School and hospital incinerators

Subclause 11 (see link below) of the regulations specifies:

11 Incinerators at schools and healthcare institutions

Note that this regulation applies from 1 October 2006.

The regulations define a healthcare institution as having the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. This includes (amongst other things) health camps and facilities that provide chiropractic, dental, fertility, geriatric, gynaecological, habilitation, obstetric, osteopathy, maternity, medical, mental health, obstetric, physiotherapy, and surgical services.

Implementation

The standard does not apply to school or hospital boilers. Waste should not be used as fuel source or disposed of in boilers.

All schools and hospitals must obtain resource consents for existing waste incinerators by 1 October 2006. Any school or hospital wanting to operate a new incinerator after this date must also obtain resource consent. The standard states that any resource consent application for this activity is a discretionary activity.

When considering a resource consent application for an incinerator at a school or hospital, regional councils and unitary authorities should consider all products of combustion including:

• smoke
• oxides of nitrogen
• carbon monoxide
• sulphur dioxide (depending upon the fuel)
• fine particles (PM ₁₀)
• heavy metals
• volatile organic compounds (VOCs); and
• dioxins.

It may be necessary to undertake a health risk assessment from these sources.

In addition to this, regional councils and unitary authorities must also consider the ambient air quality standards when considering a resource consent application.