Heavy Metal Contamination of Soils around a Hospital Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash Dumps Site

Waste incineration is the main waste management strategy used in treating hospital waste in many developing countries. However, the release of dioxins, POPs, and heavy metals in fly and bottomash poses environmental and public health concerns. To determine heavy metal (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ag) in levels in incinerator bottom ash and soils 100m around the incinerator bottom ash dump site, ash samples and surrounding soil sampleswere collected at 20m, 40m, 60m, 80m, 100m, and 1,200m from incinerator. These were analyzed using the absorption spectrophotometer method. The geoaccumulation (I-geo) and pollution load indices (PLI) were used to assess the level of heavy metal contamination of surrounding soils. The study revealed high concentrations in mg/kg for, Zn (16417.69), Pb (143.80), Cr (99.30), and Cd (7.54) in bottom ash and these were above allowable limits for disposal in landfill. The study also found soils within 60m radius of the incinerator to be polluted with the metals. It is recommended that health care waste managers be educated on the implication of improper management of incinerator bottomash and regulators monitor hospital waste incinerator sites.