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Stericyle's Dirty Air: What's in it?
What actually comes out of Stericycle's main stacks?
Lots of different hazardous and toxic pollutants plus greenhouse gases.
Bear in mind that they come out of the stacks after pollution controls have
done whatever they can do to reduce them.
These are the ones that Stericycle reported to the NC Division of Air Quality in it's official 2006 Emissions Inventory:
Particulate matter (TSP, PM10 and PM2.5)
Carbon monoxide
Lead
Nitrous Oxides
VOC (volatile organic compounds)
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Dioxins/furans
Mercury
Cadmium
Hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid)
Hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid)
Sulfur dioxide
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Arsenic
Beryllium
Chlorine
Formaldehyde
Manganese
Nickel
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Then there are related incinerator stacks that have no pollution controls.
Find out about bypass stacks and how they directly vent into the air with no filters whatsoever.
Yet, these events often do not generate a permit violation. Incinerators can legally vent these bypass stacks and still be considered "in compliance" with their permit.
| "What is the right thing? Simply put, it is the elimination of all incineration of
medical waste not required by law to be burned." Martha Hamblin, GASP, at
Stericyle Annual Stockholder Meeting
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