, construct, modify, operate or close an infectious medical waste management facility without first obtaining a permit from the DHHR. As set forth above, 64 C.S.R. 4.4 through 4.4.4 [1993] provide the application requirements for such permit. [28] An infectious medical waste management facility permit application must include, among other information, [a] proposed infectious medical waste management plan as required by [64 C.S.R. 56-5]. 64 C.S.R. 56-4.4.4 [1993]. The DHHR must approve this plan before it grants a permit to own, construct, modify, operate or close an infectious medical waste management facility. Accordingly, we hold that under W. Va.Code, 20-5J-5(b) [1991] and 64 C.S.R. 56-4.1 [1993] no person may own, construct, modify, operate or close an infectious medical waste management facility without first obtaining a permit from the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources. According to 64 C.S.R. 56-4.4.4 [1993], an infectious medical waste management facility permit application must include, among other information, a proposed infectious medical waste management plan. The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources must approve this plan before he or she grants a permit to own, construct, modify, operate or close an infectious medical waste management facility. In this case, CAMC submitted to the DHHR a revised infectious medical waste management plan which reflects the incinerator currently under construction and the changes to its plan once the incinerator is in operation. CAMC's plan was submitted in conjunction with its 1996-97 renewal permit application but after construction of the incinerator had already begun. By letter dated August 15, 1996, the DHHR indicated its approval of CAMC's revised infectious medical waste management plan. It is unclear from the record in this case whether the DHHR then issued to CAMC a permit which would allow CAMC to operate its new incinerator. CAMC may not operate the new incinerator until such time as it obtains this permit.