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| Creosote
site cleanup - Southern Wood Piedmont 3/4/2012 9:52 PM I have not heard back from the inquiry below that I sent a few weeks ago, but... Saturday I went for a walk around the lake at Freedom Park and saw a three man team planting trees at the cleanup site. I walked over and in through the open gate and spoke to the planting sub-contractors who are from Utah - one Caucasian seemed to be in charge and two Hispanics were working the ground. I asked if someone could talk to me about this new project, and the Caucasian walked me into the building and into an office where there was one busy engineer who seemed to be running the treatment plant. He said that I should not be inside as the perimeter fence has numerous "Posted" signs on it. So we walked outside the fence and he kindly spent about 20 minutes (in a slow drizzling rain) talking to me about the project. He is a biological engineer from Charleston, SC. who has been living in Macon and running the plant for several years. We talked for a while about Mayor Riley. His name is Travis Keith <travis.keith@aecom.com>, Plant Operator, Environment. 478-741-4300 www.aecom.com 3210 Roff Avenue, Macon 31203 He has done projects elsewhere around Charleston with stormwater retention, swales, ponds, etc. Travis's family has lived on St John's Island (?) for several generations, but it has become so developed that he is disillusioned by the crowding and sprawl. Tree Remediation is the new process they are experimenting with. I told him that I had studied this process about 10 years ago, and that I felt this site was ideal for it. They are planting several acres fairly densely with a mix of Maples and Sweetgums. The entire site is about 80 acres. I told him that I felt the entire neighborhood would benefit from additional canopy and we talked about it for a while. The tree remediation will not be replacing (but augmenting) the active-filtration that occurs inside the building. I mentioned that it might be good to have a Sierra Club meeting sometime to have a presentation about this project. He did not commit to anything, but he seems to be a good guy. Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:14:47 -0500 To: kevin.collins@dnr.state.ga.us |
Trees being used to help clean old Macon hazardous waste site By S. HEATHER DUNCAN — hduncan@macon.com Posted: 4:50pm on Mar 29, 2012; Modified: 8:05am on Mar 30, 2012 http://www.macon.com/2012/03/29/1967598/trees-being-used-to-help-clean.html Next to a Macon city park, a contaminated former industrial site is being “greened” twice over: Hundreds of trees were planted there recently, so their roots will act as straws to drink up contaminated groundwater. The method, called phytoremediation, uses plants to break down organic pollutants into harmless materials within the plant’s tissues. Some plants also can absorb other pollutants, like heavy metals, that can’t be broken down. The Southern Wood Piedmont site next to Freedom Park is one of the first hazardous waste sites in Georgia to use the technique, said David Brownlee, acting manager of the hazardous sites response program of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. “This is not a common remediation approach, so we are proceeding somewhat cautiously and not all sites would be good candidates,” he wrote in an e-mail. “The Southern Wood Piedmont site, though, is a good candidate with controlled access, a large area for the pilot test, and an existing groundwater recovery system. We are hopeful that this ‘green’ technology will be successful at the site.” To see if the method works there, 376 trees, all about a year old, were planted a few weeks ago on land where railroad ties and telephone poles were once treated with creosote. EPD documents indicate the treated wood was propped up on railroad tracks to allow the preservative to drip off. The 84 acres just outside the city limits have been home to industry since 1850. The Confederate States of America once manufactured gunpowder there. A few years later textile and fertilizer factories were run there by the Freedman’s Bureau, which helped freed slaves. Since 1926, when Central of Georgia Railroad bought the land, it was a creosoting operation, most recently owned by Southern Wood Piedmont from 1972 to 1986. Both Southern Wood Piedmont and the Central of Georgia Railroad are considered responsible for cleanup of contamination there. State environmental documents show that Central of Georgia’s parent company, Norfolk Southern Corp., took the lead on cleanup activities starting in 2010. The site was among the first added to Georgia’s hazardous site registry in 1994 because it is contaminated with hydrocarbons and dioxins, and the groundwater is contaminated with benzene, napthalene, toluene and xylenes. Some of these are considered or suspected of being carcinogens, although human contact with them is limited because there are no residential wells nearby. Contamination extends off the site to a portion of Freedom Park, according to EPD documents. The state ranks the site as having the highest priority for corrective action. Removal of contaminated soil began in 1986, according to a 2001 compliance status report by Southern Wood Piedmont. Dirt up to 3 feet below the surface was carted off and replaced with fill, and surface ponds on the property were filled and capped. But that eliminated only the worst of