INCENERATION OF INFECTIOUS WASTES IS IMPRACTICAL IN THE WAR

File: 091896_aug96_decls23_0001.txt
Page: 0001
Total Pages: 1

Subject: INCENERATION OF INFECTIOUS WASTES IS IMPRACTICAL  IN THE WAR    

Box  ID: BX000461

Document Number:        172

Folder Title: COMMAND REPORTS-ARCENT MISC LESSONS LEARNED-PT 1 OF 2 A                                         

Folder Seq #:          5

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organzation: CENTCOM     




                                         UNCLASSIFIED

       1. (U) JULLS NUMBER: 14566-94000(00008), submitted by
       AFRD-@C, COL Xenison,            t (       -

        . (U) DES@ STORK 91 conducted on 04/07/91

          (U) KEMORDS: None.

       4. (U) TITLE: Incineration of Infectious Wastes is impractical in the War Zone

       S. (U) OBSERVATION: Forward hospitals were unable to incinerate
       infectious wastes.

       6. (U) DISCUSSION: Field manuals and technical guidance imply a
       need for incinceration of wastes generated in field hospitals.

           Field hospitals do not have incinerators.

           Mobile hospitals do not have time to construct inclined
       plane incinerators. Even if they did, there is some doubt that
       the latter generate the very high temperatures needed to achieve
       Oincineration." These devices might have been adequate during
       WWI, but do not generate sufficient temperatures to meet today's
       expectations.

           Some infe @ ous wastes are difficult to destroy without a
       fixed incinerator, i.e., blood and body fluids accumulated in
       operating rooms.

           Some hospital sites were on bedrock which made it very
       difficult to even dig pits for buriall

          (U) LESSON L      : It was necessary to have a cascade of
    4priteria to meet the realities of the situation on a case by
       case basis.

               (1) Whenever possible, infectious waste generated
       in field hospitals should be transported to fixed hospitals
       for destruction in fixed incinerators.




               (2) Whenever the above is impossible, infectious waste
       should be placed in a pit, burned beyond recognition, buried,
       and the site recorded.

               (3) Whenever the above is impossible, infectious waste
       should be placed in a pit, buried, and the site recorded.

               (4) Whenever the above is impossible, infectious waste
d for later
       pickup by a contractor, and protected during the interim from
       animals and the weather.


                                        UNCLASSIFIED

Document 1 f:/Week-31/BX000461/COMMAND REPORTS-ARCENT MISC LESSONS LEARNED-PT 1 OF 2 A/inceneration of infectious wastes is impractical:09139616133550
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-31
Box ID = BX000461
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = COMMAND REPORTS-ARCENT MISC LESSONS LEARNED-PT 1 OF 2 A
Folder Seq # = 5
Subject = INCENERATION OF INFECTIOUS WASTES IS IMPRACTICAL
Document Seq # = 50
Document Date =
Scan Date = 09-AUG-1996
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 13-SEP-1996