The Incinerator Guidebook: A Practical Guide for Selecting ... - SSWM

V. Installation
Installation of incinerators should include site preparation, equipment installation and
commissioning, service and operating instructions provided by the manufacturer, assured
manufacturer support, metal works (fuel tank, filter and supply lines, electrical power supply, etc.),
and civil works (foundations, pits, water supply and run off for rinsing reusable recipients). Security
and the safety of the installation need to be given great importance.
The following sections summarize civil engineering requirements applicable to permanent HCWM
disposal sites.
Site selection
Certain measures need to be taken to protect the local communities from the possible hazards of
medical waste. Incinerators should never be installed in areas where crops are grown; particles from
the smoke emitted by the incinerators can settle on crops, making them highly toxic. If for whatever
reason incinerators have been installed near cultivated land, the incinerator should be operated only
when the wind is blowing away from the crops.
The selection of an appropriate location to install an incinerator is of paramount importance. Key
factors to be taken into consideration are:
� The location should be at least 30 meters away from the closest occupied or inhabited
building.
� The prevailing winds at the location should blow in a direction away from occupied
buildings.
� There should be no regular public passage within immediate proximity of the
incinerator.
� There should be no horticulture or leaf crops within 300 meters of the incinerator in the
direction of the prevailing winds.
� The bottom of the ash pit should be above the maximum level of the water table.
� The location should be secure and free from risk of vandalism or theft.
� The location should permit construction of a facility to house the incinerator (unless
designed for external use) and store the waste awaiting disposal. The site should also
include an ash pit and placenta pit (as appropriate).
Incineration by itself is not a solution for medical waste disposal. A complete, self-contained waste
management system needs to be put in place. This includes an incinerator; a secure waste storage
facility; a fuel store; an area for glass and sharps deposit; a protected ash disposal pit; a lockable
secure enclosure for the incinerator; a facility to store the tools, protective clothing, and operator
records; and a washing area with waste water runoff.
Protective enclosure
Incinerators should be installed in a protective enclosure or suitably ventilated building to prevent
access by unauthorized persons and to protect the incineration equipment. A protective enclosure or
building should ensure that:
� The incinerator and other materials stored inside are protected from rain and UV
radiation from direct sunlight.
� The incinerator is well ventilated and the stack emissions are clear of the building or
enclosure so that the operator is not exposed to fumes when the incinerator is in use.
� The enclosure is robust and corrosion resistant, and its design-life is at least equivalent
to the expected life of the incinerator.
� The enclosure or building can be securely locked against unauthorized entry.
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