the pollution. Now the trees may start to play a bigger role. “If you think about putting in plants, the public is happier because it’s greener, you’re fixing carbon dioxide, you’re improving the environment and degrading the chemicals,” said Richard Meagher, a University of Georgia genetics professor who was a pioneer in phytoremediation. It’s also generally far cheaper than many other methods, because once the trees are planted, the remaining costs are mostly just monitoring. In contrast, he said, “If you just remove the dirt, then somebody in Alabama gets your contaminated dirt because they’re poorer than we are. ... It’s really pathetic that this hasn’t been used all the time.” Phytoremediation has been researched for 30 years, but even five to 10 years ago, Meagher said, the EPD would not accept it as a treatment option. He said a small but profitable industry has grown up around traditional cleanup methods, and engineers who have worked as both regulators and contractors were unwilling to try something new. “Politics and finances are the problem,” he said. But part of the problem might also be that phytoremediation can take a long time. “It’s a viable corrective measure,” Collins said. “But because of the long-term nature of it, EPD hasn’t been able to evaluate those completely.” Brownlee said EPD is considering only two other phytoremediation projects, another Norfolk Southern cleanup in Savannah and a groundwater control project in Baxley. Norfolk Southern spokeswoman Susan Terpay said the company has found success with the method at a similar site in Oneida, Tenn., using about 1,100 hybrid poplars to absorb creosote contamination from soil and groundwater. Meagher said phytoremediation can take as little as five or six years and works well with hydrocarbons like the ones at Southern Wood Piedmont. And many such sites using traditional cleanup methods have remained contaminated for decades. Southern Wood Piedmont had tried a “bioplug” method that involved injecting water into the ground to speed up the breakdown of chemicals, but both Norfolk Southern and EPD officials agreed last year that it wasn’t working, Collins said. The tree roots are now intended to reduce both the soil and shallow ground water contamination. For the deeper ground water pollution, Norfolk Southern will continue to pump out and treat groundwater before returning it to the ground or using it to water the trees, according to Norfolk Southern’s phytoremediation work plan. Meagher said phytoremediation projects won’t be successful unless they are based on scientific studies to be sure the plants being used are effective for removing the target pollutants. Norfolk Southern chose red maple and sweet gum trees because they are hardy, they grow quickly, and they take up a lot of water, according to the company’s work plan. “While it will take up to five years to assess the full impact of the tree-planting, we should have some initial results by the end of the first growing season” this fall, Terpay said in an e-mail. “One of the success factors we will be looking for is to see if the trees’ bark is absorbing some of the substances in the creosote. If successful, we could embark on a full-scale planting at the site.” To contact writer S. Heather Duncan, call 744-4225 |
Guy Sydney Fried 972-2150 Gloria Roberts 477-1967 owns property there and former mayor told her it is "already approved and will happen" LM on 7/13 and I tried to reply on next Sunday Dave Broyles is Kaolin Engineer, girlfriend shhot vintage firearms with especially Bruce Chase (atty with Social Security) lives in old ms Delacroix Kindergarten house with Kathy Murphy ( 997-1513 cell) who has Macon Mud Clay Studio close by to Ken Taylor's buildings. Dave <dabroyles@cox.net>, Kathy Murphy <claykat@windstream.net>, Bruce Chase <bhchase57@juno.com>, Susan Hanberry <Susan.Hanberry@stratford.org>, Lee Martin <mermaidlover@bellsouth.net>, "Mark L. Jones" <JONES_ML@law.mercer.edu>, "Daniel P. Fischer" <FISCHER_DP@mercer.edu>, Holliday Dental <teeth@mindspring.com>, Brooks Dantzler <brooksdantzler@hotmail.com>, Victor Jones <victor_jones_2000@hotmail.com>, markwoodall@windstream.net, "Morris, Linda - Macon" <lmorris@macon.com> Mike.Kemp@dnr.state.ga.us, Jeff.Cown@dnr.state.ga.us, avm22@netzero.net,??? YouTube Video of Lies - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln95-JYML9M http://www.georgiapublicnotice.com/pages/full_story/push?article-GEORGIA-+BIBB+COUNTY &id=13958116 GEORGIA, BIBB COUNTY -Payne City will hold a public meeting on July 11, 2011 at 6:30 pm at City Hall in Payne City, to discuss the biomedical sterilization processing plant, MedSafe, LLC, 136 Rose Avenue, Payne City, GA 31204. All interested citizens are invited to attend the hearing. Anyone wishing to speak must file a request letter to the Town of Payne City, 112 Green Street, Payne City, GA 31204. #2872619: 6/8-7/7 Payne City Hall 743-4904 7-5-11 I called. A lady who answered the City Hall phone says "...me and Ms Grace dont know nothing about this thing. They hant told us anything. Its Mr Taylor who will be answering the questions... Let me take your number and have him to call you..." |
Ken Taylor - Electrical Company owns warehouse nearest the ballparks on Rose Street. This may be the proposed location of needle/sharps reprocessing. Dawson Moore - Mill Town Market and Dawsons Kitchen - saw the notice in Telegraph Meeting participants: Butch Peeler (older councilman) 743-8901 Freida Ray (27 years resident) 746-4758 Frances and Leland Russell own 5 rental houses, nicely maintained |
