It has been well recognized that, although there are many potential solid waste treatment technologies, none are as universally applicable as incineration for the treatment of the many types of waste which are governed by the many different Federal laws and State regulations. However, incinerators may release trace amounts of unwanted combustion by-products, particularly if the incinerators are not well designed or properly operated. Control of emissions of combustion by-products (CBPs) is one of the major technical and sociological issues surrounding the implementation of incineration as a waste treatment alternative. Much of this is due to the lack of detailed knowledge about CBPs. The Clean Air Act Amendment is emphasizing the control of toxic air pollutants from all combustion sources; some of these pollutants are CBPs. CBPs include: (1) unburned principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs); (2) products of incomplete combustion (PICs); (3) metals emissions; and (4) residuals/ashes. The Paper is a part of a series of writings on the subject of the CBP issue from EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio. It specifically addresses the aspect of hazardous waste characteristics. The main objective of the series is to compare combustion by-products from all combustion sources including fossil fuel combustion and waste incineration, which hopefully will serve as an initial step in the eventual minimization of the release of CBPs to the environment.

"Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory." "EPA/600/D-90/224." "PB91-162396." Microfiche.