This Annex is based on the book, “Plasma Arc and Other Thermal Destruction Technologies Applied to Persistent Organic Pollutants”, by Calvin R. Brunner and Timothy D. Van Epp, 2004. Despite the book’s focus on one specific type of hazardous waste, and its date, the methodology presented below, taken verbatim from Chapter 9, was based on nearly 25 years of experience in planning hazardous waste management facilities and is believed to still be applicable today to management of hazardous wastes of all types. It is also an example of the content, organization, and level of detail typically required to obtain funding or financing from international donor organizations for projects of this type.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a problem throughout the world, north and south, east and west, developed and undeveloped.  Aside from the United Nations Stockholm Convention on POPs discussed in Chapter 1, there are very few institutional mechanisms or facilities to deal with this problem in the industrial world, and far fewer in the developing nations.  It is important to develop procedures for addressing the POPs problem, including control of their manufacture and removal from the environment.  Dedicated facilities are often required for their removal;  a roadmap for planning and implementing such facilities is presented in this chapter.

This chapter identifies the factors and provides analytical guidance for the planning and implementation of facilities for thermal treatment or disposal of POPs.  The factors are similar to those used for developing regional hazardous waste management facilities (HWMFs) in general.  Given the persistent characteristic of POPs and the attendant heightened public and government attention, it is critical to identify, evaluate, and plan, systematically and rigorously, all actions necessary to implement POP management facilities successfully.

This chapter is organized and presented as a series of planning tasks required for POP facility implementation.  It can be used, alternatively or sequentially, as a technical approach for a feasibility study, the core of a work plan (with the addition of staffing, schedule, and resource estimates), or a template for an overall project action plan or implementation plan.  The tasks presented include:

Task 1 – Conduct technical analysis

Task 2 – Conduct economic analysis

Task 3 – Conduct financial analysis

Task 4 – Conduct regulatory analysis

Task 5 – Design public consultation

Task 6 – Conduct site selection

Task 7 – Prepare facility permit application

Task 8 – Prepare implementation plan

HWMF planning and development is a complex and expensive process that is stringently regulated and closely monitored by environmental and other government authorities in the country where the facility will be built.  Whether the facility sponsor is a government agency or private company, several different specialties will need to be applied, including engineering, science, economics, finance, planning, and law, among others. In addition, the government agency or agencies that regulate the development and permitting of HWMFs – as well as the source of financing ultimately utilized for a given proposed HWMF – will govern the types of information and analyses that need to be provided during facility planning.

Typical tasks that are required for the development and permitting of a HWMF that will apply thermal destruction to the control of POPs are listed below; however, these are necessarily site-specific.  Additional analyses may be required, depending on the waste quantity, waste distribution, governmental issues, and other factors. Generally, however, the following tasks represent a fairly comprehensive set of requirements for facility development and implementation.