| Subject: MedSafe LLC - EHS
Concerns Georgia Department of Natural Resources http://www.gaepd.org <http://www.gaepd.org/>Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Contacts: Jeff Cown - 404 362-2566 - Land Protection and Solid Waste Division. Michael A. Kemp, P.E. Manager - Industrial Solid Waste Unit Atlanta Tradeport, Suite 104 4244 International Parkway Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Ph: (404) 362-4918 Fax: (404) 362-2693 Dear Sirs: In addition to the Open Records Request that I sent to you a few moments ago: Listed below are some questions based on the (lack of information provided at the) Med-Waste Hearing at Payne City on Wednesday evening, August 31, 2011. A number of citizens got together after the meeting, and our discussion evolved into three groups of questions/concerns: 1) Environmental and Chemicals (mix of EPD and OSHA HAZCOM concerns) This is information that GA EPD should have an interest in. Some are a combination of common EPD concerns and OSHA Hazard Communication and response issues, but in either case are very closely related to EPD / EPA issues. 2) Safety and Health (primarily an OSHA concern) These items, while important, may receive no comment from GA EPD. They are essentially outside the scope of what EPD does, but from a Safety and Health perspective are equally critical. OSHA would be the regulatory body to address these. Unfortunately, OSHA typically has very limited involvement with small operations such as this. They are usually only involved when there is a formal complaint or a serious accident or fatality. 3) Infrastructure / Community (mix of EPD and Payne City concerns) These items are mostly related to activity or regulation by Payne City (I would suspect), but GA EPD may include some restrictions as well with regard to handling the medical waste and landfill material. Attached to this email is a Word document, a PDF and plain text version, because we don't know which software everyone has. Thus I have also included the [attachment's] text below my signature. Thank-you for your attention to the concerns of the citizens and the close-in neighbors of Payne City. Sincerely, - Lindsay Holliday ________________________ Comments on the process and environmental, health and safety concerns regarding the MedSafe, LLC planned installation of a medical waste treatment facility. Environmental and Chemicals (mix of EPD and OSHA HAZCOM concerns) ----------------------------------------------------------------- There is conflicting information about how much Sodium Hypochlorite will be stored on-site. A quantity of 1,000 lbs was mentioned, but Ken Taylor also mentioned 500 lbs during the public hearing on August 31st. Mr. Taylor also referenced that the containers were of a double-wall construction when questioned about containment for spills. However, a typical container used in industry is a single-wall “tote” bin that would hold 250-350 gallons. Does this mean there is no provision for secondary containment of the 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite? According to EPA information (CERCLA RQ - 40 CFR 302.4(a)), Sodium Hypochlorite has a Federal Reportable Quantity (RQ) for releases of 100 lbs (pure substance) which correlates to 800 lbs of material at the 12.5% concentration planned for use at the MedSafe, LLC facility. The 12.5% NaOCl solution has a liquid density of 10.4 lbs/gal. Considering the site plans to utilize portable tanks (or totes) of somewhere between 250 gallons (typical in industry) and 500 gallons (as stated by Mr. Taylor), the potential spill quantity from a single container ranges between 2,600 lbs and 5,200 lbs – both of which are significantly in excess of the Federal RQ limit. Hence, an engineered secondary containment system and written spill response plan should be considered minimum requirements in a permit. In the event of a spill, does MedSafe, LLC have the means and/or regulatory approval and training to ship hazardous waste off-site for further neutralization (i.e. EPA ID numbers, RCRA and DOT tr ained personnel, etc)? Are there any other primary chemicals that will be used or stored on-site? The Sodium Hypochorite solution is reactive with certain other chemical compounds, including acids, ammonia, some detergent cleaners, organic materials, oxidizing agents and some reducing agents. If any of these are present, additional segregated secondary containment should be provided for these materials. In addition, highly exothermic reactions with organic materials and oxidizable materials are possible. What types and levels of fire protection are being provided for plant and worker safety? The plant claims there will be no process waste water emitted to the “drain.” This is also the understanding of Macon Water Authority (MWA) who is familiar with their plan. The current concept is for all waste water to be retained for re-processing in subsequent batches. This implies a balance of exactly the amount of water needed with any excess water generated. However, fresh Sodium Hypochlorite will have to be added to each batch to maintain the sanitization standards. Additionally, if the medical waste received contains excess fluids, this could lead to additional liquid handling over time, above what can be utilized through re-processing. What