Major Violations Uncovered at Curtis Bay Medical Waste Incinerator Facility
A medical waste incinerator company in Curtis Bay, Maryland has recently come under scrutiny for multiple violations related to their handling and disposal of medical waste. Curtis Bay Energy has agreed to pay $1.75 million in fines and penalties for their egregious actions, which have left many residents feeling ill at the thought of what has transpired.
The company was found to have mishandled various types of waste, including used hospital gloves and gowns, bandages and dressings, human tissue and fluid samples, and chemicals. The full extent of their misconduct is still unknown, as the company failed to keep adequate records and did not properly burn, sterilize, or treat the waste.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has worked tirelessly to bring some level of justice to this situation. However, many are left wondering how and why this was allowed to happen in the first place, especially those living in the South Baltimore area near the incinerator.
The details of the violations are alarming, to say the least. Investigators from the state attorney general’s office reported fluid leaking from one of Curtis Bay Energy’s trucks for two hours on two separate occasions, enough to coat their own cars. Much of the inadequately burned waste was simply shipped out to a landfill in Virginia. This raises concerns about what other undisclosed incidents may have occurred outside the view of investigators and well beyond Maryland’s statute of limitations on environmental crimes. The biggest threat, of course, is to the health and safety of the people living in close proximity to the incinerator.
While disposing of medical waste is undoubtedly a challenging task, questions arise about the location of such a facility. Curtis Bay Energy’s incinerator is the largest medical waste facility in the nation, handling tons of red bags of waste from across the mid-Atlantic region. However, if such a facility is necessary, why was it situated near a densely populated area? Furthermore, if burning medical waste is truly the best method of disposal (despite some experts disagreeing), then oversight and vigilance should be heightened to address the significant risks involved.
Concerns over medical waste disposal are not new, as many older Americans may recall the outrage in the 1980s when medical waste, including used syringes, regularly washed ashore on popular beaches. This prompted federal action, resulting in the Medical Waste Tracking Act. However, this act was allowed to expire in 1991, leaving much of the responsibility for regulating medical waste in the hands of individual states with federal guidance. The recent violations at Curtis Bay Energy suggest that the regulation and enforcement may not have been sufficiently aggressive in addressing this issue.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests numerous alternative methods of medical waste disposal on its website, including microwaving, steam sterilization, chemical treatments, and electro pyrolysis. The goal of these methods is to render the material non-infectious without generating large volumes of smoke and particulate matter that could potentially pose a health risk to South Baltimore and surrounding areas. It is worth investigating whether these alternative methods deserve further consideration.
It is important for stakeholders to prioritize public health and safety over financial interests. While private equity firm Aurora Capital Partners, which acquired the facility in 2021, may not bear responsibility for the past violations, it is crucial for Governor Wes Moore and the General Assembly to evaluate the operation of the medical incinerator and consider whether it should be allowed to continue operating under current parameters, or at all. Just as the recent mass shootings at nearby Brooklyn Homes have triggered a serious evaluation of Maryland’s approach to youth crime, a similar investigation is warranted for the medical waste incinerator given the potential risks involved.
In conclusion, the revelations of major violations at the Curtis Bay medical waste incinerator facility in Maryland have raised serious concerns about the handling and disposal of medical waste. The company’s actions have endangered public health, and it is imperative that further investigations are conducted to prevent similar incidents in the future. The community deserves answers and reassurance that their well-being is being prioritized over financial considerations.
