250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-140-05-4.2

Current through October 15, 2024

Section 250-RICR-140-05-4.2 - Incinerator and Resource Recovery Facility Design Standards

A. On-Site Roads and Vehicle Areas: The facility shall be designed in a manner which prevents traffic backups and related traffic hazards on access roads serving the facility and allows for an even and fluid vehicle flow on-site. The on-site roadway design configuration and layout shall provide sufficient roadway for unobstructed vehicular passages. Unobstructed vehicle passage shall be achieved and/or enhanced using parking areas, providing maneuvering space in the loading and unloading areas, and with traffic control measures (i.e. lane delineations, signals, directional and speed signs, and barriers, etc.). All on-site roadways used by refuse and residue vehicles shall be constructed and surfaced in accordance with standards for heavy truck usage.

B. Fencing and Gates: The facility shall be designed with perimeter security fencing, where necessary, and with gate controls to prevent unauthorized access to the site and to control the off-site escape of litter. Metallic chain link fencing, or its equivalent, extending to a height of six feet, shall be the minimum design standard.

C. Emergency Access: Provisions for emergency access, including roads if necessary, for fire, police, rescue, etc., must be included in facility design.

D. Waste Size Reduction Equipment: All such equipment which, due to the nature of its operation, may have the potential for explosion, shall be designed and equipped with an effective explosion detection and suppression system which shall be situated within the facility in such a manner so as to prevent the explosion and/or directionalize the force of any explosion in order to effectively minimize potential of human injury and minimize damage to the building.

E. Waste and Residue Storage Area Features: All tipping floors, sorting pads, waste or residue storage areas, bunkers and pits, where heavy vehicle usage will be employed, shall be constructed of concrete or other similar quality material and be able to maintain traction in wet and dry conditions. Floor drains shall be provided in all such areas and surfaces shall be appropriately graded to facilitate wash down operations. Floor drains shall be designed to recycle wastewater for appropriate uses or into a collection and treatment system approved by the Department and/or other appropriate authorities. If waste or residue storage pits are utilized, the base and sidewalls shall be sufficiently waterproofed to prevent groundwater intrusion. Tipping floors shall be designed with suitable wheel stops to prevent vehicles overdriving the pit edge.

F. Prohibited Waste in Refuse Pit: A part of the tipping floor shall include an area designed to accept prohibited waste or other waste that, for any reason, gets into the storage pit and needs to be unloaded from the pit.

G. Waste Storage Capacity: The facility shall be designed with sufficient internal storage areas for unprocessed incoming solid waste. The design shall account for maximum anticipated facility loading rate.

H. Temporary Holding and Storage Areas for Non-Processed Waste: The facility design shall include temporary holding areas for hot loads and prohibited loads, and temporary storage area of sufficient capacity and appropriate design for bypassed, separated, or recycled solid waste, where applicable.

I. Random Load Inspection Area: An area shall be included in the facility design for random inspection of incoming waste loads.

J. Hazardous Waste Storage Area: A hazardous waste storage area is required. The temporary storage area must be in compliance with hazardous waste regulations governing temporary storage areas for generators of hazardous waste.

K. Dust and Odors: Storage areas for solid waste to be incinerated at the facility shall be designed with the capability of maintaining interior pressure below that of the exterior atmosphere and shall employ a system of delivery doors, designed and operated to minimize the potential for migration of odors and dust outside the confines of the waste receiving and storage building. Air drawn off, as a result of maintaining negative pressure, shall be directed to the combustion chamber.

L. Feed Hoppers: The waste loading system servicing the combustion chambers shall be designed and equipped in such a manner as to prevent the occurrence of backfire into the feed hopper. The feed hopper shall also be designed to allow removal of refuse in case of equipment failure or plant shutdown.

M. Combustion Equipment: The combustion chambers and ancillary support equipment shall be designed with the capability of handling and effectively disposing of those wastes authorized for receipt at the proposed facility, taking into account the expected normal fluctuations in quantity, moisture content, heat release value, and chemical makeup of the wastes.

N. Instrumentation and Controls: Where possible, the facility subsystems shall be equipped with automatic process controls which contain the necessary instrumentation and related feedback mechanisms to ensure that process operational parameters are being met. Automated systems shall be equipped with manual override capabilities. Instrumentation displays and related control mechanisms shall be positioned within the facility in an accessible and highly visible manner for monitoring purposes.

O. Component and System Reliability: Redundant features or other system layout aspects shall be incorporated into the facility design to maximize on-line availability for the receipt of processing of solid waste. Mechanical components shall be constructed of materials that will withstand the rigors of facility operation and shall have a rated capacity that prevents backups and blockages within the related system. Replacement equipment and parts for equipment which is subject to excess wear or frequent breakdown, due to the nature of operation, shall be stored on-site to provide expedient repair. A properly sized parts storage area shall be included in the facility.

P. Facility Support Equipment: Appropriate heavy equipment and other facility operational support equipment, and a storage area for this equipment, shall be provided at the facility.

Q. Ash Design Standards: Design standards for the system of ash handling, collection, transfer and storage are provided in § 4.4 of this Part.

R. Liquids Spill Control: The facility shall be designed and equipped with appropriate control mechanisms to minimize and contain the accidental spillage of reagents, lubricants or other liquids used in the operation or maintenance of the facility, or any waste generated by such operation.

S. Fire Protection: The facility shall be provided with adequate stationary and portable firefighting equipment designed, sized and located to provide protection throughout the facility. The facility shall be designed with alarm and fire protection systems capable of detecting, controlling, and extinguishing any and all fires that may occur during operation.

T. Communication Systems: The facility shall be designed with adequate communication systems to support normal and emergency operating conditions.

U. Fire Walls: The facility shall be designed with appropriate fire rated walls as required by fire codes and shall provide an adequate design for emergency evacuation routes. The solid waste storage area and tipping area must be separated (by a wall) from the solid waste combustion equipment.

V. Water Supply: The water supply system shall be sized and designed to meet potable, sanitary, irrigation, process, and firefighting needs and shall include design redundancy to preclude interruption of water flow to the facility's internal firefighting water supply system. The sizing and design of this system may include satisfying appropriate types of water needs with non-potable water or recycled wastewater as a water conservation measure.

W. Backup Power Supply: The facility shall be designed with a backup power supply to ensure power supply to meet facility needs during facility outages and to provide adequate power during emergencies, including fires.

X. Plant Interior Layout: Interior layout design for all facilities shall provide for system installations that maximize accessibility for repairs, maintenance, and ease of cleaning, while affording employee safety.

Y. Utilities Demand: The design of the facility shall not place a demand exceeding the remaining use capability of existing utilities including, but not limited to, potable and non-potable water supplies, waste water and storm water collection and treatment (if applicable), energy supply and transmission, transportation systems, or any other site related infrastructure subsystems, except in those cases where plans have been developed or are being implemented to provide for the expansion of existing utility systems or establishment of new utility systems which will meet the additional demand generated by construction and operation of the facility.

Z. Buffer/Setback: A buffer and setback area shall be provided to allow for plant expansion or adequate planning for installation of pollution control equipment that may be required due to future advances in the state-of-the-art. All structures that store or process solid waste shall be designed with a minimum setback of two hundred (200) feet from the facility's property line. All other structures shall be designed with a minimum setback of one hundred (100) feet from the facility's property line.

250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-140-05-4.2