contingency plans does MedSafe, LLC have for handling this potential waste stream? Liquid wastes cannot be landfilled and would have to be handled through an alternate means. Does MedSafe, LLC have the means and/or regulatory approval and training to ship liquid hazardous or infectious wastes off-site for further neutralization or incineration (i.e. EPA ID numbers, RCRA and DOT trained personnel, etc)? Is there any specific restriction(s) on the final waste from the facility or can it be deposited in any “typical” municipal landfill with other household wastes? The planned operation identifies both HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters and Carbon filters to filter air emissions from the processing unit. HEPA filters have a limited lifespan as they filter and collect particulates over time and Carbon filters also lose efficiency and ability to control odors and fumes. What are the requirements regarding frequency of testing, cleaning (if possible), regeneration (if possible), and/or replacement of these two critical system components? Did EPD consider any other similar operations within the state or within the U.S. when approving the location for MedSafe, LLC in Payne City, GA? At present, there are no other confirmed applications of this technology within the United States. The current, planned location is very close to residential property, community parks, restaurants and other businesses. The type of operation described seems to be more suited to a planned industrial park, of which there are several located in the Middle Georgia area. A reference was made to Geiger Counters for each of the trucks that will be hauling waste, presumably to assure that no Radiological Waste is transported to or processed by MedSafe, LLC. Is GA EPD’s Radioactive Materials Program branch involved in the permitting process for this operation to ensure that appropriate recordkeeping, instruments, training, and calibrations are required? Has a Draft Permit been issued? If so, what was the date of the draft permit? Are there any Public Comment periods remaining in the permitting process? Safety and Health (primarily an OSHA concern) --------------------------------------------- Based on Ken Taylor’s description of the process, the system goes through a “pressure cycle” as part of the sterilization. During this stage, what is the operating pressure (psi) of the kill tank? Based on the estimated size of the kill tank, even fairly low pressures could result in a significant amount of energy. Is the kill tank considered a “pressure vessel” and would it be subject to inspection by the state or other agency (to meet ASME International Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code requirements for design, fabrication, inspection, testing and certification)? Are eyewash and safety showers connected to potable water being provided for worker protection within easy access of the Sodium Hypochlorite storage and use area? Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) indicate the following personal protective equipment when handling Sodium Hypochlorite: rubber boots, rubber gloves, rubber apron, chemical goggles and a full-face shield (or full face respirator). Does MedSafe, LLC plan to provide and maintain this PPE for its employees? Some of the information available indicates that MedSafe, LLC employees will be given hearing protection. This could mean that there are noise levels sufficient to require worker hearing protection. What are the expected operating noise levels of the LFB 12-5 SF64 machine? What are the expected operating noise levels at the extent of the building? And finally, what are the expected operating noise levels at the property fence-line? Will the operating hours be limited to typical daytime or day-shift only based on the potential for noise impacts on the surrounding neighborhood? Infrastructure / Community (mix of EPD and Payne City concerns) --------------------------------------------------------------- What types of vehicles are required for delivery of the medical waste to the facility (flatbed, open-body, box, etc)? If open-body trucks are used, are the loads required to be covered? What types of vehicles are required for delivery of the final waste to the landfill (flatbed, open-body, box, etc)? If open-body trucks are used (such as dump trucks), are the loads required to be covered? How many daily trips in and out of the facility are expected? What are the allowed hours of transport? Since this is clearly a residential area, hours of operation should be restricted to typical daytime or day-shift operation. What is the planned route in and out of Payne City, GA? There are several choices, but each access has associated concerns. With any significant heavy vehicle traffic, road deterioration is an expected outcome. Who will have responsibility for the road repairs? Will it be Payne City; MedSafe, LLC; or a combination of the two? |
| Davis, Ginny960-9188(h) partner Leslie Fuchs A partner of a member of the UU Church is a pharmacist who works for a company with a location in Payne City. This company provides (bulk?) meds for Nursing Homes. No known connection at this time to the Incinerator group. At 10:35 AM 6/20/2011, Lee Martin wrote: I can send a snail mail letter to Payne City about speaking at the Med-Safe LLC public meeting. Who should I put down, me, Susan, Lindsay, Brenda ? |
| From: Mark
