League Calls For "Second Opinion" on Health Effects of Biomass Incineration

Medical Waste Incinerator Closed Down!
Campaign Victory Declared by Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and our chapter Citizens for a Healthy Environment

League Granted Permission to Intervene Against ReVenture
NC Utilities Commission Order Issued Today

April 7, 2011: Today the North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an order granting Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League’s petition to intervene in ReVenture Park Investment’s request for a declaratory ruling. The order is in response to the League’s petition to intervene filed on Monday. 

BREDL Press Release | Commission Chairman’s order 

Proposed 20Mw Incinerator at ReVenture Park

March 8, 2011: A Charlotte company plans to build and operate a waste incinerator at the proposed ReVenture Park in the Catawba River District of Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. According to ReVenture project developers, the incinerator could burn wood scraps, garbage and sewage sludge in a 20 megawatt waste-to-energy plant.

BREDL Fact Sheet and Map

Groups Call for Reductions in Medical Waste Incineration

Jan. 24, 2011: A new report cites broad increases in the amount of medical waste unnecessarily incinerated in North Carolina and argues that much of this waste could be treated safely with less cost using already approved non-burning methods. The report urges state regulators to lead a coordinated effort to reduce unnecessary incineration and involve North Carolina healthcare facilities in solving this problem.

Download the report: "Medical Waste in NC: The need to reduce incineration by more effective waste segregation and use of nonincineration technologies"
Read Press Release

Groups Call for BMWNC Shut-down
New Pollution Study Identifies Harm

Nov. 9, 2010: Today at a press conference in Matthews, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and Citizens for a Healthy Environment released an air pollution study which concludes that the BMWNC medical waste incinerator is too dangerous to operate. The groups called for a shut-down of the incinerator.

BREDL Press Release | BMWNC Air Modeling Report

BREDL comments on Medical Waste Incinerators

BREDL comments to NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Air Quality regarding new medical waste incinerator rules. BREDL urges the effective date of October 6, 2012.

BREDL Sept. 17 Comments | BREDL Oct. 15 Comments
2008 Summary of Industry Responses to HMIWI Waste Segregation

Citizens to demand medical waste incinerators abide by new EPA rules by 2012
League Chapters say 4 years too long to wait for cleaner air

Sept. 1, 2010: Members of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League’s two chapters, Citizens for a Healthy Environment (CHE) and Clean Air Now (CAN), will testify at a public hearing sponsored by the NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC). The hearing will take place on Sept 7th at 7 p.m. at the University of North Carolina Greensboro Campus, Moore Humanities & Research Administration, Spring Garden Street, Bldg. 246, Rm. #1215, Greensboro, NC, 27412.

Read BREDL Press Release | BREDL Action Alert

BREDL comments to EPA regarding Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units.

Aug. 23, 2010: [Excerpt] The impact of incinerators on human health is obvious. We support continuous emissions monitoring and a more transparent reporting system that better informs the surrounding community. We find that very often communities and public officials are unaware of the impacts from incinerators. Readily available data and reports would be a valuable tool. Continuous emissions monitoring is an essential step toward making that a reality.

View BREDL Comments | Link to EPA supporting documents and comments submitted

BREDL comments on EPA Proposed Rule regarding definition of solid waste

Aug. 3, 2010: BREDL Comments on EPA definition of solid waste.

Alamance County Commissioners’ Meeting regarding Stericycle

Commissioners' Meeting
Monday July 19
7:00 p.m.
County Office Building
124 W. Elm St.
Commissioners Meeting Room, 2nd Floor

More Info: Meeting Flyer | FAQ | Stericycle Awareness Campaign

Haw River, NC Town Meeting regarding Stericycle

Town Meeting
Tuesday July 13
6:30 p.m.
Haw River Civic Center
110 Stone Street
Behind Town Hall & Fire Department

More Info: Meeting Flyer | Stericycle Awareness Campaign

The Case Against Plasma Arc Waste Incineration: The St. Lucie Geoplasma facility

June 2010: The Case Against Plasma Arc Waste Incineration: The St. Lucie Geoplasma facility would be a Title V Major Source of air pollution. The facility would emit high levels of hazardous air pollutants including hydrochloric acid. Similar to most incinerators, the St. Lucie Geoplasma facility will have a bypass stack which will be used in case of upsets such as sudden increases in synthetic gas production. Dioxins and furans, common toxic byproducts of older mass-burn incinerators, are also emitted by plasma acre gasification systems.

View BREDL Factsheet

League to Lay Out the Case Against Plasma Arc Incineration

On Monday at the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners meeting the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League will release a report on plasma arc incineration. Louis Zeller, the League’s Science Director, will present the report and recommend a moratorium on waste incineration, including plasma arc.

