Stericycle & Medical Waste Incineration in North Carolina
"First, do no harm"

Stop Incineration Stericycle Should Convert to Non-Incineration Alternatives Stericycle Medical Waste Incinerator Permit Renewal Status Update: The Public Hearing and extended comment period have ended. We will post the outcome as soon as it is available. Highly Related News A public hearing is scheduled for Sept 7th on the state's incorporation of the 2009 EPA rules for hospital medical waste incinerators. This is important: The state will decide whether to move EPA compliance up by 2 years to 2012, how to handle bypass events, and whether they will strengthen the rules on segregating plastics, paper and metals from incineration. Please attend this hearing and voice your concerns! Time/place. Read the state's draft of the new rules here.The hearing record will remain open for written comments until October 15, 2010. Follow IN THE NEWS IMPORTANT INFORMATION UNDERSTANDING THE NEW EPA RULES Stricter EPA Standards vs. Current | Federal Register: EPA Rules October 6, 2009 RESOLUTIONS TO APPLY EPA RULES by 2012 not 2014 Mecklenburg County; Orange County; Chatham County; Union County; Carrboro Town Council; Town of Haw River; City of Mebane; Town of Hillsborough; Town of Chapel Hill; Town of Green Level; Town of Stallings Stericycle FAQ | BREDL and HRA Support These Points Good Overview of Stericycle Issues | Medical Waste Incinerator Pollutants Toxic Bullseye Map Key Videos Dioxin, Stericycle in NC, Alternatives to Incineration PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS ON STERICYCLE'S PERMIT BREDL 5-25-2010 | Health Care Without Harm NC Div.Air Quality:Draft Permit for Stericycle | NC Div.Air Quality:Draft Review of Permit for Stericycle | Photo: Stericycle medical waste incinerators, Haw River, NC

Stericycle, Inc. operates the largest medical waste incinerators in North Carolina. Their two incinerators burn 21-27 million pounds a year. Medical waste from more than a third of the United States is trucked into Haw River in any given year. Our air, our lungs, our environment are being polluted. Stericycle needs to stop polluting North Carolina air. They have an alternative: re-direct their customers to Stericycle's own non-incineration technologies.

Hospitals generate the majority of this medical waste that pollutes the air that North Carolinians breathe. Yet 90% or more of this waste could be safely diverted from incineration. Alternative treatment technologies are available and approved by regulatory agencies. These technologies (eg, autoclave, chemical/mechanical treatments) provide a much healthier alternative to incineration.

Our health care facilities can become stewards for preventive health and the environment when they use environmentally responsible waste management practices. They should switch to non-incineration technologies for all medical waste not required by law or regulation to be burned. Only then will they adhere to the adage, "First, do no harm."

This problem needs a solution now. That solution will come from community members, like you, who challenge Stericycle to act with corporate responsibility and promote safer, non-incineration alternatives. It will come from concerned health care facilities who reduce their waste incineration to the minimum amount necessary.