Woodall [markwoodall@windstream.net] Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 4:19 PM To: Susan Hanberry Subject: Re: biomedical processing plant Hi Susan: Yes, indeed, we are very much aware of the waste to riches schemes of Allen McKee of Geneva, GA. McKee went to school here in Talbot County in Mike Buckner's class. Mike is Rep. Debbie Buckner's husband and he can give you more info at 706-269-3630. I guess you would call McKee a dump thug wannabe. McKee's uncles owned about 2 or 3000 acres of timberland on both sides of the Talbot-Marion County line south of Geneva. Somehow McKee got the land at the death of his two uncles. Before they died, McKee's first bad idea was to mix sewage sludge with other things in Geneva and apply it on the land. The folks in Geneva raised cain about that, passed some city ordinances and litigated the solid waste plan with McKee as I recall. I think that was when EPD first figured out he was a fly by night kind of guy. McKee tried to sublease our old furniture factory in Woodland (owned by the county development authority) from Burton Green 5 or 6 years ago. McKee wanted to do something with medical waste as well as hazardous waste and sludge here. The medical waste was to be sterilized somehow, it wasn't an incinerator. I believe the shredding equipment was English. We got the development authority to kick Burton Green out as the proposal was a violation of the lease. I think McKee tried to get a medical waste incinerator sited with Wayne Elliot in Taylor County before he tried the Macon area. McKee failed as a logger at one point before seeing how much money John Neely and the Watson guy in Taylor County made on the giant landfill there. I guess that is when McKee decided waste was the way to get rich. I think Jeff Cown and the EPD got real tired of dealing with McKee on these projects. If it's just shedding and sterilizing or autoclaving, that's about the least bad of his plans. However, make sure any zoning or permitting is just for that as he will be doing sewage sludge processing and hazardous waste and coal ash, etc. next. Maybe Robert Brown will come raise hell Monday night about the environmental justice angle since he is running for mayor if that would help. Good luck! Mark Woodall 706-674-2242 -----Original Message----- >From: Susan Hanberry >Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 2:27 PM >To: markwoodall@windstream.net >Subject: biomedical processing plant > >Hi Mark, > >Hope you are staying cool this summer. We have a hearing to go to on >Monday. There was a legal ad for a biomedical processing plant in Payne >City. Payne City is a mill town that is in the middle of the city of Macon. >It has a population of 178. It consists of a couple of streets of houses, a >small strip development that has a restaurant, a restaurant in the old mill, >an antique store, and another restaurant. It is right next to a little >league park and a city park that has a lake. Next to that is the old >southern woods Piedmont site. > >The processing plant is not an incinerator, but a shredding and chlorine >sterilization. The waste is then landfilled. As far as I can tell this is >an acceptable technology. However, the site is not good. The old >incinerator in Macon has closed, and it was bought out by Stericycle. > >The guy who wants the permit is Allen McKee from Geneva. We went to EPD to >look at the file, and it mentioned a plant in Geneva. The epd guy said that >they never pursued the permit, and that they also wanted a permit to do >something with sludge and this caused lots of public opposition. McKee also >wants to haul the waste. He has no compliance record in GA. He also made >an application in 2007 to start an incinerator at the same site with our old >friend Wayne Elliot. That was stopped immediately. Old Wayne never gave >up. This McKee guy hangs around with some sleazy people. > >Do you know anything about him? He hails from your neck of the woods. > >Any info would be appreciated. It didn't sound like epd was very impressed >with this guy. > >Thanks! > >Susan From: Susan Hanberry <Susan.Hanberry@stratford.org> To: "mermaidlover@bellsouth.net ...snip... victor_jones_2000@hotmail.com> Subject: my list of questions Questions for Med Safe When and how is the recycled fluid from the kill tank tested for ppm NaOCl? How much free Cl is discharged to the sewer system? How and when is the wastewater discharged to the sewer system tested for free Cl? Who will manage the plant, and what is their training? The rule for public notice requires a sign at the site. Why was there no sign? The public notice in the paper required citizens to sign up ahead of time if they wished to speak. Why was this done? This negates the purpose of a public meeting. There was a letter in the EPD file from the current mayor that states that this system complies with the solid waste management plan for Payne City. Where is this plan? Is it separate from the plan for the City of Macon or Bibb County? If not, then this plant must also be in compliance with the comprehensive solid waste management plan. Does Mr. McKee own or operate any other plants in the US? What is his expertise in the medical waste disposal field? What happened to the plant that Mr. McKee tried to site in Geneva GA? How will the waste be stored if there is a problem at the plant? How long will you keep the waste at the site if there is a problem? What happens if the incoming waste