TVOC limit at Common TSDF, Alternate Fuel & Incineration Facility 1

[amehta2678]

We are a common facility engaged in preparing alternate fuel from Industrial Hazardous Waste.
We receive all kinds of hazardous waste from different industries at our facility.
We receive waste such as Spent solvent, Distillation residues, Off specification products, Process waste, Spent Mother liquor,
Incinerable organic material, Spent carbon / Catalyst, Waste & spent oil etc....
These waste comes from pharmaceutical, agro chemical, petrochemicals, Dye intermediates etc...
As we are a common facility we accept all kind of waste useful for alternate fuel preparation which is later supplier to cement plant.

In the process of Safety SOP development, we are facing certain issues because it is difficult to work out proper SOP for gaseous hazards during operation. It is not clear how to work out ceiling values for gases generated from the handling of such waste when you have to handle a mixture of chemicals or gases.

Toxic Gases are generated from decomposition, due to volatility and some times due to non compatibility during waste mixing process.

I need help from experts on how to develop SOP for handling - T-VOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) and other hazardous gas generated at treatment storage and disposal facility.


1. Is there any guideline available or standards in practice ? How the ceiling limit is decided for gaseous mix ?

2. How should we develop Standard operating procedure to accept or reject waste based on toxic gas concentration in the hazardous waste apart from Screening methods of EPA. ?h
Example of Toxic Gas : All Solvents - VOC, Aniline, Cyanide, Sulfide, phosgene, etc...

3. How to find best respirator for multi-gas environment at one place ?

4. Safety manual or Safety SOP of TSDF / Common Incineration facility

Please help in this matter & guide.

Any web site (apart from USEPA), Consultant or books in this regard will also help.

Ashish Mehta
India

 

[GeoEnvGuy]

If your industry were in Ontario, Canada you would need to conduct a study (air monitor on worker or daily stations) and perform real time monitoring for acute effects (typically poisonous gas locations) to determine the hazards you are exposing your workers to with the limits provided in the link. Given that it is variable as is with a lot of processes buildings and areas are designated by levels of protection, including half mask, full mask, appropriate filters, full respiratory system, and what i call space suits. The regulations provide limits but if someone still becomes ill or injured the owner is still liable for not taking every reasonable precaution.

https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/oel_table.php