BPLHD: Hospitals' Incinerators Unlicensed

By Ulul Maskuriah

Amuntai, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - Head of Monitoring and Recovery of South Kalimantan Regional 

Environment Monitoring Agency (BPLHD), Ninuk Murtini, reveal almost all hospitals in this province do not have permission to perform combustion of organic materials.

Ninuk in Amuntai on Thursday revealed incinerator being placed in all hospitals in South Kalimantan are used to treat a variety of medical waste and other hazardous wastes where pathogens and toxins can be destroyed by chemical in high temperature.

"It's only Ulin General Hospital has license," said Ninuk on the sidelines of Exposure Assessment and Development in Amuntai.

Meanwhile, if the use of this technology does not comply KLH procedures, it could jeopardize the hospital workers and surrounding communities.

Incineration with energy recovery is one of the tech waste-to-energy (WTE). Incinerators can cause health hazards to incinerators workers and the environment, because of the high gas of dangerous combustion process.

"If the operation of this device does not meet the required technical provisions from KLH it can be harmful to humans, because in a few years earlier incinerator is not even equipped with separation facilities of hazardous materials and recycling facility," said Ninuk.

Ninuk confirms there are standards that regulate what substances are allowed to waste released into the air or to 

what degree, so it is not harmful to humans and the environment.

She appealed to hospitals to take care their incinerators licenses for their benefit as soon as possible, because in 

addition to hospital performance appraisal purposes it is to avoid air pollution from hazardous wastes.

"It is a mandatory for a hospital and I call out to take care of licensing as soon as possible," she said.