stream exceeds the processing capacity of the plant? What happens to the waste water if there is a leak in the plant? Where does the water go? What happens if there are leaks of waste in the truck or on the loading dock? Where does the decontamination water go? What happens if the exhaust fumes are noticeable? What happens if there is a failure of the air filtration system? Can the hoppers process a partial batch of waste, or must it be the full 1100 lbs? If there isn’t a full batch, how is the waste stored? How will you be sure that only approved waste will enter the facility? There were several conflicting statements about what kind of waste will be treated at the facility. In one place the application stated that it would take chemotherapy waste, but the GA regs. prohibit this. Please clarify. EPD does not track medical waste. How will you track the waste so that you know where the batches come from? Where will these records be kept? What will you do if you find waste that is not compatible? Where will this rejected waste be stored, and what will be done with it? How long will you keep rejected waste? There are several sump pumps on the plans for the facilities. What happens to the fluids and solids in these pumps? What happens if there is a failure of these pumps? How often are the HEPA and carbon air filters changed? How much NaOCl will be stored on site? What happens if there is a leak in this tank? What happens if there is a leak when the tank is filled? Where does any leaked bleach go? A letter in the permit states that there is no body of water close by. Freedom Lake IS close by, and is down-gradient from this facility. How will you keep any waste water from entering the lake? How will the waste be transported inside of the building? Who will transport incoming/outgoing waste? Will the same trucks be used? How will the trucks be decontaminated if there is a spill? Where will this waste water go? How are leaking boxes handled? The permit application states that the particle size after shredding will be 2 inches. It also states that if a particle size greater than 2” “shall be observed” then it will be set aside. Who will do this observing? How will it be done? How often is the shredded waste checked for size problems? What happens to the waste if it can’t be shredded adequately? How much water is used each day at this facility? How much waste water is generated each day? Has the Macon Water Authority been notified about this permit application? The equipment issued to workers listed hearing protection. How much noise will this plant make? How many trucks and what size trucks will enter and leave the site each day? How will they get into the site? Who is responsible for repaving and repairing the roads in Payne City? How many employees will work at this plant? What kind of training/education must they have? |
Med-Safe LLC incineration Medical Sterilization Processing Plant in Payne City? July 11, 2011 at 6:30 pm Cc: "Lee Martin" <mermaidlover ...snip... Susan.Hanberry@stratford.org> http://www.medsafedisposal.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-pill-returns.html How does MedSafe Disposal protect our waterways and drinking water? MedSafe Disposal incinerates ALL received drugs whether they are prescriptions, over-the-counter medications or holistic medicines and vitamins. Incineration is the only alternative that does not leave risk for water contamination. Almost all available resources will advise you to not put your expired, old and unwanted drugs down the drain but many will tell you to mix them with kitty-litter or coffee grounds and dispose of in your regular garbage. MedSafe Disposal does not recommend this since they are still accessible to children and because landfilling is no a guarantee that contamination will not reach the groundwater since leaching may still occur at various sites. At 06:20 PM 6/18/2011, Holliday Dental wrote: http://www.medsafedisposal.com/ According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) are being discovered in our Nation's waterways at very low concentrations. Pharmaceuticals refer to prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs and veterinary drugs." In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey collected water samples from 139 streams in 30 states and determined that 80% of these streams had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids, and reproductive hormones. According to various governmental and scientific agencies exposure to even low levels of drugs has negative effects on fish and other aquatic species, and may also negatively affect human health. The World Health Organization has recently established a task force to study and provide guidance on the management of this threat. As our population grows larger and older the use of pharmaceuticals continues to increase exponentially. MedSafe Disposal is filling a void by offering a cost effective mail-back treatment program needed to get the drugs out of our waterways and our drinking water. http://www.georgiapublicnotice.com/pages/full_story/push?article-GEORGIA-+BIBB+COUNTY &id=13958116 GEORGIA, BIBB COUNTY -Payne City will hold a public meeting on July 11, 2011 at 6:30 pm at City Hall in Payne City, to discuss the biomedical sterilization processing plant, MedSafe, LLC, 136 Rose Avenue, Payne City, GA 31204. All interested citizens are invited to attend the hearing. Anyone wishing to speak must file a request letter to the Town of Payne City, 112 Green Street, Payne City, GA 31204. #2872619: 6/8-7/7 At 04:31 PM 6/18/2011, Lee Martin wrote: This is what I’ve been able to find. Should I send it to Vic for further analysis? L Notice: http://www.georgiapublicnotice.com/pages/full_story/push?article-GEORGIA-+BIBB+COUNTY%20&id=13958116 Web: http://www.linkedin.com/company/medsafe-disposal-llc (?) |
