Federal authority temporarily relaxes emission standards for waste incinerators handling disaster debris

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published an interim final rule that allows for the waiving of emission limits on certain types of incinerators used for hurricane and natural disaster debris. This rule comes in response to the increasing challenge of clearing debris from wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes due to climate change.

The waiver applies to commercial and industrial waste incinerators in emergency or major disaster declaration areas. It is automatically available for up to eight weeks, after which operators need EPA's permission for an eight-week extension. The rule does not specify what types of incinerators are exempted, nor does it mention any potential environmental or health impacts of the waiver.

The EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, stated that the waiver on emission limits is part of the Trump administration's goal to expedite cleanups. However, the rule does not indicate whether there are any conditions or restrictions on the types of debris that can be burned.

The rule was a response to a request from the state of North Carolina, which had sought to use commercial and industrial incinerators for debris disposal. However, the EPA could not approve it during Hurricane Helene's cleanup in western North Carolina last fall due to the absence of a "temporary use provision".

It is important to note that the waste must be nonhazardous for the waiver to apply. The rule was published on Tuesday. After eight weeks, operators need EPA's permission for an eight-week extension.

This new rule is a significant development in the EPA's approach to disaster management, aiming to streamline the cleanup process in the face of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters. However, the potential environmental and health implications of the waived emission limits remain to be seen.