Read BREDL Press Advisory | BREDL comments
Permit documents and other comments are available at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection website: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/Air/emission/construction/geoplasma.htm

Stericycle medical waste incinerator permit renewal

EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD!
The NC DENR Division of Air Quality has extended the public comment period to June 30, 2010.

Comment Deadline EXTENSION: June 30
Written comments of any length can be submitted until June 30, sent via email to: Gautam.patnaik@ncdenr.gov or by mail to:
NC DENR/DAQ, 1641 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1641.

The Stericycle Press Conference, May 25, 2010, hosted by BREDL and the Haw River Assembly.
Read about the Press Conference and view photos. Kieran and Kendra Bjork presented a NOTICE OF INFRINGEMENT to Stericycle President and CEO Mark Miller (alias Chris Carter, Mr. Puppethead).
Heather Bjork letter to Stericycle

League releases data showing unacceptable levels of toxic air pollutants
from Stericycle medical waste incinerator
May 25, 2010: BREDL Press Release
BREDL comments on draft Title V permit for Stericycle
Reductions of emissions at Stericycle under the new EPA limits

Groups to hold press conference on Stericycle’s pollution
On Tuesday, May 25, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and the Haw River Assembly will hold a press conference to reveal flaws in the proposed permit for the Stericycle medical waste incinerator, located in Haw River, NC.
Read BREDL Press Advisory

Resolutions on early implementation of federal standards for medical waste incinerators
Town of Green Level Resolution
City of Mebane Resolution
Town of Chapel Hill Resolution
Town of Hillsborough Resolution
Town of Haw River Resolution
Chatham County Resolution
Town of Carrboro Resolution
Orange County Resolution adopted on May 17 requiring Stericycle to comply with the new and more protective EPA rules by 2012 instead of 2014.
Mecklenburg County Resolutions:
(1) Resolution directing the county to move forward with adoption/implementation of the new EPA rules
(2) Resolution requesting that all med waste incinerators in NC come into compliance by 2012
Union County Resolution
Aug. 11, 2010: BREDL chapter Citizens for a Healthy Environment (CHE) in Mathews, NC reports that Union County has unanimously passed a resolution that all medical waste incinerators in the State of North Carolina (i.e., Stericycle, located in Graham and BMWNC, located in Matthews) be required to come into early compliance with the new EPA rules by Oct. 2012.

BREDL Flyer | BREDL Stericycle Issues | Q & A - Public hearing/permit renewal
Stericycle Overview | Medical Waste Incinerator Pollutants
Map showing potentially-affected towns and cities in counties located within a 5, 10 and 15-mile radius from the Stericycle medical waste incinerator, Haw River, NC. Map courtesy the Haw River Assembly.

Mecklenburg County passes resolutions to request
early implementation of new EPA rules by Oct. 6, 2012.

April 22, 2010: The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners have given county residents a fitting Earth Day gift. In an effort to help protect Matthews-area residents from exposure to toxic air emissions from the BMWNC medical waste incinerator, located on the border of Matthews and Stallings, commissioners unanimously approved two resolutions at their April 20 meeting, requesting early implementation of the new 2014 EPA guidelines on medical waste incinerator Title V permits in Mecklenburg County. The county wants to shave two years off the four years allowed under the new EPA rules for medical waste incinerators to come into compliance with the new rules.
Read Citizens for a Healthy Environment Press Release
View Mecklenburg County Resolution

BMWNC medical waste incinerator is operating on expired permit
League calls on MCAQ to re-issue permit under new, more protective EPA rules

April 6, 2010: The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League has confirmed that the BMWNC medical waste in incinerator in Matthews, NC, has been operating without a valid permit since March of 2009. The information was submitted to the Mecklenburg County Air Quality in comments concerning the incinerator’s application for a permit renewal. By law, a medical waste incinerator cannot operate without a valid Title V air quality permit, and an application for renewal must be submitted to the governing agency nine months prior to the expiration date. Read BREDL Press Release

Matthews’ residents at risk for exposure to high levels of toxic air pollutants
Residents will speak at press conference prior to public hearing about impacts from incinerator

A press conference will take place on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. before a public hearing that has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. the same evening concerning the Title V permit renewal for the BMWNC medical waste incinerator, located in Matthews, NC. Both the press conference and hearing will take place at the Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), Levine Campus, 2800 Campus Ridge Rd., in the Auditorium, Rm. 2120. BREDL Press Advisory

BREDL will hold community informational meeting on BMWNC medical waste incinerator

The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) will hold a community informational meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 8, at the Matthews Public Library located at 230 Matthews Station St. in Matthews, NC. Read Press Advisory

