Deena Tumeh, Attorney, Washington, D.C., Office: “Most commercial and industrial waste incinerators across the country operate subject to outdated and flawed toxic air pollution standards or none at all. Communities living near these incinerators have suffered the health consequences of exposure to many toxic air pollutants, including lead, which has no safe level of human…

Federal rule exempts thousands of local waste incinerators from effective emission controls

When companies burn coal in the U.S., significant amounts of mercury spew into our air. Now, that mercury is controlled, thanks to a federal rule that Earthjustice and our clients fought for, defended, and successfully expanded.

Recognizing the threat incinerators pose to public health, Congress directed the EPA to set strict limits on all waste-burning incinerators by 1994. Twenty years later, EPA has only set pollution limits for 106 of the about 15,000 total facilities across the country.

Commercial/industrial waste-burning incinerators burn waste produced from utilities and mining, oil and gas operations or from the manufacturing of wood and pulp products, chemicals and rubber. About 15,000 incinerators are scattered across our country. Recognizing the threat these incinerators pose to public health, Congress directed the Environmental Protection Agency to set strict limits on all…

Jim Pew, Attorney, Washington, D.C., Office, Earthjustice: “It’s quite simple. If you want to burn municipal waste, meet the Clean Air Act standards for municipal waste incinerators. If you want to burn industrial waste, meet the Clean Air Act standards for industrial waste.”

Litigation challenges EPA rule that does little to protect against mercury, PCBs and more

Proposed rule proves to be inadequate

Failure to regulate has allowed release of tons of toxic pollution released annually

Decision will require protective controls for toxic emissions from waste burners

The federal government has made every effort to avoid setting clean air standards for the nation’s 218 sewage sludge incinerators (SSIs), which burn a witch’s brew of dirty wastes: pesticides, medical waste, industrial by-products and discarded materials from auto shops, for example. The Bush administration tried to exempt SSIs from the Clean Air Act entirely.…

Agency must review rule to ensure emission reductions

EPA has made strides on incinerators, cement kilns just in the last 10 months alone

Bill permits uncontrolled industrial waste burning and will lead to thousands of premature, preventable deaths

Lawsuit challenges flawed EPA rule that allows hazardous chemical emissions