| Pill power plants popping up Old medication being used as an alternative energy source By EMILY FREDRIX Associated Press July 28, 2007, 12:11AM MICHAEL CONROY ASSOCIATED PRESS Pallets of pharmaceutical products are moved to the loading bin at the Covanta Energy Corp. incineration plant in Indianapolis last week. Covanta began converting pharmaceutical waste to energy in the 1990s. Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterFacebookStumbleUponEmail MILWAUKEE — Don't be so quick to throw out that expired blood pressure medication. Drug disposal companies are taking outdated or recalled prescription drugs from pharmacies and manufacturers and incinerating them, generating energy. Milwaukee-based Capital Returns last year created enough energy to power more than 220 homes for a year. To do that, it incinerated 6.5 million pounds of pills and other pharmaceuticals, which are sent from pharmacies and drug manufacturers around the country. The company predicts individuals and not just corporate clients soon will be able to have their unwanted drugs incinerated, too, creating an even larger source of energy. Such a move — which the federal government must OK — would give people an alternative to flushing the often toxic substances down their toilets, which can pollute the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency encourages local drug-collection programs to limit the amount of medication that makes it into the water supply, said Ben Grumbles, the EPA's assistant administrator for water. Using resources Incineration, when done properly, has minimal effect on the environment. But federal approval could take years. In the meantime, pilot disposal programs are sprouting around the country. The push for these programs will grow as the population ages and people rely on more pharmaceuticals, said Len Kaye, director of the University of Maine Center on Aging, which just received an EPA grant to start a pilot program where people return drugs by mail. "That would make it a win-win situation for everybody involved and certainly add to the payoff," said Kaye, who also spearheads a conference of academics and others on ways to expand drug disposal. "We want simply at this point to destroy them properly. That's an accomplishment in and of itself." The pharmaceutical disposal industry — now only used by manufacturers and pharmacies — started in the early 1990s. Before that, pharmacies had to do returns themselves or wait for pharmaceutical companies to pick up unwanted drugs and handle destruction. Since the beginning, Capital Returns decided to use incineration plants that convert to energy to limit environmental impact, said president Larry Hruska. Last year it created nearly 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to light up 220 homes for a year. The electrical industry figures the average home uses 9,000 kilowatt hours a year. "Instead of just having this product go some place and be destroyed, and have no benefit whatsoever because it's dumped in the ground, it's great it's able to create some energy and a resource that people are able to use," he said. A growing trend Capital Returns has 28 percent of the returns market and expects a 20 percent increase this year in revenue, Hruska said. He would not give dollar figures for the company, a unit of privately owned GENCO, based in Pittsburgh. There are about 40 medical returns companies — called "reverse distributors" — registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to its Web site. Even though Capital Returns figures only about 1 percent of all drugs are returned, either because of recall or expiration, there's plenty to be had. The company estimates the value of pharmaceuticals returned to third-party disposal companies each year is $4 billion to $5 billion, though that's not what disposal companies are paid. It declined to release such numbers. Pharma Logistics, which takes drugs back from pharmacies, sends about 24,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals — a semi-truck full — for disposal each week to the same incineration plant Capital Returns uses. President Mike Zaccaro said they chose the plant because it generates energy. He figures the entire industry disposes of about 16 million pounds of pharmaceuticals a year. Covanta Energy Corp. has converted waste to energy for 20 years, using everything from municipal sludge to everyday trash. It has incinerated pharmaceuticals since the mid-1990s, and now does such disposals at 21 of its 32 facilities, said spokesman Derek Porter. Porter said pharmaceutical disposal is a small, but growing, part of the business. The Ind-ianapolis plant sells steam directly to the local utility, though the majority of Covanta's other plants harvest the steam created from incineration and use that to create electricity, which is then sold to utilities. Capital Returns is devising its own pilot program for consumers to mail back medications in a three-county area around Milwaukee. A tiny amount of energy States are starting to