The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recently issued a proposed final decision in favor of an application by Reworld Bristol, Inc. (formerly Covanta) that would allow modification of its Bristol facility to burn medical waste. It is the second time the company has made an effort to convert its trash burning facility into a medical waste burning facility. While the company’s 2022 attempt to burn medical waste was derailed by opposition from local residents, DEEP has moved towards approving the new permits over continued opposition.

On July 5, 2024, DEEP posted public notice in a local Bristol newspaper announcing it had tentatively approved five applications submitted by Reworld. Three were for solid waste permitting and two were for air permitting. Reworld’s application sought permission to build a biomedical waste annex near its existing facility. The application also said the facility would accept nonhazardous biomedical waste, including waste that is “untreated waste generated during the administration of medical care or the performance of medical research involving humans or animals,” but would not accept other types of materials included in Connecticut’s definition of biomedical waste, including human remains, human fetal tissue, and radioactive materials.

The public notice came as a surprise to local residents because it came after a three-day holiday weekend and because Reworld’s previous attempt to build a trash burning facility had been recently rebuffed.

DEEP held a public hearing on the application in November 2024 after local residents collected enough signatures to force the agency to hold one. According to DEEP‘s proposed final decision, issued on March 6, the public raised a number of concerns during the hearing: potential noise violations, pollution from air emissions, concern the draft permits did not meet requirements in Connecticut’s environmental justice law, concerns about Reworld’s operational history, and concerns about why transportation of medical waste was not addressed in the draft permits.

Bristol and Southington residents who live nearby the facility have complained about a low-pitched hum generated by the plant, which the Bristol Burlington Health Department is investigating for potential noise violations. DEEP noted this in its response to public comments, finding that a solid waste draft permit for Reworld directed the facility to be operated in accordance with state noise control requirements and that noise concerns were being investigated locally.

DEEP similarly found no issues with most of the concerns raised during the public comment period, finding that commenters were asking for “additional requirements” above “statutory and regulatory requirements” in concerns raised about air emissions and finding that there were no compliance issues or violations in the facility’s permits.

“Members of the public understandably have questions and comments regarding this project, and their dedication to the local community is appreciated. This administrative hearing can only evaluate the project through the relevant statutes and regulations and the jurisdiction DEEP holds. Based on the extensive record and evidence provided by the parties, the Draft Permits met the relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.” the proposed decision states.

Kathleen Reiser, the hearing officer, recommended DEEP’s commissioner finalize and issue the permits for the facility.

According to a joint proposed finding of facts between Reworld and DEEP included in the proposed decision, the medical waste burning facility will operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week and will be able to process up to an average of 716 tons of waste per day. That number includes both trash and medical waste. Under its permit, it will be able to process no more than 57 tons of medical waste per day. Overall, it will combust 92 percent solid waste and 8 percent medical waste.

Handling of the biomedical waste will be confined to the annex Reworld will build, as well as to a tipping floor on the annex, and specific trailers. The facility will also be able to receive no more than 114 tons per day and must be immediately processed or transferred. It must also be stored separately from municipal waste.

“After an exhaustive DEEP permitting process into every aspect of the plant operations and proposed modifications was scrutinized, we are pleased that DEEP has concluded we meet the state’s rigorous standards for operations and emissions. The handling of medical waste will result in no additional emissions from the facility. Reworld has served the Bristol community with sustainable waste solutions for over 35 years, and we look forward to continued safe and effective operation in Bristol.” a Reworld spokesperson told Inside Investigator.

The news DEEP has moved towards final approval of the permits was met with disappointment by local activists and by Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol, who called the decision “very disappointing.”

“I had written to DEEP urging the agency to hold off on issuing a permit while legislation is pending on the subject.” Martin said via a press release. “This proposed legislation seeks to accomplish a common sense clean air goal: prohibit the burning of medical waste by facilities that do not meet EPA standards for the burning of such waste.”

SB 80 would prohibit the burning of medical waste at facilities that do not meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for the burning of that waste. It had a public hearing at the end of January, but the legislature’s Environment Committee has not yet held a vote on whether to move it out of committee. Now that DEEP is moving towards final approval of Reworld’s permits, the passage of the bill will not impact its ability to operate because it does not apply retroactively.

Local activists have noted a loophole in state law that allows incinerators to operate under lower emissions standards than are applied to medical waste burning under federal law.

“I continue to join many concerned citizens from Bristol and Southington who have noted that there currently is a loophole in our state law. That loophole allows an incinerator to follow less stringent standards without having to follow updated federal standards that apply to medical waste. It is not unreasonable– or punitive to a business – to try to close that loophole and to make sure EPA standards are followed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” Martin said.

Because Reworld already burns municipal waste, it was able to apply for a minor permit modification of major emitting equipment for its existing incinerator to allow it to process biomedical waste. Proposed emission limits in the new draft permit are identical to those imposed on it in 2020. “In summary, while the materials charged in the current permit were amended to include biomedical waste, there are no emission rate or stack parameter changes.” the proposed final decision notes.

Bristol Residents for Clean Air (BRCA), a group of local activists who have strongly opposed Reworld’s efforts, expressed “profound disappointment” in DEEP’s decision.

“Despite hundreds of letters of opposition and extensive scientific and legal information provided during public hearings, DEEP is taking steps to approve Reworld Bristol’s facility to process up to 57 tons of hazardous, untreated biomedical waste per day without mandating commonsense improvements to pollution monitoring. Astonishingly, DEEP only considered “evidence”, the information provided by Reworld from one other facility it operates in Lake County, FL. A sample far too limited to ensure public safety and one that demands additional scrutiny given Reworld’s direct interest in securing permit approval.” the group wrote in a press release opposing the move.

“Biomedical waste incineration is known to release highly toxic pollutants including dioxins, furans, heavy metals such as mercury and lead and PFAS, which pose serious health threats such as cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, endocrine disruption, and neurological damage. Current state regulations only require annual testing for these toxins, leaving the community uninformed about harmful emissions for the remaining 364 days a year.” BRCA continued. “Notably, DEEP rejected community requests for additional continuous emissions monitoring systems, which are crucial to providing year-round data on toxic emissions and ensuring transparency and accountability.”

There are two other bills currently before the legislature that seek to limit medical waste burning in the state. HB 5108 looks to create standards for low-frequency noise pollution, such as local residents have alleged is occurring at Reworld’s Bristol facility, created by industrial operations. HB 5107 would create a moratorium for an unspecified number of years on new permits for medical waste incineration to allow DEEP and the Department of Public Health to assess the risks the facilities pose and to create health and safety standards.

Following DEEP’s public announcement on Reworld’s permits last July, Inside Investigator filed a Freedom of Information Act request with DEEP for information about the permit applications. That request is still outstanding.

Republish This Story

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.