Bio Cremation Alkaline Hydrolysis Rachel Wall Environmental Specialist Bureau of Environmental Services September 2018
Outline Final Disposition Methods Traditional Burial, Fire Cremation, Bio cremation Process & Environmental Impacts Alkaline Hydrolysis Chemistry & History Portland Bio Cremation Facility Sampling, pretreatment and permitting Questions? Environmental Services l Presentation Title 2
Burial 50% of Funeral Rites Slow Rate of Decomposition Highest Environmental Impact High Resource Demand 1.6M tons concrete 90,000 tons steel 30,000 tons wood Highest Consumer Cost $7 10,000 avg Environmental Services l Presentation Title 3
Embalming Fluid Formaldehyde + Glutaraldehyde + Methanol + Dye + Other Solvents Preserves Tissue Slows Decomposition US 5.3M gallons annually 800,000 gallons leach annually Environmental Services l Presentation Title 4
Fire Cremation Process Natural Gas Oven 1800 F for 2 4 hrs 92 cubic meters 29 kw h electricity 700lbs of CO2 emissions Vaporized Metals Dioxins Halogenated Hydrocarbons Cremulator Environmental Services l Presentation Title 5
Fire Cremation Remains Dental Metals Dental Amalgam 50% Mercury Silver, Tin, Copper Most metals not re usable Removal before processing could lessen amount released Environmental Services l Presentation Title 6
Bio Cremation Alkaline Hydrolysis Alkali + Heat + H20 + Pressure Breaks Bonds Destroys Pathogens & Prions, Genetic Material, Toxic Chemicals Originated in late 1800s Dead Livestock Nitrogen Rich Fertilizer Disposal of Research Animals NRC Standard 10CFR20 (Disposal by Release to Sanitary Sewer) Environmental Services l Presentation Title 7
Alkaline Hydrolysis History Late 1800s Dead Livestock Fertilizer 1900s 10CFR20 Disposal of Research Animals 1990 Findings on how to inactivate CJD 1993 Hot Alkali Destroyed Prions 1995 Mad Cow (BSE) Outbreak 2005 Mayo Clinic 2011 AH Commercially Available in FL Environmental Services l Presentation Title 8
Mad Cow (BSE) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Fatal Neurological Disease Sponge like legions on brain Spread by infected meat in cattle feed Incubation several years Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vcjd) in Humans Contracted by eating meat infected w/bse Prion Caused Disease Folded protein Environmental Services l Presentation Title 9
Bio Cremation Alkaline Hydrolysis AKA Chemical Cremation, Water Cremation, Aquamation Water: 95% @90 100 gallons Alkali: 5% Heat: @300 F Time: 3 5 hrs Environmental Services l Presentation Title 10
Bio Cremation Process Steel Basket Inside Chamber Environmental Services l Presentation Title 11
Bio Cremation Remains Medical Implants Environmental Services l Presentation Title 12
Bio Cremation Remains Flame Cremation Bio-Cremation Environmental Services l Presentation Title 13
Bio Cremation Effluent Humans mostly H20 Sugars & Fats Nucleic Acids Amino Acids Build Proteins <300 gals/cycle Simple Organic Compounds Calcium Phosphate Environmental Services l Presentation Title 14
Initial Sample & Pretreatment Concerns (NaOH + KOH) + H20 BOD: 56,800mg/L TSS 180mg/L ph 12.2 High Zinc & Copper Frequency of Discharge FOG/Saponification Active Process Areas Environmental Services l Presentation Title 15
Saponification Triglyceride + (NaOH and KOH) Glycerol + Crude Soap Ester Hydrolysis Reaction NaOH = Hard Soap Lower cost KOH = Soft Liquid Soap Lubricant and detergent in sewer Environmental Services l Presentation Title 16
Course of Action Stop Discharging Clean Tank & Equipment Replace Brass Spigot w/stainless Steel Prohibit NaOH (KOH only) Increase co flush H20 ph Neutralization of 7 Resample ph Adjust Sample Port Discharge Environmental Services l Presentation Title 17
Facility Resample & Findings Effluent Resample Resample BOD: 12,200 mg/l TSS: 8,240 mg/l ph: 6.7 Zinc & Copper below limits No O/G method works for soap (fat) No solids separator Environmental Services l Presentation Title 18
Bio Cremation Permitting Best Management Practices (BMP) based permit Detailed O&M Plan NaOH restriction ph adjustment w/mixing for distribution 5.0 11.5 Annual Reporting Batch and ph logs Waste hauling logs Outdoor Monitoring Access Structure Environmental Services l Presentation Title 19
Additional Considerations Effluent Resample Variations in Machines and Methods Less caustic & Longer Exposure Time More Caustic & Less Time Less Caustic with Agitation Environmental Services l Presentation Title 20
Cremation Type Comparison Bio Cremation $300,000 $500,000 No air permit Consumes 1/8 th the energy of flame Medical implants are recyclable Effluent can be used as fertilizer Flame Cremation Start at $150,000 Air permit required Vaporized Metals 700lbs CO2 per deceased person Toxic waste residue Environmental Services l Presentation Title 21
Questions? Rachel Wall Rachel.Wall@PortlandOregon.gov City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services Environmental Services l Presentation Title 22