Open Pit Burning
General Facts and Information
This fact sheet answers common health and safety questions about open pit burning. Basic information is provided on why solid and liquid wastes may be burned, the pollutants that may be produced, the potential impact to human health and environment, exposure assessment and control methods, and pollution prevention alternatives. Why burn waste in an open pit? Waste is burned in an open pit when either hauling trash to an appropriate disposal site or sanitary discharges of latrine wastes are not available options. This practice can be harmful to human health and environment and should only be used until more suitable disposal capabilities are established. The U.S. Army has noted that under military field conditions, solid and liquid wastes can be as much as 100 pounds per day per person (USACHPPM Fact Sheet 65-035-0503). If human wastes cannot be chemically treated or buried, burning of waste may be a necessity to prevent the development and spread of disease carried by flies, rats, and other vermin. What are the pollutants that may be produced? Burning solid wastes in an open pit generates numerous pollutants. These pollutants include dioxins, particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, hexachlorobenzene, and ash. Highly toxic dioxins, produced in small amounts in almost all burning processes, can be produced in elevated levels with increased combustion of plastic waste (such as discarded drinking water bottles) and if the combustion is not at high incinerator temperatures. Inefficient combustion of medical or latrine wastes can emit disease-laden aerosols. Recommended Reading and Caution: The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) has issued an informative fact sheet on Solid Waste Burning (Trash and Feces Fires) Medical, #65-035-0503. This fact sheet addresses important issues involving exposures, personal protective equipment, and countermeasures for deployed personnel. Caution - advisements appropriate for burning of these field wastes in general may not address specific issues unique to a particular site (example: significant increase in plastic disposal from drinking water bottles). Consultation with a Bioenvironmental Engineer is highly recommended. What are the potential impacts? The mixture of trash, latrine wastes, medical wastes, and uniquely increased plastic drinking bottle wastes, combined with the less than ideal incineration conditions in an open burn pit, yield a hazardous operation with potential impacts to human health and environment. Generally, combustion products will be made safer by increasing the heat of combustion. Low heat, smoldering fires, tend to emit toxic compounds and aerosolized viable organisms and, with less buoyancy to loft the plume for atmospheric dilution, are more likely to increase the dosage of exposure to people in the vicinity and downwind. Therefore the combustion process needs ample ventilation and the careful addition of appropriate fuel. What are the control methods? There are several control methods that can be considered to minimize the potential health and environmental impacts. If possible, the burn pit should be sited away from personnel, public, and environmentally sensitive areas. Impacts can be minimized if wastes can be separated and non-medical waste plastics recycled. High temperature incinerators destroy biohazards, decompose dioxins and other toxic compounds, and loft the plume higher for better dilution. Personnel supporting the burn operation need personal protective equipment for respiratory protection, biohazard shielding, heat protection, and fire hazard if handling supplemental fuel. Meteorological criteria may be appropriate to protect downwind populations, promote plume lofting and mixing, assure forecast certainty, and confirm plume heading. What are the pollution prevention alternatives? One persons waste is another persons treasure. DOD Instruction 4715.1 on Pollution Prevention encourages the establishment of recycling programs. With the everincreasing proportion of recyclable plastics being brought into the field during military deployments (MRE wrappers, drinking water bottles, etc), force health protection necessitates consideration for recycling.
How are exposures assessed? A Bioenvironmental Engineer can monitor for potential health and environmental impacts. Such monitoring may involve the following: Dioxins: Dioxin is actually the chemical 2,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Dioxins include a group of compounds of similar structure. In addition to TCDD they include polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Frequently known as a contaminant associated with the defoliant Agent Orange, dioxins are commonly produced from many combustion processes and can easily contaminate food chains by depositing on plants that are consumed by animals and in turn accumulating into fat tissue. Dioxins are toxic and research continues to assess the complexity of health effects. Elevated emissions of dioxins can occur from incomplete combustion of plastic material. The U.S. Army Technical Guide TG-251, Chapter 6, provides descriptions of EPA-approved sampling methods. Methods TO-1 and TO-9A using PUF media (high volume method) are used for monitoring dioxins. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced from the incomplete combustion of organic materials (wood, paper, garbage). While human conclusions have not yet been sufficiently completed, animal studies have shown harmful effects to skin, body fluids, and ability to fight disease. Monitoring via EPA-approved Method TO-13, using either PUF or XAD (fiberglass) high volume method, is recommended to assess PAH emissions from open pit burning. Volatile organic compounds: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that evaporate readily into the air. VOCs include substances such as benzene, toluene, methylene chloride, and methyl chloroform. When in combination with nitrogen oxides (NOx), ground level ozone and smog can be produced causing health problems such as decreased lung function with coughing, nausea, chest pain, and pulmonary congestion. VOCs can be monitored using Method TO-1 using Tenex media, Method TO-14 using SUMMA canister, or Method TO-17 using solid sorbant media. Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is a common toxic product of combustion and can be measured using a Multi-Gas Monitor.
Hexachlorobenzene: Hexachlorobenzene is a combustion product of burning municipal waste. It is carcinogen that can remain in the environment for a long time as it breaks down very slowly and sticks strongly to soil and vegetation. For monitoring, use EPA Method TO-10. Other monitoring methods are available using PUF and XAD collection and GC/ECD, GC/MS, or GC/PID analyses. Particulate matter: Particles in the air affect the ability to efficiently breathe. Particles may exist in many different sizes. Health is impacted in differing ways depending on various amounts in ranges of particle size. Particulate matter is expressed in terms of total suspended particle (TSP) mass and is also described as a function of size range: PM2.5 (mass of particles up to 2.5 micron in diameter) and PM10 (mass of particles up to 10 micron in diameter). Both PM10 (big) and PM2.5 (small) particles can cause respiratory health problems. The smaller PM2.5 can travel deeper into the lungs and may be made up of toxic heavy metals and cancer causing organic compounds. A low-volume Mini-Vol Particulate Sampler can measure TSP, PM2.5, and PM10. Other issues: Ash may contain toxic metals that may become airborne if dry and not handled carefully. On the other hand, aerosolized viable organisms may be present in the ash, as well as in the smoke, and become a greater problem if moistened. Fuel handling hazards and waste handling biohazards are also likely. Respiratory, dermal, and eye protection needs consideration if working at an open pit burn site. The site sampling strategy: A monitoring network should be considered to sample pollutants emitted from the open burn pit to document exposures, if any, to personnel and public. Monitors should be strategically deployed depending on the locations of people, prevailing meteorological conditions, and the spatial scale involved. Typical spatial scales are microscale (1100m), midscale (100m-0.5 Km), neighborhood scale (0.5-5.0 Km), urban scale (5-50 Km), and regional scale (>50 Km). Spatial scales are selected based on monitoring objectives. Micro and mid scales are used to document high concentrations affecting specific people or vegetation. Urban scale is used to document high density population exposures. Regional scale is used to assess background concentration. Sensors should be 23m above ground and away from roads and other interferences.
Where can I get more information? Source for more information:
Air Force Institute of Operational Health (AFIOH) Phone: 1-888-232-ESOH (3764), Internet URL: http://starview.brooks.af.mil/afioh/ U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine (CHPPM) Internet URL: http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/doem/
