Standards for the Control of Organic Emissions

The standards for the control of organic emissions can be found in the RCRA regulations 40 CFR 266.104. The owners and operators of TSDFs are required to monitor the materials released to the atmosphere during combustion by measuring the volume of "principal organic hazardous constituents" (POHCs) in the emissions. The standard used to evaluate a BIF unit's performance is the "destruction and removal efficiency" (DRE) rating. The standards vary, depending on the type of burn, and the hazardous material that is being burned.

For example, dioxins are an extremely toxic and persistent contaminant that are formed as a result of combustion processes, such as waste incineration. Any dioxin emissions that result from the combustion process are potentially so dangerous to humans, wildlife, and the environment that a BIF unit must obtain a DRE score of 99.9999 percent. This means that for every one million molecules of output in the waste feed, only one molecule of dioxin may be released into the atmosphere. The same DRE standards also apply to hazardous waste incinerators.

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.