craft their own pilot programs as well, and some of them create energy. The state of Washington has tested return programs at pharmacies in a five-county area since last October. People return their unused drugs anonymously at pharmacies, and they are eventually incinerated and turned into energy, said Emma Johnson, resource efficiency coordinator for solid waste programs in the state's Department of Ecology. The incineration is done, for now, at the Spokane Waste-To-Energy facility, though Johnson said the program hopes to switch to a hazardous waste facility if it can get waivers to handle such materials from the government. So far, they've collected about 2,000 pounds of medicine. That translates into a tiny amount of energy — she couldn't even estimate it — but any amount helps, she said. Most program participants don't know their drugs are being turned into power, she said. They like knowing their drugs aren't getting into the hands of children, pets or people abusing medication, or that they won't pollute nearby water. "There are a lot of people out there who really want to do the right thing," Johnson said. "They just don't have either the resources or some place convenient to go." Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/5007805.html |
| To: Crawford Development Subject: for brenda carroll Brenda, There is a proposal to open an unused/expired medication incineration unit in Payne City. I thought we killed this beast. I am going to do some research on the epd site, but wanted you in the loop. I will call you in the next couple of days. See if you can find out anything about it from your sources. The hearing info is below. GEORGIA, BIBB COUNTY GEORGIA, BIBB COUNTY -Payne City will hold a public meeting on July 11, 2011 at 6:30 pm at City Hall in Payne City, to discuss the biomedical sterilization processing plant, MedSafe, LLC, 136 Rose Avenue, Payne City, GA 31204. All interested citizens are invited to attend the hearing. Anyone wishing to speak must file a request letter to the Town of Payne City, 112 Green Street, Payne City, GA 31204. #2872619: 6/8-7/7 Read more: Georgia Press Association Public Notice Website - GEORGIA BIBB COUNTY Notice: http://www.georgiapublicnotice.com/pages/full_story/push?article-GEORGIA-+BIBB+COUNTY%20&id=13958116 Web: http://www.linkedin.com/company/medsafe-disposal-llc (?) http://www.safemeddisposal.com/documents/pharmaceuticaldisposaljuly07.pdf This link has industry blah blah http://www.inciner8.com/?gclid=CJu4tdD0xKkCFYrr7QodEhM5Ww Incineration is easy! Buy one off the shelf http://www.energyjustice.net/incineration/ This is the old Rachel's site and has great stuff. All incinerators are incinerators. http://www.epa.gov/ttn/nsr/gen/rm_2.html epa doc that defines all incinerators as municipal incinerators. The above doc states some tonnage limitations for air qual regs, and I am still checking around to see if they slide under some rule. It sounds like these things are small cash cows that are popping up all over the place. Here's an excerpt from the National Park Service comments on the Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project: "Compliance Monitoring We recommend that a filterable PM10 limit and Continuous Emissions Monitor (CEM) requirements be added. For example, the West Virginia Division of Air Quality (WVDAQ) has included both filterable and condensable PM10 in its permit limit for Longview Power, and proposed that PM emissions be monitored by a CEM within 18 months of boiler start-up or when performance specifications for such monitors are promulgated, whichever comes later.[1] We continue to believe that CEMs are an important tool for monitoring compliance. For that reason, we recommend that a PM CEM be installed upon startup. [1] Those CEM Performance Specifications were later promulgated by EPA on 1/12/04." EPA's comments submitted on 3/11/2005, were as follows: "The proposed plan approval requires annual stack testing to assure compliance with the particulate matter emission limits from the CFB and its associated fabric-filter baghouse. In light of the evolution of CEMS systems for particulate matter, EPA is strongly urging the requirement to install and operate a particulate matter CEMS at the proposed facility. Currently, there are several facilities that operate PM CEMS and have demonstrated that the systems are reliable and accurate. These are Tampa Electric power plant (Florida), Eli Lilly Corporation (Indiana), and the U.S. Department of Energy (Tennessee). EPA has also secured commitments from up to 30 existing coal-fired utility installations to install PM CEMS over the next couple of years. It is fair to assume that the state of technology for PM CEMS will be even further evolved by the time the proposed Robinson Power facility begins operation. Further, the facility will be required to establish a compliance assurance monitoring plan (CAM) as part of its title V operating permit and the federal CAM regulations strongly encourage reliance on continuous monitoring systems as a means for assuring compliance. Also, the upcoming re-designation of the area to nonattainment for PM2.5 suggests that more timely and accurate data regarding PM emissions from the proposed facility would be important information." |
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Holliday Dental Associates 360 Spring Street Macon, GA 31201 |
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