Characterization of hazardous waste incineration residuals

Abstract The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (U.S. EPAOSWER) is considering establishing a criterion for disposal of waste or residue onto the land. This criterion is based on the achievement of residue quality equivalent to that from effective incineration. The purpose of this study was to provide data on the quantities and characteristics of solid and liquid discharge from hazardous waste incineration facilities. A total of 10 facilities were sampled representing a range of major incineration designs and flue gas treatment systems. A total of 37 different organic compounds were detected in the ash residues. These included volatile compounds at concentration levels typically below 10 mg/kg. Chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were the predominant metals in the ash residues with concentrations in the range of 100 to 20,000 mg/kg. Metals analyses of ash leachates indicated typical concentrations below 1 mg/L. This paper details these and other results obtained from the laboratory analyses of several incinerator residue streams.