Dec. 3, 2009: Today at a press conference in Chester, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League released a new report on toxic air pollution impacts from the Covanta incinerator proposed for Chester County. The study shows that poisonous air emissions would be deposited more than six miles away from the facility. Read BREDL Press Release | BREDL Technical Report: Toxic Air Pollution Impacts from the proposed Covanta Energy Chester County WTE Project

Groups to hold Press Conference on Covanta Pollution
Chester Residents form League Chapter
Dec. 1, 2009: On Thursday, December 3rd the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and the Serious Chester County Residents Against Pollution will hold a press conference to release new information about air poisons and health impacts from the proposed Covanta incinerator in Chester County. The press conference will take place at the Chester County Library on 100 Center Street in Chester and will begin at 1:00 PM. The Serious Chester County Residents Against Pollution is the newest chapter in the multi-state Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. Read BREDL Press Advisory

BREDL comments to TDEC-DRH on the proposed license amendment to the IMPACT Services incinerator
July 7, 2009: BREDL comments to Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation - Division of Radiological Health on the proposed license amendment to the IMPACT Services incinerator. Amendment is to their Tennessee Radioactive Material License to "authorize a pyrolytic volume reduction process for wastes contaminated with radioactive materials at the licensee's facility at the U.S. Department of Energy ETTP Complex on the Oak Ridge Reservation." BREDL comments

New Report Released: An Industry Blowing Smoke - 10 reasons why gasification, Pyrolysis & Plasma Incineration are not "green solutions"

June 15, 2009: BREDL co-releases a new report by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives. The Report - An Industry Blowing Smoke - outlines 10 reasons why gasification, Pyrolysis & Plasma Incineration are not "green solutions".
BREDL Press Release | Download: An Industry Blowing Smoke

BREDL comments on the EPA’s newly proposed rules concerning emissions from medical waste incinerators. BREDL Jan. 15, 2009 comments by Sue Dayton | BREDL Jan. 15, 2009 comments by David Mickey | BREDL Feb. 17, 2009 comments

February 2009: BREDL revises our April 2002 report: Waste Gasification - impacts on the environment and public health (.pdf)

Aug. 2008: BREDL Factsheet - Incinerator Pollution - Landfills in the sky
Montenay Charleston Resource Recovery, Inc. operates a mass burn incinerator in Charleston, SC.

May 2008: BREDL Factsheet: Stop Incinerators and Waste-to-Energy Burners

July 12, 2006: BREDL Report on proposed Fibrowatt facility - Executive Director Janet Marsh Zeller's comments on the report: Fibrowatt's Thetford plant, in 2004, put out 234,430 kilograms (516,824 pounds) of carbon monoxide. I call these incinerators rather than power plants, because 50 megawatts is a tiny amount of power for what is lost. The amount of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide -- if this plant is similar to their Minnesota plant -- would be roughly similar to a coal plant. One disadvantage of burning poultry litter is the creation of air poisons not in the original materials. They are created in the smokestack itself. Fibrowatt's Thetford plant put out 30 milligrams of dioxins in 2004. We are going to see larger amounts if they build what they plan for North Carolina. If you dissect what they say -- hold on, here are details.
BREDL Report | Emissions Table | More Details on Fibrowatt

March 21, 2006: Fibrowatt LLC is considering locations in North Carolina for a 50 MW plant that burns poultry litter. Burning poultry litter creates unnecessary pollution and is inconsistent with NC GreenPower’s mission to promote renewable energy while protecting the environment. Please sign on to our letter urging NC GreenPower to remove the incineration of poultry litter and other types of litter from the green energy program. BREDL Sign-on Letter | Fibrowatt Factsheet

Feb. 11, 2006: Stericycle Dental Waste Management Plan - Reducing Mercury Emissions with Title V Operating Permits.

Oct. 19, 2005: BREDL comments on Green-e's proposal to certify municipal solid waste gasification as an eligible renewable energy resource. Green-e is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products. The Green-e Standard establishes the technical criteria that electricity products must meet to be eligible for Green-e certification. Read all comments submitted nationally | Find out more about Green-e

Sept. 02, 2002: Claude Ward's letter to Duplin County, NC Board of Commissioners regarding proposed gasification project. (.pdf) The Board voted against the proposal in Sept.

April 12, 2002: Lou Zeller's letter to Citizens for a Safe Environment regarding Global Waste International response to questions about gasification.

April 1, 2002: BREDL releases report: Waste Gasification - impacts on the environment and public health (.pdf)|

BREDL report: Incineration and Gasification: A Toxic Comparison (posted 4/12/02)(.pdf)

Pyrolysis and Thermal Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste fact sheet
(posted 10/10/01)