The challenged rule covers "large municipal waste combustors,"
those capable of burning at least 250 tons of garbage each day.
EPA estimates that approximately 167 waste combustors, located
all over the country, emit over 13 tons of mercury pollution, 24
tons of lead, and vast quantities of particulate matter and acid
gases each year. "We were taught a long time ago that burning
our garbage in our backyard was not good for the air we breathe
and our environment," said Marti Sinclair, chair of Sierra
Club's Air Committee. "But for some reason, that lesson didn't
make its way to the offices at EPA. This is an opportunity for
EPA to achieve major pollution reductions. Instead, EPA has
decided to allow pollution backsliding to occur, putting our
families at risk for birth defects, cancers, heart and lung
disease and other health problems related to toxic air
pollution." EPA acknowledges that the air pollutants emitted by
incinerators include substances that can cause cancer and other
catastrophic health effects,