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pnwmom

(108,959 posts)
Sun Oct 12, 2014, 11:39 PM Oct 2014

Lousiana tries to block incinerated Ebola waste from Texas.

They don't want it in their hazardous landfills. Waste that has already been incinerated. Give me a break.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/12/ebola-personal-waste-disposal/17174213/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana State Attorney General Buddy Caldwell is seeking a temporary restraining order to block the disposal of incinerated waste from the Dallas Ebola victim's personal items and belongings at a Louisiana landfill.

It has been reported that six truckloads of potential Ebola contaminated material collected from the apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan became ill were brought to Port Arthur, Texas, on Friday to be processed at the Veolia Environmental Services incinerator. From there the incinerated material is slated to be transported to a hazardous waste landfill in Louisiana for final disposal.

SNIP

"We certainly share sadness and compassion for those who have lost their lives and loved ones to this terrible virus, but the health and safety of our Louisiana citizens is our top priority," he said. "There are too many unknowns at this point, and it is absurd to transport potentially hazardous Ebola waste across state lines.This situation is certainly unprecedented and we want to approach it with the utmost caution. We just can't afford to take any risks when it comes to this deadly virus."

http://www.kplctv.com/story/26767500/chemical-waste-management-on-ebola-victim-items-ash-presents-no-risk-to-human-health-or-the-environment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have acknowledged that “Incineration as a waste treatment process is effective in eliminating viral infectivity.”

Veolia operates a permitted hazardous waste incinerator in Port Arthur, TX, which the appropriate governmental officials regulate. Veolia has been a long-term CWM-LC customer of good standing. CWM-LC was informed that all of the patient's belongings were treated and decontaminated prior to being received at the Veolia facility, and then belongings were incinerated in the high temperature incinerator (2100 degrees Fahrenheit). The resulting ash presents no risk to human health or the environment.

CWM-Lake Charles treats ash received from the Port Arthur facility through its stabilization process to further protect the environment prior to the secure disposal of this waste with all appropriate environmental precautions.

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kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
1. When you know absolutely ZERO about science, of course you're
Sun Oct 12, 2014, 11:46 PM
Oct 2014

going to imagine that incinerated waste will still have live viruses in it. Hell, these people probably don't even believe in viruses. They probably think the waste is possessed by demons that fire only makes stronger.

pnwmom

(108,959 posts)
5. Because the border city Port Arthur facility has an ongoing contract with that Louisiana landfill.
Sun Oct 12, 2014, 11:56 PM
Oct 2014
http://www.kplctv.com/story/26767500/chemical-waste-management-on-ebola-victim-items-ash-presents-no-risk-to-human-health-or-the-environment


Veolia operates a permitted hazardous waste incinerator in Port Arthur, TX, which the appropriate governmental officials regulate. Veolia has been a long-term CWM-LC customer of good standing. CWM-LC was informed that all of the patient's belongings were treated and decontaminated prior to being received at the Veolia facility, and then belongings were incinerated in the high temperature incinerator (2100 degrees Fahrenheit). The resulting ash presents no risk to human health or the environment.

CWM-Lake Charles treats ash received from the Port Arthur facility through its stabilization process to further protect the environment prior to the secure disposal of this waste with all appropriate environmental precautions.

pnwmom

(108,959 posts)
8. Port Arthur is near the TX/LA border. It's probably a shorter drive to get to the
Mon Oct 13, 2014, 12:03 AM
Oct 2014

site in Sulphur than to a TX site. And Port Arthur is a regular customer of the facility in Lousiana.

Why should this case be handled differently?

Incinerated waste can't pose any risk. Really.

pnwmom

(108,959 posts)
14. Probably because some of the waste burned in Port Arthur may be hazardous,.
Mon Oct 13, 2014, 02:56 AM
Oct 2014

And they send all their ash, hazardous or not, to the facility in Texas.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/tsd/td/combustion.htm

When performed properly, incineration destroys the toxic organic constituents in hazardous waste and reduces the volume of the waste. Since metals will not combust, incineration is not an effective method for treating metal-bearing hazardous wastes.

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