About this Manual

The purpose of all Emission Estimation Technique (EET) Manuals in this series is to assist Australian manufacturing, industrial, and service facilities to report emissions of listed substances to the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI). This Manual describes the procedures and recommended approaches for estimating emissions from incineration operations.

EET MANUAL: Sewage Sludge and Biomedical Waste Incineration

HANDBOOK: Waste Disposal Services

ANZSIC CODE: 9634

This Manual applies to the following general types of incinerator operation:

- Biomedical waste incineration (both hospital operated incinerators and centralised commercially operated biomedical waste incinerators); and
- Sewage sludge incineration.

No general solid waste incineration facilities, (eg. municipal waste incinerators), were identified in Australia as meeting the NPI reporting thresholds.

It is important to recognise that incineration facilities are frequently part of larger operations (eg. a hospital). If your facility undertakes other activities that could lead to the release of NPI substances, you should refer to the relevant EET Manual for additional information on characterising emissions from these activities. The NPI Guide, at the front of this Handbook, provides guidance to help you determine whether your facility or operation is required to report under the NPI.

First published in February 1999
National Pollutant Inventory
Environment Australia

Emission Estimation Techniques Used in the Manuals

Estimates of emissions of NPI-listed substances to air, water and land should be reported for each substance that triggers a threshold. The reporting list and detailed information on thresholds are contained in the NPI Guide at the front of this Industry Handbook. In general, there are four types of emission estimation technique (EET) that may be used to estimate emissions from a facility.

The four types described in the NPI Guide are:

• sampling or direct measurement
• mass balance
• fuel analysis or other engineering calculations
• emission factors