OPSR is excited to announce that the EPA has proposed a rule change that would more strictly regulate the emissions of large municipal solid waste incinerators, including the Covanta Marion facility in Brooks. We need you to submit comment through February 25th to show your support for this rule change! This is an essential step in ensuring the Covanta Marion Incinerator can be regulated correctly.
See our comment template below for talking points and more.
The EPA is holding a virtual public hearing on the proposed rule on February 7th from 11am-7pm EST (or 8am-4pm PST). You can register for the hearing here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7689267/EPA-PH-LMWC-2024
If you would like to submit a public comment, please follow this link:
The comment period is through 3/25/24
Comment template:
Intro paragraph:
My name is [insert name here], and I would like to voice my support for this rule change, which would make much-needed changes to the regulation of incinerators.
Insert background and personal story, if desired:
Insert talking point: Medical waste contains larger quantities of plastics and other harmful materials than municipal waste. Specifically, the incineration of medical waste releases dioxins, lead, and mercury into the surrounding environment. These chemicals in particular are linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, issues in the nervous and immune systems, and difficulty breathing.
Closing paragraph:
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility would like to voice its full support for this proposed rule change, and is particularly supportive of the proposed rule’s positive impact on public health.
Talking points:
Environmental Justice:
-
As the Agency has pointed out, this rule change will most benefit environmental justice communities that disproportionately live in proximity to large municipal solid waste incinerators. This is certainly the case in Oregon, where the state’s only large MSW incinerator is in proximity to an environmental justice community, with a disproportionately high number of Latine residents, located in Brooks, OR.
Health:
- Medical waste contains larger quantities of plastics and other harmful materials than municipal waste. Specifically, the incineration of medical waste releases dioxins, lead, and mercury into the surrounding environment. These chemicals in particular are linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, issues in the nervous and immune systems, and difficulty breathing.
- Proximity to incinerators in other countries have been linked in studies to multiple adverse health consequences, including reproductive issues.
- The EPA’s further regulation of these chemicals is vital to the public health of Oregonians living in proximity to this incinerator.
Logistics:
- The Covanta Marion incinerator, though regulated as a municipal waste incinerator, burns large quantities of medical waste that make it the fourth largest medical waste incinerator in the country, according to 2022 data.
If you would like to submit a public comment, please follow this link:
Further information: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-stronger-air-pollution-standards-large-facilities-burn-municipal-solid