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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Pioneer Mike II dedication Saturday ... Transient who made racist comments known to Ashland police ... 18 students fraudulently earned certification at Abdill ... Pioneer Mike II dedication Saturday ... Transient who made racist comments known to Ashland police ... 18 students fraudulently earned certification at Abdill ... MARION COUNTY Marion County approves plan to boost intake of medical waste Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 30, 2016 at 6:29 PM By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 30, 2016 at 6:29 PM » Social News SALEM — Marion County commissioners voted to dramatically increase the amount of medical waste that can be burned at a garbage incinerator near Salem. Covanta Marion, which operates the incinerator, plans to contract with the nation's largest medical waste disposer to take up to 50 million pounds of medical waste annually from California and Washington. Prior to Wednesday's vote, out-of-county medical waste was capped at 3 million pounds per year. The reason for the increase is simple: Revenue from the 30-year-old incinerator has been falling, and medical waste is lucrative. The proposal could net the county as much as $3.4 million per year. "We've led the country in our way of handling solid waste and our recycling," Commissioner Kevin Cameron said. "I want to continue to do that, but we need some way to pay for it." Several members of the community wrote letters of opposition, citing health and environmental concerns, the Statesman Journal reported. They raised concerns about an increase in the emission of dioxins, dangerous chemicals that can damage organs and cause cancer, as a result of increased burning of the plastics used in medical settings. Medical waste incinerators are the third-largest source of dioxins nationally, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, after forest fires and backyard burning. "Marion County can use the extra money, but to whose detriment?" Joan Lloyd of Salem testified Wednesday. "I'm asking the commissioners to please proceed with caution." Matt Marler, business manager for Covanta Holdings, said the facility emits only a fraction of the dioxin allowed by state and federal law, and quarterly ash testing ensures material isn't hazardous. "These emission standards are set to prevent any exposure to the public for health or environmental, so they are set well below any potential risk to the environment," Marler said. The incinerator attracted national attention two years ago when county commissioners who strongly opposed abortion rights banned the disposal of fetal tissue. The decision came during an uproar over allegations that human fetuses were included in shipments of medical waste that arrived from Canada. The medical waste from California and Washington will not contain fetal tissue or large body parts, Covanta officials said. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 30, 2016 at 6:29 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501