Business Title: Senior Environmental Scientist

Author: Laurie Cooper

Key words: Waste-to-energy, MWC, Hazardous Materials, Management

Abstract:

Objective & scope - Hazmat management program related to the W-t-E industry

Issues - Multiple environmental regulatory programs

Developments - Evolution of program in relation to regulatory challenges

Conclusion - Changes in regulatory climate will continue to present management and compliance challenges.

The Waste-to-Energy industry (commonly SIC 49) has endured a number of challenges in its 15-year U.S. operational history. W-t-E facilities exist to combust garbage and produce hot water (for steam and/or electricity production). The Essex County Resource Recovery Facility (ECRRF), located in Newark, NJ, is one of 102 facilities that has survived the recent implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The ECRRF, combusting 2700 tons per day of trash, is the largest of five W-t-E facilities located in New Jersey. Currently, two customers deliver over 90% of the non-hazardous municipal solid waste and industrial waste delivered to the facility.

Initial project development, construction and subsequent operational needs necessitated emphasis on air and solid waste permitting issues. Also present were issues relating to water quality, hazardous chemical handling/storage, emergency preparedness, radiation safety, USTs, hazardous waste generation, environmental monitoring and environmental justice. A comprehensive environmental management program was developed which incorporates consideration of all of these issues.