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Environment panel hears pleas to tighten rules before Bristol plant burns medical waste
Summary
Lawmakers, residents and state officials pressed for stricter limits and more frequent monitoring as ReWorld (formerly Covanta) seeks a permit change to combust up to 8% medical waste at its Bristol facility. DEEP staff said state rules can be more stringent than federal standards; community members urged continuous monitoring and tighter review.
ReWorld Inc. (formerly Covanta) is seeking a permit modification that would allow its Bristol waste‑to‑energy facility to combust treated medical waste as part of its feedstock, a change residents and some lawmakers say demands stricter oversight.
Why it matters: Residents who live near the plant, public‑health advocates and several state lawmakers told the Environment Committee on Jan. 31 that medical waste combustion raises distinct concerns — dioxins, mercury and PFAS among them — and that annual stack tests are not sufficient to protect public health. They asked the committee to require the same emission limits, monitoring and permit conditions that apply to standalone medical‑waste incinerators.
Tracy Babbage, bureau chief for the air program at the Department…
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