Bristol Residents for Clean Air expresses profound disappointment in the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Proposed Final Decision to issue permits allowing Reworld, Inc. to open one of the largest medical waste incineration operations in the country. The decision will make Bristol the medical waste incineration capital of New England and will create unacceptable environmental and health risks for residents.
Despite hundreds of letters of opposition and extensive scientific and legal information provided during public hearings, DEEP is taking steps to approve Reworld Bristol’s facility to process up to 57 tons of hazardous biomedical waste per day without mandating commonsense improvements to pollution monitoring. Astonishingly, DEEP only considered as “evidence” information provided by Reworld from one other facility it operates—a sample far too limited to ensure public safety and one that demands additional scrutiny given Reworld’s direct interest in securing permit approval.
Biomedical waste incineration is known to release highly toxic pollutants including dioxins, furans, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and PFAS, which pose serious health threats such as cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, endocrine disruption, and neurological damage. Current state regulations only require annual testing for these toxins, leaving the community in the dark about harmful emissions for the remaining 364 days a year. Notably, DEEP rejected community requests for additional continuous emissions monitoring systems, which are crucial to providing year-round data on toxic emissions and ensuring transparency and accountability.
Mike Ewall, Executive Director of the Energy Justice Network, emphasized that Reworld is exploiting a regulatory loophole to circumvent standards applicable to new medical waste incinerators, stating, “there is no need to burn medical waste. There were 6,200 medical waste incinerators operating in 1988 in the U.S., and now there are only around 20 because the industry has moved to safe, non-burn alternatives. Reworld is only pursuing this to pump more money out of the final years of this aging trash incinerator. Sadly, a federal loophole for trash incinerators allows them to dodge the much more protective standards that would apply if they were a stand-alone medical waste incinerator, and DEEP is not stepping up to hold them to these standards that would reduce their air pollution levels. Under the draft permits, Reworld Bristol will be allowed to release lead into the air at levels 27 times higher than is allowed by a proper medical waste incinerator.”
Additionally, the Bristol-Burlington Health District has issued notices of violation to Reworld, noting the Bristol facility continues to exceed noise pollution limits. Noise pollution significantly harms cardiovascular and mental health, causing stress that contributes to heart disease, stroke, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, dementia, and even premature death. Despite these health impacts, DEEP does not propose taking any action in response to violations of its own permit. According to Keith R. Ainsworth, representing the District, “Hundreds of citizens impacted by Reworld’s failure to comply with public health laws have seen their lives materially affected.” He added, “The state has seemingly abandoned Bristol residents, believing it isn’t worth spending resources to address the harmful impacts residents face from Reworld’s operations.”
Legislative efforts are underway to address these urgent issues, with strong bipartisan support in the Connecticut General Assembly, led by Sen. Henri Martin (31st Dist.) and Rep. Rebecca Martinez (22nd Dist.). Additional legislators supporting these critical bills include Sen. Rob Sampson (16th Dist.), Rep. Mike Demicco (21st Dist.), Rep. Mary Fortier (79th Dist.), Rep. Nick Gauthier (38th Dist.), Rep. Joe Hoxha (78th Dist.), Rep. Gale L. Mastrofrancesco (80th Dist.), Rep. Nicholas Menapace (37th Dist.), Rep. Christopher Poulos (81st Dist.), and Rep. Donna Veach (30th Dist.).
Key legislation includes:
- SB 80 requires medical waste incinerators to comply fully with EPA standards.
- HB 5108 seeks to establish robust standards for industrial low-frequency noise pollution.
- HB 5107 proposes a moratorium on new medical waste incineration permits, allowing time for state officials to assess risks and develop stronger health protections.
To dispel confusion about the medical waste incineration proposal, Bristol Residents for Clean Air put together a Frequently Asked Questions document at https://bristolresidents.org/pdf/faq.pdf
Bristol Residents for Clean Air urges all community members to contact the Environment Committee to advocate for advancing these vital legislative measures to safeguard public health and the environment.