Cornell University Cornell Sustainable Campus

The mission of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine (CCVM) is to advance animal and human health through education, research, and public service. Since 1985, the CCVM Incinerator Facility has supported the mission of the CCVM by effectively disposing of pathological wastes. However, the incinerator is approaching the end of its useful life, and consistently requires major maintenance to operate in compliance with applicable regulations. New pathological waste treatment facilities are needed to provide a long-term, cost-effective solution to meet the CCVM's waste management requirements and the challenges posed by emerging disease agents (e.g., prions) in an environmentally responsible manner.

In addition, for over a decade, the CCVM has shipped its conventional Regulated Medical Waste (cRMW) to an off-site, commercial facility for treatment. This method involves the transportation of untreated medical wastes over public roads, which, compared to on-site treatment, has an increased risk of public exposure to infectious wastes. The CCVM has determined that on-site treatment of cRMW can eliminate this risk at reasonable cost, and therefore has requested the installation of on-site cRMW treatment facilities.

Community Collaborative Decision-Making

Cornell initially proposed to replace the incinerator with a new incinerator and state-of-the-art air pollution controls. Many members of the Ithaca and Cornell community opposed a new incinerator because of residual air emissions even after control - the primary objection was to the toxic air contaminant dioxin. Due to intense public pressure, Cornell halted advancement of the replacement incinerator project and entered into a collaborative consensus-based decision making effort with representatives of 17 community groups. After two years of study and debate, there was consensus on two non-burn technologies - alkaline hydrolysis and the steam sterilization - as the replacement for incineration.

An Environmental Impact Statement was prepared, and finalized after public hearings in 2003 and 2004.

The New Facility

The new Waste Management Facility uses the Alkaline Hydrolysis process to treat approximately 750,000 lb/yr of carcass waste at the CCVM, with a maximum capacity to treat approximately 10,000 lb/day of carcass wastes. The Facility uses the Internal Steam Sterilization process to treat approximately 5,000 lb/yr of bedding and 150,000 lb/yr of cRMW, with a maximum capacity to treat approximately 1,000 lb/day. The project involved the installation of these processes adjacent to the CCVM Necropsy Facility at Schurman Hall, in the location of the CCVM Incinerator Facility, and removal of the existing incinerator.

The Alkaline Hydrolysis technology dissolves carcass waste in a high temperature, high pressure, alkaline environment. The non-infectious by products of the process include a brine-like wastewater (i.e., "hydrolysate"), and solid by products known as "cremains" consisting of bone fragments and non-degradable matter such as cellulose materials (e.g., grass). This technology has demonstrated effectiveness in treating infectious carcass waste at multiple full-scale installations and was pilot-tested at the CCVM in July 2000. The technology has been shown to be capable of destroying prions, commonly known as the agent responsible for "mad cow" disease.

The Internal Steam Sterilization (ISS) technology sterilizes bedding waste and conventional regulated medical waste (cRMW) in the presence of high temperature steam. The process, which does not significantly change the physical or chemical characteristics of the wastes, has demonstrated effectiveness at multiple installations. Following treatment in an ISS unit, cRMW is shredded into an unrecognizable state so it can be safely landfilled.

Increased Protection of Public Health

Potentially infectious cRMW will be treated at the Waste Management Facility in lieu of off-site transportation and treatment, reducing the potential for public exposure to cRMW. Also, as discussed below, decommissioning of the existing CCVM incinerator will result in a significant decrease in air emissions compared with the existing Incinerator Facility and improve air quality in the greater-Ithaca area. The significant reduction in air pollutants and greenhouse gases (e.g., NOx and CO2) will result in a positive impact on public health. In addition to the elimination of toxic dioxin emission, the following emissions will be effectively eliminated:

• Elimination of 3100 pounds of particulate per year
• Elimination of 900 pounds of sulfur dioxide per year
• Elimination of 1000 pounds of nitrogen oxides per year

Decreased Energy Consumption

The new Facility substantially decreases energy consumption by replacing the incinerator, which consumes significant volumes of natural gas. Additionally, treatment of hydrolysate wastewater at the IAWWTF generates methane gas to be used to generate heat and power at the IAWWTF. Anaerobic biological treatment of hydrolysate will maximize energy production.

• There is an 82% reduction in the energy used in waste treatment. The incinerator currently uses 17 Billion BTU/yr, which will be reduced to 3 Billion Btu/yr.

Approvals Required

Prior to construction, the CCVM and/or SUCF performed the following to address applicable regulatory requirements:

• Obtained from NYSDEC a 6NYCRR Part 360 Solid Waste Disposal Facility Permit to Construct and Operate the proposed Waste Management Facility.
• Addressed NYSDEC requirements for air emissions from the new facility under 6NYCRR Part 212 (General Process Emissions Sources).
• Coordinated NYSDOH approval of the specific Alkaline Hydrolysis unit proposed for installation at the CCVM.

For more information, contact Paul Jennette, CCVM BioSafety Engineer jpj22@cornell.edu.