Use Incentive Approach to Promote BAT/BEP for Centralized Incineration Facilities of Medical Waste in China

Abstract

The GEF project of environmental sustainability management for medical waste in China has been developed and implemented. The overall objectives of the project are to incorporate the concept of overall-process management in life cycle of medical waste into medical waste management and disposal of China, facilitate BAT/BEP application and promotion, improve China's abilities of medical waste management and disposal, promote reduction of medical waste and realize the target of harmlessness, by introducing the advanced experiences in medical waste management and disposal from foreign countries. Currently, most of the activities in demonstration stage have already been completed, and it is expected to reach the dioxin concentration of 0.1 ngTEQ/m3 in flue gas of 15 incineration (including pyrolysis) facilities. Hence, the project decides to implement the incentive plan among eligible medical waste incineration facilities in China. In this plan, a process with steps as application, review, examination, technical transformation, verification and award was designed. To standardize and externalize the process, an entire package of files including principles, guidelines, quota and criteria, table and checklist templates were developed, considering all the involved stakeholders. As a result, with active involvements and contribution of the MEP, local governments, enterprises, experts and monitoring instructions, the incentive plan vigorously guided and promoted BAT/BEP replication and application for medical waste disposal, avoided and reduced the generation and emission of dioxin POPs and other toxic substances. Currently, there are 8 incinerators which realized the aim of controlling their dioxins emission under limited concentration of 0.1ng TEQ/m3 in the flue gas.