INCINERATION: CURRENT PRACTICE AND FUTURE DIRECTION

Incineration is an environmentally sound and cost-effective means of iosolids management for 145 Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) located within the United States. USEPA defines incineration as a biosolids disposal practice that destroys organic pollutants and reduces the volume of biosolids by approximately 90% Emissions from the 254 biosolids incinerators, that are currently in service in the United States, have been reduced due to the promulgation, in 1993, of USEPA's Biosolids Disposal Regulation (40 CFR Part 503). However, in the future, owners/operators of biosolids incinerators may be required to further reduce their emissions, due to the promulgation of more stringent regulations. As a result, research is required to develop means/methods that will cost-effectively reduce the concentration of a variety of pollutants in biosolids incinerator exhaust gases.