EPA To Propose Rules For Small Waste Incinerators

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, D.C., is proposing new rules to reduce the emission of air pollutants from "other solid waste incinerators" (OSWI), the last remaining category of waste incinerators requiring Clean Air Act regulation. The agency says that, if fully implemented, the rules would reduce pollutant emissions from OSWI by about 2,800 tons annually.

OSWI include institutional waste incinerators — which can be located at schools, churches and local, state or federal buildings that burn waste on site — and very small municipal incinerators, which burn less than 35 tons per day of municipal solid waste.

For a prepublication copy of the proposal and a fact sheet, visit http://www.epa.gov/airlinks/airlinks1.html. Comments can be submitted for 60 days following the publication of the proposed rules in the Federal Register. The EPA will finalize the rules by the end of November 2005.